The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-07
STREY OPENS
WAR TO GUST
ROADS BOARD
Senator Demands Thorough
Inquiry Into Conduct Of
Department.
ASKS FOR LAW CHANGE
Wabash Representative Is
Confident That He Can
Stage Cleanup.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY

State Senator Charles L. Strey
rep. Wabash) is in the city to-
day, loaded with ammunition and
well prepared to lay barrage on
the state highway department,
which, he says, will dislodge the
present personnel, whether they
are embedded in concrete or "black
top"
Strey has spent months in prep
aration Of his data and his cam
paign detectives are:
First. A thoroughgoing senatorial
investigation of the present per-
sonnet and past conduct of the state
highway department.
Second. Change in the highway
law to abolish the present commits
sion and director and provide a full
time commission, with definite quail
ification for membership to be ap-
pointed by the Governor, with SEN
ate approval.
Rally to His Standard
Since arriving in the city late
Tuesday, Strey has been busy lay
ing plans to carry out these pro-
posals. He is meeting with i'm
mediate support from many quar-
tiers, it is indicated. He is said to
have succeeded in organizing
group of so-called "inSurgent Re
publican senators" Of sufficient size
to block any q. o. P. proposals if
joined with the Democratic vote.
He also announced that he is
seeking to be chairman of the SEN
ate roads committee and is certain
of membership there, despite the
tremendous pressure being brought
to bear on Lieutenant-G Governor
Edgar D. Bush to prevent his ap-
pointment. This committee will
deal with all highway legislation.
Opening gun in Strey's fight for
state highway investigation and
change will be the charge that al
though the department purposely
was created to collect federal funds,
it failed dismally during 1880 and
lost for this period $3,500,0 600 that
could have been used both in
building approved highway and
providing employment for unem-
ployed and drought-Stricken farmers.
Williams Prepares Data
This charge will be backed by
some carefully compiled data pre-
pared by John D. Williams, former
state highway director.
Other charges are to be made by
Strey include one of inefficiency and
lack of knowledge Of his job on the
part of Director John j. Brown and
what Strey terms attempted dicta-
torship'' by Commissioner jess L..
Murden Rep., Peru.
To support the latter allegation,
Strey is investigating the allegation
that Murden went to Senator James
E. Watson and sought to bring po-
litical pressure to bear on engineers
and chiefs of the federal depart
ment of roads so that requirements
on highway work in Indiana would
be modified to meet the commission
wishes.
Murden is a close personal friend
of Governor Harry G. Leslie.
Murden also is alleged to have
sought discharge of a prominent
employee of material interests, on
grounds that the employee had criti-
cised highway expenditures, but the
reported effort failed.
Change of Heart Shown
Credence is lent the charge,
Strey believes, by the swing in ma
tsrial interes; by representatives to-
ward the S; ey plan of reforma-
ton. This cl 3nge of heart is said
to be based on the idea that with
the present commissions conduct
continuing, they are apt to be in the
position of killing the goose that
laid the golden egg"
StreyS figures will disclose that
the department has permitted more
than 100000 in federal aid to
pile up at washington, while
drought-stricken farmers and the
industrial unemployed are begging
for work on the roads.
He will show, he says, that
$2,072, 530.6o was collected in fed
eral aid funds during the fiscal
year 1880, while the department
had about $2O,OO0,O00 in state funds
to spend and easily could have
matched any amount, but failed to
collect some $3,500,000 due during
that period.
Federal aid collection for the ifs
cal year 1880 was the smallest since
1923 and the department had more
state funds than at any other time
in history, Strey will point out. The
fiscal year closes Oct. l.
Only "Alibis," He Says
Explanations regarding early con-
tracing, fine weather, and the like.
as given by the administration as
reasons for failing to collect fed
eral funds, will be shown by Strey
to be but alibis. he declares.
Here are his figures for the fiscal
year 1880, which he charges are un-
answerable:
Highway expenditures. $4,000 900:
overhead more than 100000, al
though promised to have been kept
nominal when the cent gas tax in
crease was voted in 1929: increase
OF ! cent produced a revenue in
crease of $4,000, 900, but the admin
istration failed TO collect So 500. 900
in federal funds. despite this fact.
Wounded Man Gains
49, -