The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-26
RECALL WAR WASTE
Previous Extravaganza Re-
suits in Distrust Of De-
partment Figures.
INVESTIGATION LOOMS UP
Inquiry Into Alleged Viola
tion Of New Army Bill to
BE Begun.

Spet1ut DeSpufch 10 LIE NBW NORk HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., Oct. 25.
There is hard shedding ahead for
the estimates of the Democratic Ad
ministration for maintaining the mill
tary establishment because Of the dis
closures made OF Democratic waste and
extravaganza. u
When the army and navy estimates
calling for nearly $500, 100000 We're
made public to-day, Republican MEM
bers of botA the Military and Naval
committees declared every item would
that "the programme Of waste and
extravaganza that characterized the
administration Of public affairs by the
War Department In the last three
years has jeopardized the proper main
tenance OF the military establishment
In the future
The estimates disclose that for the
peace time maintenance Of the national
defence total Of $1,464 900, 900 will be
asked Of Congress. This enormous
total. which suggests some Of the larger
estimates submitted when America
was an actual participant in the world
war, does not include sums which the
departments will ask later as def
cheney appropriations.
The navy estimates are about $780,
OoO,O 900. and the army figure runs up
to 1914, 200, 900, or nearly as much as
it used to cost to run the entire Gov
ernment in the pre-war period.
Recall Airplanc Waste.
The committee. and indeed the entire
membership Of Congress-, never have been
able to recover from the shock they re-
ceived when a total Of about 81 900, ,000,-
900 was practically wasted and thrown
to the winds in the endeavor to produce
aeroplanes as a part of the world war
programme. Gen. Menoher. head OF the
Air Service in talking about his ex-
periences abroad recently, recalled that
he used to "scan the air daily for billion
dollar airplanes from America that never
came"
But that is only one instance Mat
comes to the minds Of committee men,
bers whenever an estimate from the war
Department Is presented. The vice OF
the "cost-plus" system OF letting con-
struction contracts. which the War De-
partment initiated and employed for
many months early in the war, casts a
stigma of suspicion over requests for
appropriations. and forces committees IN
both parties to demand exhaustive anal
ysis OF every item in appropriation bills
before they will approve them.
The War Department abandoned this
system after the evils of It had reached
the ears OF Congressmen, but by that
time the harm was done and II was too
late to do more than check the riot OF
expenditure in other phases OF the war
programme.
Much wanton Extravagancc.
bers of Congress who must pass upon
the estimates submitted for military
projects is the useless destruction of
property both here and abroad that
could have been salvaged. The records
of the committees that investigated these
matters, particularly the COMMITTEES In
charge of foreign expenditures headed
by Representative Royal johnson OF
South Dakota. are filled with instances
of wanton waste that could have been
avoided.
Only yesterday an instance was re-
ported In which the department had let
contracts for about $1,000 pairs OF army
shoes at high prices. But at the same
time newspapers here. IN New York,
Chicago. Philadelphia, and probably In
many other large cities are carrying ad-
vertisements for the sale Of army shoes
(restored) far below the prices the War
Department is paying for new shoes to-
day.
The War Department will suffer from
two distinct handicaps in the next ses-
sion OF Congress in obtaining appropria-
tons It has asked for. The first will be
a demand by Chairman Kahn OF the
House Committee on Military Affairs
that an investigation be made OF the
manner in which the new Army organI-
zation act has been administered. He
has been informed that the provisions OF
the law have been ignored and that the
Secretary OF War. instead OF having the
question of purchase and supply con-
Quoted by the Assistant Secretary Of
War. as contemplated by the law, has
turned the business over to the General
Staff He has also been told that other
important requirements outlined by Con-
gress have been violated and has pro-
pared the text of resolution OF inves-
tigation which he will Introduce on the
first day of the session.
The second handicap under which Il
will labor is the accumulation OF dis
trust born OF the series OF Investigations
by the special committee on War FIX
penditures. There are other factors en-
tering into the situation. These are SUI
flcient 10 show. however. that the vast
total OF nearly billion dollars asked
by the department this year will un-
doubtedly be greatly cut.
rAyAnA CUTS COST OF MIG GAR.