The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-02
GRAHAM IRE
RENEWED BY
WAR FRAUDS
His First Move Extends
Limitation Statute
Six Years.
Washington News Bureau.
Rock Island Argus.


Washington, d. c., Nov. 2.-Hav-
ing secured the enactment early
this week of a bill extending the
statute of limitations on war frauds
against the government from three
TO six years. Representative VIII
liam J. Graham, AledO. today an
uounced that he will again ask the
department of justice to proceed
against all firms and individuals
implicated in the report rendered
nv him at the last session of con-
gress. as chairman of select COM
mittee investigating expenditures
in the war department,
The Illinois congressman took
the floor early last summer and re-
newed hia charges that the govern
ment was robbed of millions of
dollars" by those who furnished
supplies for the maintenance of
the army in camp and overseas.
Il have submitted to the depart
ment of justice the data assembled
by our committee at the last ses-
sion OF congress and have been as
/, sured that prosecutions will be made
in many of the cases" Represent
alive Graham stated.
The report of the investigating
committee of the house demonstrate
ed beyond doubt that the govern
ment was defrauded of millions of
dollars under contracts with firms
and individuals furnishing supplies
TO the army and navy. ! intend to
keep these cases before congress
and to do everything in my power
to see TO it that the department OF
Justice prosecutes every one of
them"
Dawes Under Fire.
During the debate in the house
last Monday on the bill introduced
BY REPRESENTATIVE Graham extend
ing the statute of limitations on
war frauds, the Fourteenth district
congressman recalled the state
nent of the late William E. Mason.
representative at large, who in his
last speech in the house demanded
that the new administration prose-
cute the cases Both Graham and
Mason in speeches on the floor
criticized General Dawes, who
urged that the government go no
farther with its war graft probe,
in his famous hell marian" speech
before one of the house investigat-
j ing committees.
Representative Graham'S bill,
which passed the house Monday.
has been sent to the senate and an
| attempt will be made to obtain
unanimous consent for its early
consideration. Both Senators Nc
l Nnley and Mccormick of Illinois
are favorable to the measure and it
has already been approved by the
senate committee on judiciary.
In his statement to the house,
when the Graham bill was under
consideration this week in the
house, Chairman Volstead of the
ho1se committee explained its pro-
Visions as follows:
The department of justice has
been engaged in the investigation
and Is now engaged in the investi-
cation of various alleged offenses,
consisting largely OF frauds against
the government which are claimed
70 have occurred during the war
with Germany and since its con-
cllsion-
1 Need Long Investigation.
i Many OF these alleged offenses
EeT out of the contractual rela-
uNns Of the government with vari-
oes persons and corporations en-
sased IN the furnishing of military
and naval supplies of various
NndS Many of these transactions
ieQure the most minute invesuga-
ION In order TO ascertain the ex-
Act Iacts, and in every case a con-
SIDERABLE period must elapse before
suea tacts may be gathered from
sus Mes and other sources that
NE department may know whether
Such Prosecutions are justified or
s& Under the existing statute of
LIMITATIONS, three years, many of
asSe alleged crimes are already
3rfed. and in all such cases under
nc law no prosecutions can be had
any might be thought advisable.
80 70 very large number of cases,
ssHeper, If prosecutions might be
/ sSho necessary, the same could be
- me existing statute were ex-
s@oed, for a period of three add
at years. as provided in the