The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-22
ROADS BOARD
PROBE VOTED
BY senator's
Strey Is Named Committee
Head for inquiry on
Highway Commission.
START QUIZ MONDAY
Failure in Collection of
Federal Aid Subject
for Study.

senator Charles l.. surrey ISsO-
luton to investigate failure of the
state highway department to COL
lect federal aid during the time
the money was needed sorely Tor
drought and unemployment relief
received unanimous approval OF
senator's when introduced today.
Lieutenant-G Governor Edgar D.
Bush Immediately appointed an in
vestigating committee Of five, as
the resolution provided, and Strey
was made chairman.
The investigation will commence
Monday, Strey announced.
Five Members on Committee
The resolution read as follows:
That the president of the senate
hereby is instructed and directed to
appoint a committee consisting OF
five members Of the senate, three OF
whom shall be members of the ma
iority party and two Of whom shall
be members of the minority party
whose duty it shall be to investi-
gate the handling of Indiana'S allot-
ment of federal aid highway funds
by the Indiana state highway COM
mission, with special reference to
the failure of said commission to
collect $3,500,000 of said funds which
we're available to be claimed by In
diana during the fiscal year ending
Sept. 80, 1880, and also to investi-
gate failure Of said Indiana state
highway commission to cooperate
with the United States bureau Of
public roads in the application OF
provisions Of the federal highway
law with special reference to rela-
tons between the members of said
Indiana state highway commission
and the official engineers of the
United States bureau Of public
roads.
Strey Is Made Chairman
Upon the conclusion of such in
vestigation, the committee shall
submit a report to the senate en-
bodying the results of it's investiga-
ton, the conclusion drawn and such
recommendations as it may desire
to make
Members of the committee are
Chairman Strey Rep., KoSciusko
and Wabash, Senators G. Oliver
Holmes (Rep. Lake., Glenn r.
Slenl1er (Rep.. Carroll. Clinton and
White, William P. Dennigan (Dem.,
Daviess and Knox and Anderson
Ketchum Dem, Bartholomew, De-
catur, Franklin and Union).
The matter to be Investigated re-
garding the United States bureau of
roads is an alleged attempt of Com
missioner Jess Murden CRep., Peru +,
to seek Washington political pres
sure on highway engineers to have
certain standards relaxed so the In
diana department could carry on as
it pleased and still collect the fed
eral funds.
Long Fight Is ClimaXed
Strey, who is aided in his probe
by figures compiled by John d. Will
liams, former state highway direc-
tor, expects to disclose that while
5,639, 1892 in federal aid was avail
able during the last fiscal year, only
S2,072, $1,000 was collected, despite
the fact that there were more state
funds available for matching federal
aid funds than at any time in the
history Of the state highway depart
ment.
Departmental expenditures for the
year exceeded $4,000, 900. making it
the most costly season since the de-
partment was organized.
Strey long ago directed fire on
the loose manner in which depart
ment money was handled and &C
counts kept, but only Wednesday
Director John j. Brown and de-
partment officials appeared before
the state budget committee and
asked that all restrictions be re-
moved.
May Urge Full Time Group
BY this was meant that the money
should no longer be budgeted for
maintenance, construction and adj
ministration, but turned over in a
lump sum for the commissioners to
spend as they see fit with the ges-
ture of supervision of the budget
committee, which meets four times
a year.
Some idea of possible recommends
lions which will be made by the
senate investigators was contained
in the fact that Strey is ready to
Join with several other senators in
introducing bill calling for a full
time commission of four members
and completely abolishing the pres
ent set-up.