The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-11-25

F 'Nh 4aA AAEhlA G1A AlAlN NiAA
others proved L be founded on mino,
cases of dishonesty. So one is in
clined to the opinion that his latest
sensation win go the way of those
which preceded it,"
Strong resentment at the publicity
given To the sweeping charges is
voiced by the New York World Dem
while the TT. Wayne Journal Gazette
tDem.) remarks that evidently the
experts appointed and paid well for
unearthing a scandal wanted to have
no leavings." The Gazette. however.
concludes, that n thorough investi-
cation by the courts will determine
whether the charges are fair. The
New York Evening Post Ond.) points
out that the public should distin-
guish between Shipping Board history
before the armistice and since the
armisticc,' since mistakes during the
war are to a certain degree excusable
on the score of wal haste.
Attacks upon the personnel of the
Shipping Board, especially the minor
positions appear in several newspap-
ers. The Springfield Republican Qnd.)
mentions that mos of the dishonesty
is found in the uncontrolled army
of subordina.es" and adds.
However honorable or honest the
men in supreme authority, they are
constant victims of federal appointees
who look upon graft as one Of their
prerequisites. Too often their actu-
aung motive is not TO make the best
deal for the government but to get
something for themselves"
Government inspectors, the Los An
geles Times Cnd. Rep.) points out,
were drawn almost exclusively from
political lists and that a previous
knowledge of ship construction was
not considered essential TO employ
ment' under methods 'cruder than
those of Tammany Hail. IN milder
language, the Brooklyn Eagle lind.
DEM eNpressse the same thought.
Making every allowance for all
concerned, the fact tina. there was
lamentable laundering is obvious. Nor
is it difficult to escape the con-
clusion that the Shipping Board is ex-
ceedingly unfortunate in its per-
sonnet
The New York Globe QndJ feels
that misconduct Of our officials,
is something that it is hard TO cir
cumyent under any form Of govem-
liHIeedPsed''Ty u general unwillingness
TO do a full job in Furnishing Il
offenders" The lesson from this
emphasized by the expose Of
the Shipping Board is the failure oi
government ownership, in the opinion
of several writer's. The indianapolis
Qnd. Rep.) believes that de-
spite the fact that the president 'en-
deavored to obtain men of ability
administration proved the
to be folly" The New York
Tribune (Rep.) creiiting the admin
with nothing but inability,
comes however to the same conclu-
sion that silent and undivorcable
partners OF government ownership ex-
periments in this country are graft
and costly inefficiency." If this point
is proved by the investigation now
under way, the Baltimore sun tInd.
thinks thai "it will not be with
its value The government fail
ure was worse in its attempt to OPP
crate ships, the Boston Herald (Ind.
Rep.) believes, than it was with the
railroads. because in this case the
job was IN infinitely harder one
Political a%ffiliation caused some
writer's TO attack or defend the Ad-
minlstration in many cases, but the
Albany Argus Qnd. Dem.) explains
that Admiral Benson, Charles Schwab
and Charles Piez, who headed the
board are Republicans and distributes
the blame If such there is found 10
be while the Johnston Democrat
(Dem.) which thinks the bill Is
properly charged 10 President VIII
SON. also believes that some Of /the
responsibility rests with the dollar-a-
day patriots who rushed TO he de-
Tense OF their country so gallantly
and with such an impressive flour
ish OF trumpets."
One factor that is not generally
brought out in the discussion is touch
ed upon. by the st. Louis Democrat
tInd.) after crediting the board with
the increase Of u shipping tonnage
from 5000. 900 in 1916 to 10000, 900
in 1920. 1t considers the duty Of
the investigators TO the future:
"The fixing of responsibility for
wrong and the punishment of any Of
lenses Of a character that demand
punishment should be but incidental
TO the process. The primary pur-
pose should be constructive. II will
avail us little 10 pry into the work
II we do na learn and apply the
lessons learned from the errors that
are discovered In the inquiry
Oh, very well, Let us have an