Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-01-27
War Post -MOrtems

An audit of shpbuldng accounts that showed upward
had been paid improperly by the Shipping Board
disclosed voucher for S269000 charged in one
month for the personal Of Charles NJ Schwab
while he Director General of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poraton the boards construction testified Col E.
Abadie former General Comptroller of the board to the
House committee Investigating board deals The expense
voucher discovered in the office of the Bethlehem Ship
building Corporation which Mr.. Schwab heads and 100000
Of the amount charged to ship construction He also
charged that there reat many serious Irregularities
in the dealings between the Bethlehem Corporation and the
government but that he satisfied that Mr. SchWab knew
nothing of them.
Mr. Schwab declared that "he nsinuation against
false Judas, but they hurtGod knows how they hurt
and he completely broke down and wept while answering
his He declared that he had collected cent
from the government for his personal expenses not even his
dollar year.
Following the hearing the congressional investigating
committee issued statement declaring the insnuations
against Schwab unfounded and untrue unusual act
the probe has not been finished Some explanation will be
to what became of the $269000 charged to
Schwab-probaby it Red Cross charity dona-
ton but while suspicion attaches to Schwab the incident
illustrates the looseness with which Uncle Sans funds
handled by the Emergency Fleet Corporation
It with extreme reluctance that Mr. SchWab accepted
the job at the presidents solicitation of speeding the war
shipping program in the national emergency, knowing the
mmesy of the task and that his reward would be suspicion
and accusation With his attention concentrated upon build
ing programs it was Of course impossible for him give
the supervision to details essential to efficient management
No such gigantic effort had been undertaken in his
the building OF the emergency teet to WIN the war
The organization sung together hastily speed
the great essential The greatest creative minds in American
industry summoned, and shp-building nation
urned almost overnight into the worlds master ship
builder The very nature of the work entaied great waste
and many mistakes, but other efforts, there is
nothing to show criminal acts the part of those who
aericed money time and at the call of their country
The great who helped the have been crowded
f the stage by the small who made sacrifices and
ire now crcsng and making all manner of insinuatons
ganst those who did the job No stone has been left u
urned since the signing Of the armstice to besmrch the
and stain the fame of those who the war Begin
ing with the president at home and Pershng abroad
who played important role has been ploned The
st is long and includes the chief of every branch OF
mergency work. n
Republics proverbially ungraeful but it is doubtful
hether any proved themselves ugrateu the United
tates of America has following the world And it is e.
this reward of economy that really big shy at
ub service and keep out of public office except in great
nergency when their patriotism their scrupes
The unexpected early ending of the war has given opor
nifty for postmortems upon the heavy initial expenditures 81
ecessary in launching the gigantic enterprises Had
sted year two longer, they would have been amply w
stified AS matter Of fact these coosa prepara TO
ons that won the by breaking the morale of Germany M
convincing her leaders that America in earnest and in
er cause hopeless. AS long the expenditures accom- "
ished the results there is little ground for criticism ar