HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 103 TO INVESTIGATE THE EXPENDITURES IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, ETC. JANUARY 22, 1912 WASHINGTON EXPENDITURES IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT. [Committee room, basement, main building. Telephone 278. Meets on call.] COURTNEY W. HAMLIN, Missouri, Chairman. EXPENDITURES IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT. SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, Monday, January 22, 1912. The subcommittee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. Courtney W. Hamlin (chairman) presiding. TESTIMONY OF MR. THOMAS MORRISON. The witness was duly sworn by the chairman. The CHAIRMAN. You are the disbursing officer of the State Department? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And you were during the fiscal years 1911, 1910, 1909, and some prior years, were you not? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. Witness is handed a paper for examination. The CHAIRMAN. I will ask you, Mr. Morrison, to look at that paper and state what that is? Mr. MORRISON. I am unable to state what this covers. The CHAIRMAN. Well, you can look at it and see what it covers? Mr. MORRISON. I see it covers payments out of the emergency fund; it covers vouchers relating to emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service; of course, in the absence of vouchers, I can not tell what this particular amount covers. The CHAIRMAN. I show you a paper bearing date Washington, October 5, 1910, and I will ask you to state what that purports to be. Mr. MORRISON. Well, payments made by direction of the Secretary under section 291. The CHAIRMAN. Revised Statutes, section 291? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Is that a certified copy of the certificate filed by the Secretary of State under section 291 of the Revised Statutes of the United States? Mr. MORRISON. I think it is. The CHAIRMAN. For payments made for emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service for the fiscal year 1911? Mr. MORRISON. I think it is, sir. The CHAIRMAN. State the amount of that certificate, please. The CHAIRMAN. Now, I will ask you to take the next paper. Is that the same kind of a certificate? Mr. MORRISON. The same kind: yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Is that also for the fiscal year 1911? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And what is the amount of that certificate? Mr. MORRISON. That seems to be for $30,516.87. The CHAIRMAN. Now, take the next one. That is the same kind of a certificate, is it? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And for the fiscal year 1911? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What is the amount of it? Mr. MORRISON. That seems to be for $14,882.35. The CHAIRMAN. Now, take the next one. Is that the same kind of a certificate? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What is the amount of that certificate? Mr. MORRISON. $12,549.91. The CHAIRMAN. Now, we come to another paper bearing date August 21, 1911. I will ask you to state what that paper is. Mr. MORRISON. Well, that seems to be a certificate covering some accounts of Mr. Carpenter. The CHAIRMAN. Out of what fund? Mr. MORRISON. Out of the fund for emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service. The CHAIRMAN. For the fiscal year 1911? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What is the amount of that certificate? Mr. MORRISON. $17,880.70. The CHAIRMAN. Now, we will take another one. [Handing paper to witness.] Do you know anything about that certificate, bearing date January 31, 1911? Mr. MORRISON. That is for $88.95. The CHAIRMAN. That was paid out of what fund? Mr. MORRISON. It says here. "Emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service, 1911." The CHAIRMAN. Now, I will call your attention to another paper, bearing date September 27, 1910, for $2,109.52. It appears that $580.25 was paid out of the fund for emergencies arising in the Diplomatic and Consular Service for the fiscal year 1910, and from the same appropriation for the fiscal year 1911 how much? Mr. MORRISON. $1,529.27. The CHAIRMAN. Now, Mr. Morrison, I will call your attention to this certificate, which bears the initial "M." What does that indicate? Mr. MORRISON. It indicates that it is my initial. The CHAIRMAN. That you made out this certificate? Mr. MORRISON. It was made out in the office. The CHAIRMAN. And inspected by you, and your initial put on it by you? Mr. MORRISON. Yes, sir; that is my initial. Mr. DENT. Do you mean you signed the name of the Acting Secretary of State? Mr. MORRISON. No: I do not do that. Mr. DENT. Well, what does it mean? Mr. MORRISON. That "M" means that I have passed on this; I did not make it up. |