The Washington herald., 1921-06-04
Senator Shows Personal
Telegrams Sent at Ma
tons Expense.
ASKS FOR INQUIRY
BY CONGRESSMEN
Vote Taken to Sell 300
Wooden Ships to Junk
Dealer.

Cannot get uo"h until Iucsuay
a. m. Hotel Fairfax. Eight
thirty"
This, according to Senator Ken
Won, of Iowa. was a telegram sent
by an employe of the shipping
board to a young woman. at gov
ernment expense. He read 1t from
the floor Of the senate yesterday.
during the course of a sharp at
tack on the shipping board. to sup
port his contention that shipping
board affairs "reek of graft" and
that the board is badly adminis-
tered.
Here are some other kilograms
Kenyon read:
1Please mail three blank cheques
to Shoreham hotel. Missed Nor
folk boat Friday night"
Leave door open. Be home
about midnight tonight"
Asked Yale Tickets.
Another telegram had to do with
the purchase of tickets for the
Yale football game.
Kenyon explained that the cost
of these kilograms to the govern
ment was small. But, he argued,
their transmission at the expense
of the government illustrated the
general condition of laXity.
Kenyon spoke in support of the
resolution of Senator King, OF
Utah, a democrat. seeking a thor
ouEh inquiry into all shipping
board AFFAIRS. A number of sem
ators of both parties likewise in
dicated their belief the resolution
should be adopted.
Item Gets Approval
The senate was considering a
$4,000, ,oOn deficiency appropriation
for the board. contained in the de-
ficiency bill now under considers-
tion. Despite condemnation of the
board, the item was approved. II
brought the total for the shipping
board carried in the bill to s1Il,-
900. 900.
Kenyon cited a printing bill OF
$50, 900 for a single day as an CA
ample of unwarranted expenditure
Senator Pomerene, of Ohio,
democrat. declared freight rates on
American ships between Hamburg
and ports in Argentina are higher
than between New York and Ar
gentina.
British Consul Agent.
Senator Poindexter. of Washing
ton, republican, suggested ira,
maybe the shipping boards agent
in Hamburg was a German. The
ID IL VI
was shipping board agent there.
Poindexter said. although there
was an American consul in the
same port.
Senator Smoot. of Utah. a repub-
lican. pointed out that the shipping
board auditor drew $4,000 annu-
ernment departments drew but
$4,000. Chiefs of bureaus, he said,
get $500 in the war department,
while the shipping board finds it
necessary to pay them $4,000.
All Have Autos.
Poindexter said that sixty officers
at the Hog Island yard have but
forty men working under them The
he said, provides most
of the sixty with autos.
Worry over the destinies of the
shipping board is not confined to the
senate It comprises one of the
knottiest problems at the White
house.
The chairmanship of the shipping
board has been offered to one after
another. 1t still remains untitled.
In addition. the President must
obtain a 100000 man at a govern
ment salary.
Teagle Declines Job.
Walter c. Teagle, of the Standard
Oil company. decided at the last
moment he could not accept the
place. Possibilities most prominent
" mentioned now are C. H. Huston,
assistant secretary of commerce,
and A. d. Lasker, an advertising
man of Chicago.
Three hundred wooden ships, built
by the government during the war.
are to be sold as junk. All but
about forty of the ships are rot
ting at anchor in the James river,
in Virginia TIE forty are in a
lake near Seattle.
Sale by October 1.
The sale is provided in an amend
mcnt to the second deficiency bill
adopted by the senate yesterday. 1t
instructs that the ships shall be
disposed of by October 1.
Senator Lenroot said that their
sale would save the government
$50. 900 to $4,000 monthly for up
keep. Senator Smoot said the gov
ernment has been trying to sell the
ships for two years, and at one time
offered the whole lot for $4,000.
but found no purchasers.