The Washington times., 1920-06-17
EASTERN JUNKET
SAILS ON JULY J
73 Members Of Congress Book
ed for Far East Tour, Says
Baltimore Sun.

Is being rsvamped In the homes of
about seventy three members Of Con-
gress, the maps Of foreign countries
| are being perused diligently, the ap-
| petites are being whetted with tonic,
| and Edmund T. Erik, secretary to Con-
gressman Porter. OF Pennsylvania
chairman Of tho House Committee on
Foreign Affairs. has his voice devel-
| oped to the state where he can COM
pete with any professional barker. ac-
| cordinE to a Washington dispatch to
the Baltimore Sun. for
The good ship Congressional Junket
will sail from San Francisco harbor
on July s. and aboard II will be at
least seventy-three members of Con
gress. all duty bound TO pay S1.7b q
day and thus assure themselves. II not
the public, that they are paying their
| way.
All that mysterious silence which
| has claoked the junket from the day
that adverse publicity began to pour
into Congressional offices 10 being
maintained with the most scrupulous
care, the dispatch continues The
sphinx has nothing on Mr.. Erik. one
Of the appointed custodians Of the
| names of the passengers of the good
| ship Congressional Junket The same
sphinx Is In operation At the War
Depa rtment where another list has
| been filed
WAR DEPARTHENT o. KS BAND.
Mr.. Erik has said his say about the
publication of the names in the Sun
already in that memorable utterance
| that this is not going to cost the
Government a cent and the names
are not going to be published" The
War Department today had its say:
You are not going to get the names
| II I can prevent it," said one OF the
attaches in the office Of the trans
portation division.
lis 1t not a public record" he was
asked.
NO. IL 10 q War Department record.
and II the men promoting 1t have not
seen ht to give out the nanes we can
not give them out"
ERIK VETERAN TOURIST.
That seventy-three members will 80
10 assured--that is assured to Mr.. Erik. !
who 1t is understood is going along !
a. "trip secretary" thus displanting |
congressman Randall of California.
from the roll of chief promoter. Mr..
Erik has conducted several successful
voyages, II is understood. and then
being secretary to the chairman of the
Committee on'Foreign Affairs, his in
nusnoe undoubtedly viii be OF great
value when the members put foot on
foreign soil. So anyhow and never
theless Mr.. Erik Is going and he does
not intend to see the trips fail through |
the publication of the names of thsoe
going.
A short time ago there were about
100 reservations, but gradually these
were reduced through rulings of the
hat frtA ~
junkstsrs could not be taken along. |
Now the list has dwindled TO seventy
three and today another terrific blow
was struck at the morale Of the crew. |
TO SAIL ON JULYk
The boat will sail from San Fran |
cisco in July 5, and will stop At Hong
kong for only one day. The oppor-
tunity TO see China was said by many
Of those propos'nS ~ 60 to be the in
ducement to them. but seeing China In !
one day presents some difficulties SO
efforts were made to have the War
Department order the transport TO
lay over In Hongkong for several
days-again and not cost the Gov
ernment a cent but the War De-
partment demurrsd and al 1.-THE Con-
rressional pleadings went amiss.
1t was then decided that those who
wanted to see China would have to re-
main in that country for thirty days,
for the next transport will not arrive
thsre before another month has
ELAPSED from the arrival of the good
ship nsressionsl Junket
30 DAYS IN CHINA.
Thirty days In China and at an ex-
psn.s which undoubtedly would be
greater than sl.T5 a dsy--the official
cost nrst announced to members OF
Congress---is too much OF good
thing. and some OF the members who
insist on always getting their moneys
wc-th are debating with themselves
vhs ether II 10 all worth while. And in
IN. meanwhile Il Is understood Mr., |
Erk and some Of the other promoters !
are getting apprehsnsive.
The report that the junketers
would have to pay the cost of railroad |
travel through China: that the
Chinese government would not stand
this expense, as was first reported, |
caused some loss OF morale and some |
loss OF passengers. The latest report |
as to another espeGss may cause 9TH
or Losses.
nut the good ship will sail II there
IL not a soul on H. according to the |
word which came from the junketsrs !
today, and there will be seventy three |