Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1920 — A CONTEMPTIBLE REPORT [ARTICLE]

A CONTEMPTIBLE REPORT

The .character and purpose of the majority report of the Frear subcommittee is plainly revealed in that part of it dealing with John D. Ryan, former director of aircraft production. In thteir unscrupulous partisanship and perversion of the facts th® two Republican members have sought to produce a campaign document which reflects severely upon their own sense of honor and decency, says the New York World. Early in the course of the subcomimittee’s investigation, Representatives Frear and Magee publicly fathered charges affecting Mr. Ryan’s personal integrity as head of the aircraft production. In their eagerness to a political scandal they overreached themselves, for they had confined thieir investigation to taking only such evidence as was favorable to tlheir plans. Later, w hen they were confronted by Mr. Ryan in person in this city, they wtye caught in the position of having circulated officially statements that were wholly untrue. For Instance, it was proved beyond possible doubt that, whereas the majority members of the subcommittee had charged Mr. Ryan with the responsibility for the construction I of a government-built railroad for the benefit of the Milwaukee rail- । road, of wihiich he had beem/ a dl- । rector, as a matter of fact the plan for title construction of a railroad by the governimlent had been adopted long, before Mr. Ryan became director of aircraft production. In other- respects, it was shown, the investigating committee had strayed equally far from the truth. The general opinion at the time was that it owed Mr. Ryan an honest apology. Instead, Representatives Frear and Magee, after waiting for months to present their report, renew their aq- usations against Mr. Ryan, with sneering allusions to his “statement ol disinterestedness.” It is a cowardly performance, carried off under cover of official privilege. In other circumstances, a similar offe’nse would not be tolerated, which only makes it the more unpardonable.