Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-18
HOT FIGHT IN HOUSE
IS FORECAST OVER
NITRATE REPORTS
Majority and Minority Find
lngs Regarding Alleged
Waste Vary.

i"o FepoTtS, one Dy repuOIcanS
condemning the governments entire
wartime nitrate program and charg-
ing reckless waste and extravaganza,
and the other by democrats defend
ing it and charging partisan bias by
the majority. were presented today
to the House by q special committee
which took up the investigation near
ly year ago.
Along with its forty-one general
of the governments
'prising Chairman Graham. Illinois,
and Representative Jefreris, Nebraska,
submitted recommendations for fu-
ture disposal of the Muscle Shoals
properties: which Representative Gar
rett Re tt,,of Of Tennessee tennessee the democratic
province. Mr.. Garrett indicated that
he would make a point of order
against the report on that ground.
Members said this would open the
way for the biggest political fight in
the House since the investigating
committee was created.
Republicans Blame Presfdent.
The republicans laid the blame for
the nitrate program, entailing an ex-
pendituresof about $116, ,000. 900, at the
door of President Wilson, with Ber-
i
Of the great wartime project, al
though Representative Garrett, speak
ing for. the minority, declared that
the President acted on the suggestion
of Secretary Baker and both could
assume responsibility without thought
of apology.
Charging the Air Nitrates Corpo-
ration, builders of the Muscle Shoals
plant. with failure to perform its
contract. the majority recommended
to Congress that no further sums be
paid it on account, and that civil
that the whole question of pay be
threshed out in the Court of Claims.
1t also was recommended that the
government pursue such remedies as
might be decided by the Attorney
General.
terials at the Toledo and Cincinnati
plants and retain the Sheffield, Ala,
plant, the committee recommended
that the government lease the de-
serted village, built for officers at
Sheffield at cost of $2.00O,000.
Disposal Of Muscle Shoals.
The principal recommendation by
the majority related to the big
Muscle Shoals plant. costing $70.00O.-
900. Being too valuable to scrap, the
majority recommended that it be
leased and converted into a fertilizer
plant, for the sale of products direct
to farmers, with the right of the gov
ernment to take 1t over in time OF
threatened war. Further expenditures
1t Muscle Shoales were opposed; a..
In the two reports. embracing $4,000
words, every detail of the nitrate pro-
gram was discussed. Declaring tf,lt
throughout the majority report there
run the threads of suggestions OF sim
lister and unworthy motives" on the
VI III 0oid 10 vnf
Of the building corporation. Mr.: Gar
rett contended that Mr.. -Washburn
and his associates, in appearing be-
fore the committee, had all the bear
inRs of gentlemen and good citizens"
"veiled attacks on Mr;
a most important and praiseWorthy
part
Places Cost at &116.194.974.
In the first of it's findings the ma
jority charged that the nitrate pro-
gram cost the government $116.194,-
974, that no nitrates were produced
prior to the armistice, and that it con-
tributed nothing toward winning the
war.
The minority report replied that il
war expenditures were to be judged
by the unexpected end of hostflities.
of the nations efforts
were useless, three million more men
than were necessary were called to
the colors and Congress made itself
ridiculous" in passing the last draft
act.
Had the war continued. the majority
said. Mr.. Baruch planned additional
plants that would have cost $2O0,00O,-
900. The minority said the cost was
but that the admins
tration would have provided the ma
tion's necessities 'and soldiers on the
firing line would have had the abso-
lutte assurance that they were not be-
ing sent to a shambles for lack of
~Misdireeted Effort" Majority Says.
The nitrate program was character
lied as lone of misdirected effort" by
the majority, which declared if the
same effort had been utilized in pro-
ducing foods and war essentials it
would have been of real help in win
ming the war. This. the minority said,
was inconsistent with any sound line
of reasoning"
II there was necessity for. manu-
facture Of nitrates, the majority said,
neglect and delay in starting until
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