Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-18
NITRATE GRAFT
WILL Be AIRED
Political Fight to Be Pre-
cipitated in House by
Committee Report.
EXTRAVAGANCE AND
WASTE ALLEGED
COMMITTEES Recommends That Addi-
tional Money be Paid to cor'tract-
ors at Mu..el Shoals Plan. and
That Buildings be Sold or Convert
Cd to Other uses-President Viii
son Held Responsible by Committee
By Associated Press.


ports, one by republicans condemn
ing the governments entire nitrate
program, charging waste and ex-
trayagance. and one by democrats
defending it and charging bias by
the republicans. were presented to
the house by special committee
which took up the investigation q
year ego.
Along with its forty-one co,idem-
nations OF the government policy the
republican ajority submitted rec
concentrations for future disposal of
the Mussel Shoals property, which
Representative Garret, OF Tennessee,
the democratic member. declared
was beyond Its province. Mr.. Car
ret Indicated he would make a point
of order against the report on that
ground. Members said this would
open the way for the biggest polit-
ical fight in the house since, the
committee was created.
Republicans laid the blame for the
nitrate program at the door Of Presi-
dent Wilson, with Bernard Baruch as
the moving spirit of the wartime
project altho Representative tsarret
declared that the president acted on
the suggestion of Secretary Baker.
and that both could assume RESPONSE
bility without apology.
Would Stop Graft.
Charging the Air Nitrate Corpora
tion. builders OF the Mussel Shoals
plant, with failure to perform It's
contract. the majority recommended
.tntxno further sum be paid lt on
account, and that clllvfff nuts as IN
stituted for recovery and that the
whole question of pay be threshed
out Ia the court Of claims.
The committee recommended that
the government lease the deserted
villages built for Offices at Sheffield
at cost of $12.ooo,o00. The prin-
cipal declaration related to the big
Mussel Shoals plant, costing $4,000
900 The majority recommending
that It be leased and converted into
fertilizer plant for sale of products
direct to farmers, with the right Of
the government to take it over in
time OF war.
9f16, f94, ,s74 Wasted.
IN the hrst OF its findings this ma
Jority charged that the nitrate pro-
gram cost the government SUI. 1884,
8 sS74;; that no nitrates were produced
prior to the armisttce, and that II
contributed nothing toward winning
the war.
The minority report replies that II
war expenditures were to be Judged
by the unexpected end Of the. war
three fourths Of the nations expen-
ditures were unnecessary, and that
congress made itself ridiculous" by
passing the last draft act.
Tho nitrate program was char
acterized as "one Of misdirected ef-
forts" by the majority, which declared
II the Same effort had been utilized
in producing foods and war essen
tia1s It would have been Of real he,p
in winning the war.
This, the minority said, wau 'in-
consistent with any sound lire of
reasoning.
csnsurs for Colonel Joyos.
There was no vital necessity, the
majority found, for such q vast
building program. adding that Chill
can nitrates should have been bought
and stored. The Sheffield plant, with
homes and offices for officers cost
Ing $12.000.000 was characterized as
Colossal blunder and wasting OF
funds.
The minority held that the plant
was an experiment and a large ex-
penditure and that too much was
spent for homes.
Ordinance officers, the majority
declared, failed in most instances to
guard the interests of the United
States. "The conduct Of Colonel ].
W. Joyce head Of the nitrates
division. in approving contracts"
the mapority said was such us to
merit severe censure."
The minority ''repudiated en-
phatically' this assertion as to Col
onel Joyce, declaring he acted on
principles of the highest integrity" !