Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-26
Congress Junket !.
No Smooth Sailing
II
L BY 3. G.sDa,lgherfy1

| y
itBy e. GfsDaugherty.l
Washington, June ..26.-The old
tried and trnsty frock coat is being
reyamped i'm the homes of about sew
enty-three members OF congress, the
maps 81 foreign countries are being
diligently perussd. the appetites are
being whetted with tonic, and Ed
mund T. Erik, secretary to Congress-
man Porter. of Pennsylvania. chair.
man OF the house committee on for
eign affairs. has his voice developed
to the state where he can compete
with any professional barker, for the
good ship congressional junket will
sail from San Francisco harbor July
s. and aboard Il will be at least sew
enty-three members OF, congress, all
duty bound to. pay $1.75 day and
thus assure themselves, If not the
public, that they are paying their
way.
All the mysterious silence which
has cloaked the junket from the day
that adverse publicity began to pour
into congressional offices is being
maintained with the most scrupu-
lous care. The sphinx has nothing on
Mr.. Erik. one Of the appointed GUS
todians OF the names of the passeng-
ers on the good ship congressional
junket. The same sphinx Is in OPP
Grafton in the war department, where
lksx ~.
Mr.. Erik has said his say about the
publication Of the names In that
memorial utterance that this is not
going to cost the government a cent
and the names are not going to be
published" The war department is
equally reticent; having this to say
today:
"You are not going to get the
names II can prevent it, said one
of the attaches in the office OF the
transportation division. which is ar
ranging the government army trans
port for the pilgrimage of the con-
gressional junketeers
rs it not a public record" the man
was asked.
NO. 1t is a war department record
and if the men promoting 1t have not
seen fit to give out the names we can
not give them out"
That seventy-three members OF
congress will go is assured-that is
assured to Mr.. Erik, who 1t is under
stood is going along as "trip secre-
tary." thus displasing congressman
Randall, of California, who originally
was the promoter of the scheme. Mr.
Erik has conducted several successful
voyages, and then being secretary OF
the committee on foreign relations
his influence will be OF great value
when the members put foot on for
eign soil So anyhow and nevertheless
Mr.. Erk is going and he does not in
tend to see the trip fal thru the
publication Of the names of those go
Ing.
A short time ago there were about
100 reservations, but gradually these
were reduced thru rulings by the
war department that friends of the
!unketeers could not be taken alons
Now the list has dwindled to seven
ty-three and today another terreffic
blow was struck at the morale of the
crew.
The boat will sail from San Fran
cisco July . and will stop at Hong
Kong for only one day. The oppor-
tunity to see China was said by
many Of those proposing to go on the
trip to be the inducement to them
but seeing China one day presents
some difficulties. So efforts were
made to have the war department
transport lay over in Hong Kong for
several days. but the war department
demurred and all congressional
lpleadings went amiss.
It was then decided that those who
wanted to see China would have, tc
remain in that country for thirty
days. tor the next transport viii no,
arrive there before another month
has elapsed from the arrival Of the
good ship Congressional junket.
Thirty days In China and at an ex-
rense which undoubtedly would be
greater than $1.75 9 day--the official
cost first announced to members OF
|congress-is too much OF a good
thing. and some of the members who
insist on always getting their mo-
ney's worth are debatinEewit them
selves whether it Is all worth while
And in the meantime it Is understood
Mr. Erik and some Of the other pro-
motors are getting apprehensive.
The report that the junketeeI
would have to pay the cost Of rail-
road travel thru China; that the
Chinese government would not stand
this expense, as was first reported
caused. some loss of morale and some
loss ofpassengcrs. But the good ship
Congressional Junket will sail II there
is not q soul on it according to the
word which came from the junket-
GERS today, and there will be seventy
three, more or less mysterious and
unidentified passengers aboard.
Helped Man and Wife.
Walter Farrau nd. 1898 Springfield