Evening star., 1941-04-04

% = a
fense contracts
and particularly David Lawrence.
the question of geographical dis
tribution of plants. The inquiry
can delve into every aspect Of de-
tense contracts.
In the House, two separate in
vestigations already have been au-
thorized and third may soon be
voted. The first two will be con-
Quoted by the House Naval Affairs
Committee under the craftsmanship
Of Representative Vinson, Democrat,
and by the House Military Affairs
Committee under Representative
May. The third inquiry yet to be
voted, would be conducted by Repre-
sentative Howard Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia, with special emphasis on
labor problems. Mr.. Smith headed
up the inquiry last year into the
National Labor Relations Board.
The studies by the House Mill
tary and Naval Affairs Committees,
respectively, are not to overlap or
duplicate each other. Investigation
Of work stoppages will be made,
but primarily the purpose is to check
up on the Army and Navy contracts
and ascertain whether the Nation
Is getting its moneys worth for the
vast sums being disbursed, and
whether any obstacles to production
are appearing which can be removed.
Qualified for Survey.
Both Mr.. May and Mr.. Vinson are
veteran legislators. Their respective
committees having been responsible
for the original appropriations and
knowing the details of military and
naval affairs, are naturally we'll
qualified to survey the whole defense
program.
Each of these big committees has
nearly 80 members and this means
that there will be several subcom-
mittees to take up various divisions
of the inquiry. Chairman Vinson
will send subcommittee into the
various naval districts and will sum-
mon contractors to testify at points
nearest their plants so that little
time will be lost. Chairman May is
planning to divide his committee
into three groups to study contracts
relating to aviation, land acquisition
and construction, materials, pro-
curement and production.
All sorts of rumors and reports
have reached here about individuals
who have made eXorbitant fees out
of Government contracts, especially
In connection with land acquisition
around Army camps. Likewise,
there are questions affecting profits
about which the congressional COM
nittees want to get data so as to
determine whether profit limitation
provisions should be revived.
Differ From Post War Probes.
The interesting and significant
fact which must be borne in mind
In connection with the inquiries just
authorized is that they will be I'M
like the postwar Investigations of
the early '20s, when much water
had gone over the dam. The pres
ent surveys will be current and will
have the advantage Of being con-
Quoted in the field where the con-
tracts are being fulfilled.
Much agitation for checkup on
the defense program has been de-
veloped as a consequence Of letters
from citizens to their members of
Congress. The legislators here had
their choice between a special COM
mittee to study defense or the use Of
investigating powers by the commit
tees already familiar with naval and
military affairs. The administration
preferred to have the already con-
stituted committees, who know the
background Of Army and Navy mat
ters, make the inquiry, especially
since these committees would know
when to call In Army and Navy
officers and the relationship of par
ticular contracts to the defense
program.
Complete Study Assured.
There has been some talk, too,
OF a joint investigating committee
but each House Is rather jealous
Of its own powers. The fact that
there are to be four major inquiries
made, with several subcommittee
Investigations, insures the American
people Of thorough study Of the
operations Of the whole defense
program.
It is only few weeks ago since
the halls of Congress echoed with
the cries Of dictatorship" and the
"abdication by Congress of its pow
ers" when 1t was defeating the
lease-lend bill. But Congress goes
on checking the executive branch
of the Government, just the same
Republicans as well as Democrats
are to be present in the committee
hearings and there will be full pub
hcity so that the American people
IN true democratic fashion will be
checking up through their elected
representatives on what is being
done with the billions of dollars of
disbursements for which the citi-
sens are being asked to pay heavy
taxes.
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