The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-02
Commissioner of Pensions
Has Been Away From His
Desk One third of Time
Since Going Into Office.
JUST BACK FROM TRIP
THAT LASTED So DAYS
Told Friend He Could Make
More at Law Business in
Kansas in Two Weeks
Than His Office Paid
Since He Had 1t.

Clerks in the Pension Office have be-
come facetiously sarcastic over the
great admiration which Commissioner
of Pensions Ware has displayed for
clerks who have not taken any sick
leave in the past five years. The cause
OF this facetiousness is to be found in
the statement that Mr.. Ware has had
FIVE months and twenty-nine days OF
leave since he went into Office in May
1901. eighteen months ago.
This FIVE months and twenty nine
days is practically six months. so that
the Commissioner who has dwelt so
strongly upon the necessity for prompt
ness and faithfulness among his clerks
has been away from his post of duty
just about one-third of his entire time
in Office. The proportion of leave
taken by Mr.. Ware is thought by those
who have been watching his erratie
conduct to be about the limit" espe-
cially in view of the fact that his leaves
were not due to sickness. but principal
ly to desire to attend to private busi-
ness In Kansas.
In No Hurry to Return.
Mr.. Ware returned to Washington on
Wednesday. after having been out Of the
city continuously since August S. a
period of ffty-three days. When he
went away he went to Kansas. and from
there to the Grand Army Eneampment
at San Francisco. After showing him
self TO the veterans. IL was expected he
would return to business, but the Com
missioner fooled those who took that
view by going back to Kansas and fol-
lowing his personal devices. regardless
OF the supposed need for his presence
at the head of the Pension Office.
Twice before in the last few months
the Commissioner has made trips to
Kansas which stretched over two weeks
at a time. He is a prominent railroad
attorney in the state that brought forth
Carrie Nation and Ironquill. and when
he made one of his two-week trips home
he remarked to a friend that he could
make more money in Kansas in the
short time he would be there than he
could make during his whole career IN
the Pension ofice. The naive confes-
sion OF the Commissioner that he was
willing to sacrifice his official duties il
order to promote his law practice made
a great impression at the time and the
clerks who heard OF II began TO keeT
their records of his absence with more
care than ever before
Going on the Stump.
In addition to the absences which h
has already taken the Commissioner hai
been widely advertised In the press dis
patches as one of the star campaign
seakers for the Republicans in the Ohi'
campaign this fall. It has been an
.nounced he will deliver a number o
speeches to seorch the bOodling Demo
Gratis and all others who make Dubli
office private snap. and will urge upol
the sturdy voters Of Ohio the wisdom o
electing TO ONCE Republicans who vii
devote themselves heart and soul TO tn
public welfare, ct eetera.
The powerful voice of the Pension
Commissioner giving vent to these nobl
sentiments is expected TO add materiall
TO the Republican prospects Of crushin
the ambitions Of Tom Johnson. but /
would only create smiles among thos
who have the record OF his trips 10 Kan
sas. while drawing $1,000 as Commits
sioner OF Pensions