Evening star., 1936-02-25
More InsubOrdinatiOn.


mind about w. P. A. expenditures before
the House Appropriations Committee.
What he said was not complimentary.
He complained rather bitterly that Uncle
Sam did not put his money into perma-
nent improvements, including Army
housing. w. P. A. money he called stage
money" you can't get anything out OF
it in the end" he said by way of explana-
ton. And now Gen. Hagood has been
relieved of his command of the 9Th
Corps Area, with headquarters at San
Antonio, and ordered home. No one has
yet admitted that Gen. Hagood is suf-
fering a reprimand for what he told the
House Appropriations Communication
lese majeste. At the time his testimony
was published there were cries OF in
subordination' from several members Of
Congress
Just about the time the order to Gen.
Hagood was going forth, the Senate was
adopting a resolution that in certain
quarters might also have been termed
'insubordinationS 1t was a resolution
offered by Senator Byrd of Virginia. It
calls for an investigation of Government
expenditures. Further, it proposes to
learn why something is not done to pre-
vent overlapping of expenditures in the
consolidation of Government agencies.
Senator Byrd, Democrat, has been a
more severe critic of expenditures by the
present administration than Gen.
Hagood. 1t is not yet possible. however,
for the head of the executive branch of
the Government to order the Virginia
| Senator back home.
Gen. Hagood is an officer of the Army
of which the President is commander in
chief. 1t is not for soldier ito reason
why" It was on the cards that his out
spoken comments on the administration
policies of spending money would be
resented 1t may be that he will suffer
further for them.
The Senate committee which has been
allotted $4,000 to investigate Government
spending has considerable job on its
hands. Probably the author of the reso-
luton has ideas that conform somewhat
to those Of Gen. Hagood. 1t is well
understood that the Virginia Senator
proposes to look into the use of Govern
ment funds for P. w. A., w. P. A. and
ETxyo &InIu1,
who believe in going along with the
administration, whatever it may do, may
not have been in sympathy with the
resolution, they did not raise their voices
in opposition. The resolution was per-
mitted to 60 through without dissent
ing vote.
It is Senator Byrd's contention that
the President has been given complete
authority by Congress to 60 into the
matter of preventing overlapping of ex-
penditures and of consolidating and
lessening the number of Government
agencies. But what has happened during
the past three years? Instead of fewer
Government agencies, they have been
multiplied. Who remembers the days
when the Hoover commissions were the
target of Democratic invective? The de-
mand that the commissions be abolished
and Government agencies reduced was
an almost daily occurrence then.
The customary thing, after the Senate
has adopted a resolution calling for an
investigation, is to name the Senator pro-
posing the resolution chairman of the
investigating committee. Senator Byrd,
therefore, is in line for the Craftsmanship
of the new committee Of inquiry. If he
be appointed chairman, a thorough in
vestigation of what the Government has
been doing with its money will doubt
| less be in order. It would be salutary
| thing.
| -kRDA-<--