Evening star., 1928-02-24
Secretary Declines to State
Opinion on 20 Per Cent
State Contributions.
REFUSES TO CRITICIZE
WAR Department PLAN
Says More Information on Eco.
nomic and Financial Mat
ters Is Needed.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


months had charge Of food relief work
in the Mississippi Valley last year. to-
day urged upon the Senate commerce
committee the need Of prompt lcgisla-
ton for food control.
The Secretary, pressed closely by Sen
ator Halves OF Missouri. declined to say
specifically whether he believed the pro-
posed 20 per cent contribution OF the
States affected to the cost OF mood con-
troll projects was just or not.
More detailed information regarding
the economic and financial questions
involved is necessary. Mr.. Hoover told
the committee. He favored recent
suggestion by President Coolidge that
a commission should study the problem
and make report.
Avoids Criticism.
II any members OF the Senate COM
mittee hoped to bring Mr.. Hoover to an
open break with the President on the
subject OF flood control. they were dis
appointed by the testimony OF the Sec
retary today. Nor did Mr.. Hoover say
that the 20 per cent contribution pro-
posed in the Jadwin food control plan
and adopted by the administration. was
lust to the people In the flood area.
He contented himself with saying that
the matter should be studied further
He declined emphatically to criticize
the recommendations made by ohcials
of another department OF the Govern
ment" than his own. the War Depart
ment.
The demand for Secretary Hoover's
commit .
tee had been widely heralded as move
Of his political opponents. both Demo-
cratic and Republican, an ef1ort 10
put him In a hole" making him break
with President Coolidge or displease
those in the Mississippi Valley States
who favor his nomination and election
as President.
The committee room was Jammeo
with spectators when Senator Jones oil
Washington. chairman, escorted Mr
Hoover into the room.
The questioning OF MIR. Hoover was
conducted very largely by Senator
Hnwes. who led the fight In the com.
mittce to have the Secretary summoned
a fight In which 1t was freely charged
that Mr. Hoover's presence was de-
manded for political purposes and 70
embarrass him. Senator Willis OF ONO.
an opponent OF Mr.. Hoover for the
presidential nomination. also question:
ed the Secretary.
Secretary Becomes Restive.
At one point in the hearing Senator
Jones OF washington interrupted the
reiterated demands of Senator Hawes
TO know Just what Mr.. Hoover thought
Of the 20 per cent contribution plan.
when 1t was apparent that the Secre-
.ary was becoming restive under the
cross questioning OF the Missourian and
his evident intention OF pinning him
down.
You are endeavoring to pin me
down." Mr.. Hoover had said 10 Senator
Halves. with some show OF heat.
Senator Hawes insisted that the com.
mittee could not act upon the flood
control bill without first deciding who
was to pay the cost OF the work. -
"Of more than 800 witnesses who
have appeared before the House COM
mittee and this committee" said Sem
ator Hawes. you are the only one ~ho
has declined to express an opinion on
the proposed contribution by the
States"
II think we have the Secretary's
opinion as far as he is prepared to give
it," said Senator Jones.
But" said Senator Hawes. this Is
subject that cannot be delayed"
Il am prepared to proceed at once
with the drafting OF bill. so far as l
am personally concerned" shot back
Senator Jones.
Hawes Presses Inquiry.
Senator Halves had another question
which he pressed upon Secretary Hoov-
er whether the proposal Of Gen. Jad-
win that the Mississippi River Commits
sion should be reiegated TO an advisory
capacity merely In handling the finod
control work. This brought further
fencing between MIR. Hoover and the
Senator. Mr.. Hoover declined emphati-
cally TO criticize the recommendations
OF the War Department.
Senator Harris OF Georgia, Democrat,
came to the aid OF MIR. Hoover here,
The Georgia Senator wanted To know
II there are any better engineers any,
where than the Army engineers.
Mr.. Hoover replied that he consid-
In the world, and that they were par
ticularly qualified to deal with food
control because they have studied that
question for years. while civil engineers
have not been called upon to 60 into
that phase Of engineering TO the same
extent
Senator Harris asked Mr.. Hoover II
ne did not believe that u would be
better to have One-man control of the
flood project than to have the work
under the control OF a commission. lie
called attention to the fact that Pl.si-
dent Roosevelt eventually had ID place
the late Gen. GOethals In charge OF the
construction OF the Panama Canal
Mr. Hoover replied that the history
Of the Government has shown that sue
cessfui administration could be oh
tanned only when one man WAS IN con-
troll responsible to the President
Where commissions have sought To act
ns administrators they have failed 10 br
,efficient. he said,
Mentions Jadwin Plan,
When Senator Hawes began hts eX-
animation OF Mr., Hoover he promptly
called attention to the JadWin plan,
which he said Gen. JadWln had testified
he had prepared without consultation
with any one else.
"Of 800 witnesses who have appeared
before this committee and the House
committee" said Senator Hawes. no
witness has agreed with the Jadwin
plan except himself"
Mr., ito0ver said that Senator HaWen
need not expect him to dtaeuaa matters
which are entirely IN other departments
There are two questions which !
wish 10 ask YOU" continued Mr.. Haweh
u have read u long series 0f speeches
by YOU In regard 10 fiood control, One
question relates 10 the proportion 0f
Gosi 10 be horne by The States and the
,Contin,led on PAGE b. Column A.