Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-10
REFORMING METHODS
M - srs,-
Commissioner Warner After
=, ID Pension Office Force.
THE BOARD OF REVIEW
TEN MEMBERS CITED TO MAKE
EXPLANATION.
Alleged "Slipshod" Practices in the
Handling Of Cases Under Adjudi-
cation-Stringent Order.

Commissioner Warner of the pen
sion bureau has caused a sensation
in his department by issuing an or
der today that is refornatory in its
expected effect. + He has called the
attention of members of the board
of review to what he is pleased to
call slipsllod methods, and lively
shaking up in the force is expected
to result.
Commissioner aVespasian Warner Of the
pension bureau has taken a decided stand
against members of the force under him
who practice s..slipshod' methods in the
handling of cases. Ten members of the
board Of review have been cited to show
cause to the commissioner why their serv-
Ices as such should not be dispensed with
The order calling on the members of the
beard created CONSERVATION among the
clerks. 1t gave, evidence of a decision on
the part of the head Of the bureau to deal
In strict manner, with the delinquents in
his department.
ing of tile members of the board of review
were of most drastic character. The delin-
quencies discovered were in connection with
the allowance of claims from members Of q
Pennsylvania regiment that had never been
in the volunteer service. Commissioner
Warner has not decided what he will do
with the members. of the board he has asked
to show reasons why they should not be
dismissed. The time for the reception of
the answers has not yet expired.
Ihe cases that brought about the action
OF the commissioner date back as far as
May OF last year. 1t appears that In 1861
Uypo -f.rv to-, 1f T ,.,,1,r
tia organized by a Col McLane at Erie
Pa. At the time of the call for three
months men the regiment went into camp
at Pittsburg and was offered for service.
The men arrived too late to be accepted
however, as the quota from Pennsylvania
had been completed.
Some of the members of the regiment en-
listed In other organizations while others
remained in camp for ninety days and then
returned to their homes.
Appeal to Highest Authority.
Application for pension was made some
years ago by aSmember of the regiment.
and the case was taken up to the highest
authority, and Thy him decided that the
me mbers of that regiment were not PEN
slonabls.i 1t appear sthat last spring APP
piicatioR was made for pension by a mem
Der of the regiment and the application
was granted Later other applications were
made. until six were made and allowed,
the last being allowed in February last.
When Commissioner Warner came into
office he received a letter from an attorney
for member OF the regiment asking why
the application iof his client for pension
had been turned1 down when the claims Of
other members lQf the same regiment had
been allpwed,, This caused an Investigation
and the ALLEGIANCE of the six claims was
found to have been made.
At the same time 1t was found that two
claims in the LIST Regiment Of MERGERS Bri-
gade of the News5ersey National Guard had
been allowed. This regiment occupying
the Same status as the Pennsylvania regi-
ment, neither Of which. it has been decided,
were ever in the service of the United
United Or tpensionable.= When this, had
been discovered Mr.. Warner called on the
members of the board of review for an ex-
planatien,d 5.-cssis -. -
The namess Of the persons who reviewed
these particular cases were then found and
they were given the notices mentioned
Practice Must Stop.
Commissioner Warner said this afternoon
that he was determined that such prac-
tees should be stopped in his term of office.
The errors made in the case of the penn
sylvania niaiftiamen were inexcusable he
declared. because the records Of the pension
bureau show that the members of that regi-
ment are not pensionable and should not
have been given the slightest attention. Mr..
Warner states that the commissioner and
his assistants depend on the accuracy of
the examinations of the members of the
board of review, and consequently he in
tends to make an example of the members
who have been found delinquent