Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-18
NITRATE PROGRAM
SCORED BY c. 0. P.
Majority Of Committee Con-
demns Wartime Waste and
Extravaganza"
MINORITY REPORT DEFENDS
by the Associated Press

| Washington. May 1S.--Two reports.
ono by Republicans condcmning the
governments entire wartime nitrate
program aud charging reckless waste
and extravaganza and the other by
Democrats defending II and charging
partisan bias by the majority, were
presented today TO the House by a
special committee which took up the
investigation nearly year ago.
Along with it's forty one general con
dcmnations of the government policy.
the Republican majority, comprising
Chairman Graham. Illinois. and Repre-.
sentative .Iefferis. Nebraska. submitted
recommendation for future disposal OF
the Muscle Shoals properties, which
Representative Garrett. Of Tennessee,
the Democratic member. declared was
beyond its province. Mr.. Garrett indi.
Gated he would make 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 war investigation com
mittcC was appointed.
Republicans laid the blame for the
nitrate program. entailing an cxpcndi-
ture Of about 81 5000. 900 at the door
Of President Wilson. with Bernard NJ.
wartime project. although Representa-
tive Garrett, speaking for the minority.
declared that the President acted on the
suggestion of Secretary Baker and that
both could assume responsibility with
out thought of apology.
Charging the Air Nitrntcs Corpora
ton. builders of the Muscle Shoals
plant, with failure to perform its con
tract. the majority recommended to
Congress that no further sums be paid
it on account. and that civil suits he
instituted for recovery and that the
whole question of pay be thrcshcd out
in the Court Of Claims. 1t also was
recommended that the government pur-
sue such remedies as might be decided by
the attorney general.
After asking Congress to sell mate.
rals stored AZ the Toledo and CinCn-
matt plants and retain tho Sheffield.
Ala, plant, the committee recommended
that the government lease the deserted
villages built for officers at Sheffield
at q cost of $40 900. 600.
The principal recommendation by the
majority related TO the big Muscle
Shoals plant. costing so. 900, 900 Be
ing too valuable to scrap, the majority
recommended that il be leased and con
vcrtcd into n fertilizer plant for tho
SAFE or products direct to farmers. with
+ tho right of the government to take il
over in time of threatened war.
Further expenditures at Muscle Shoals
were opposed.
In tho first of its findings the ma
iority charged that the nitrate pro
gram cost the government S116194 .9T4.
that no nitrntcs were produced prior TO
the armsticp and that it contributed
nGthiDp tpwar1 winning thp unr
The nitrate program was charac-
tcrizcd as "ouc Of misdircctcd effort ="
by the majority. which declared if the
sam" effort had been utilized in produc.
ing foods and war essentials il would
have been Of real help in winning the
war. This, the minority said, was in Z.
consistent with any sound line of
reasoning.
President Frank s. WaShburn. Of tho
Air NitratcS Corporation. issued n
statement today in reference to the in-