The Glenwood post., 1920-11-20
Uacle TETS bet Tme Stories
Current Events For the Children
and 0rown-ups, Too

licked" 1t was Jack talking to his
scister about the football team of his
rival school. "You know, Sis, we sim
ply wiped up the field with 'em.
They didn't make a touchdown"
"Well, what happened after the
game" was Ruth's question.
"What happened" exclaimed Jack
in Disguised voice. "That Is what
fellow gets for trying to talk football
with. a girl. Haven't you heardi
They go off the field and say that it
was because we had built up clever
team with hackers and spent an awful
lot Of money. Then they say, 'look
out next year, we'll get you them
That makes me sick. Didn't they
have the same chance to build up a
good team and couldn't they spend just
as much money as anybody elsei But
they won't get US next year either
because we have THE team and we II
keep it that way"
"That's mighty Interestingly said
Uncle Ted as he put down his paper
and took off his glasses. "It reminds
me of the election. Sounds just like
the Democratic excuses for the Repub-
lican landslide. It's easy to tell how
it happened, but the fact remains that
the voters wanted Republican presi-
dent, Republican senate and house
of representatives and Republican gov
ernors. That is the real answer. 'The
proof of the pudding this time is the
way the voters went to the polls and
cast their votes.
"Another thing you said, Jack, ap-
plies to the election and what has been
said since. You said that your rival
football team was going to try 10 get
you next year. The Democrats are al
ready starting to lay their plans for
four years from now, when president
must be elected again. Since that is
the case, it is well that we do little
thinking and remind ourselves Of few
things a Democratic president and ah-
ministration have accomplished.
"we learn now what we have sus-
pected for long time-that millions
of dollars have been wasted by the
Shipping Board, according to a report
made by the special House investiga-
ting committee Of which Representa-
tive Joseph Walsh, Of Massachusetts,
is chairman. The facts were presented
to this committee by two former en-
ployes of the Shipping Board. Not
only does this report show that great
quantities of money have been wasted
but it is stated some Officials and
employees are guilty of graft and cor
ruption. 1t is even said that some
ships were scuttled.
"What's that mean3' asked Ruth.
"To scuttle a ship means to sink
it,
"That's awful was Jacks com
ment
eyes, it is awful, Jack. and I hope
not true. But we get some idea of
what went on when we read that from
1917 up to now the Shipping Board
had almost quarter of n million men
working for it and spent about S.
500 100000. There are so many bad
things said in that report that it would
take all night to tell them. Just n
few of the charges mentioned state
that tremendous overcharges were
made for repair work and materials,
that money was loaned on worthless
securities and that through contracts
being drawn up poorly the government
lost large sums Of money.
Gone of the worst things in the
whole report to me is the statement
that many Of the firms which held
contracts for the building of ships
started campaigns in their plants for
the selling of liberty bonds and then
charged in their bills to the Shipping
Board 10 per cent Of the money OBJ
tanned as = charge for the sale Of the
bonds. 1t is also said that in some
instances the fleet corporation allowed
these contractors to take money from
the funds appropriated for work, to
buy liberty bonds"
"who is head Of the Shipping
Board now,' asked Jack.
"Admiral William 8. Benson Is
chairman now, but he is Aforementioned
in any Of these charges. There have
been four chairmen Of the board dur
ing the time covered by this report,
but none of them is mentioned. Many