Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-02-11
DAWES FLAYS
WAR CRITICS
Chief of Supplies Makes Air Sui
phurOus in Committee Room
When Questioned us to Dis
position of Surplus.

Washington, Feb. 2.-Callcd be
fore Congressional subcommittee
investigating war expenditures to-
day, Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dawes OF
Chicago said ihrec times that he
was not going into politics, thereby
squelchng the idea that he would be-
come Secretary of the Treasury in
the Harding Cabinet. In one of these
statements he said he did not wish
to enter the Cabinet.
When he appeared to testify he
said to newspaper photographer
who stopped him outside the House
Office Building:
you don't need my picture. I'm
not candidate for any office; l do
not intend to become public officer
and I'm not going into politics."
This afternoon, while he was tess
tifying before the subcommittee, he
deplored what he said was ten
dency to withhold credit from the
British for their work in the war.
lie said the attemptss of certain
1rish-Americans to check this praise
made him "sick."
I'm an American" he said, "and
I'm not ashamed to praise the Brit
ish. 1t seems to have become unfash-
ionable to say anything favorable
about them. But say it. I'm not in
politics, and I'm not going into poll
tics, thank God!"
In the course of five-hour ex-
animation, Mr.. Dawes, who was Chief
OF Supply Procurement for the army
IN France, struck with sledge ham,
mer blows at critics who had tried.
he said. to detract from the glory Of
the great achievement by picking
flaws and parading trivial faults
5000 miles away. At times the air
was thick with streak Of oaths for
winch the witness frankly confessed
he had neither apology nor excuse.
Mr.. Dawes was called by Demo
cratic members Of the committee to
rebut testimony relating to waste
and extravaganza and particularly
with reference to liquidation Of Amer
lean accounts in France and sale of
surplus stocks to the French Govern
mcnt Answering charges that food
and clothing supplies might have
brought more than the $40O 900 900
paid by France. Mr.. Dawes turned
sharply upon one of his questioners,
Representative Bland, Republican, In
dlana, ana shouted:
Says England Lost by Delay in Sales.
at is just that sort of fool argu-
ment that forced Great Britain to
hold onto its stocks and attempt to
drive q hard bargain. The stuff is
there today, rotting. You cannot dis
cuss an eX parte question 5000 miles
away. There is no use to try and
throw mud when you were not there
to know conditions. England lost bill
lions of dollars by listening to that
sort Of talk, listening to lot of peo-
pie who were afraid of muckrakers
at home. They are raising the devil
in England now because England did
not sell its supplies when we Sold"
Mr.. Dawes said as q matter of fact
he thought France was charged too
much.
"Here you come now and charge"
he said, "that TIVE should not have
sold sugar. The War Department or
dered the sale. The sugar went tin a
lump lot with the junk. Everything
was second hand. We got $400 ,000,-
600 for it. We liquidated every ac-
count, and we did it because lot of
big men quit their own jogs and went
over there to help. Wee cleaned the
slate and Congress today still has
B'StiolH6 QdlG DdCh W tilC
Revolutionary War. 1t was a big
dob and we are eproud of it. In find
ind fault and hunting responsibility
yoy don't have far to go. Pershing
was the Commandere-in-chi and his
shoulders are ebig enough, thang God,
to bear it."
Mr.. Bland questioned Mr.. Dawes
about excessive eprices paid for
esuipmentt and material.
"Sure we paid" he said. "We did
mott dicker. Why man alive, we had
to win the war. 1t was a mans job.
We would have paid horse prices for
sheep. If the sheep could have pulled
artillery to the front. The man like
Johnson there" he said turning to
the Chairman of the committee, was
standing at the front to be shot at.
We had to get him food and ammuni-
tion. Oh, it's all right now to say
we bought too much vinegar and too
many cold chisels, but we saved the
civilization of the world"
Quite a lot of the questioning re-
lated to Great Britain.
"I am no more ashamed to stand
up here for England than for the
United States," said Mr.. Dawes
jumping from his chair and racing
aTOuuQ Inc llILlG IOOIl ]
thank God that in a crisis like We
had there were no chickering's be-
tween the English-speaking people
England took over 40 per cent. OF
our troops. Of course Pershing gave
them five divisions. but it had to bt
done to save the allied line.
The line of questions shifted con
stantly, but all the time it came bacl
to prices and vast stores on hant
when the armistice was signed. Thel
diplomats were mentioned.
"The diplomats system of appoint
ing men with pink tea experiences il
war time," said Mr.. Dawes, "was I
rotten failure. Sharp was all right
but the rest of them were utter fail
ures. 1t was all due to the appoint
ment of society men-pink tea fel
lows. Why, we couldn't get anywhere
We had George McFadden over ther
and he. did in three days what tn