Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1912 — SECRETS ARE BARED [ARTICLE]

SECRETS ARE BARED

Representative Harrison Say* British Have U. S. Navy Data. Assert* English Accountanta Employed by Department Have Acees* to Recorde—Resolution Calling for Information. Washington.—Representative Francis Burton Harrison of New York demanded that the navy department tell whether it has been employing foreign accountants in capacities where they have had access to the confidential or secret processes of manufacture in the navy yards. He introduced a privileged resolution calling on Mr. Meyer, secretary of the navy, for full information. The New York Democrat made public a complaint of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, which says in part: “Properly to install cost systems it is necessary for the accountants to familiarize themselves with the process of manufacture, material, labor, efficiency of various machinery and overhead expense. Hence the secrets of the navy are accessible to British subjects employed as accountants. How easy It would be for secret service agents of Great Britain to be employed on the staff of these' chartered accountants in their navy yard work.” It is further said that British firm* of accountants have transferred firm member* and a majority of their minor assistants to this country, supplanting American accountants. Secretary Meyer has' replied In • letter to a member of the house that these accountants "did not have access to records, processes or types of machinery that could be considered in any way of a confidential nature.” Perley Morse, president of the New 1 York accountants, has written to Mr. Harrison that Secretary 'Meyer ha* notwtated all the fact*. Mr. Mono added that Mr. Meyer neglected to say that these British accountant* have been installing cost systems in American navy yards and that* they could not do this without access to secret processes and methods of manufacture. Mr. Harrison will call up hl* resolution in a few day* and it is ex.pected to pas* the house. The senate will not need to act on it.