The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-19

made it difficult for him to build up
an efficient personnel,
Secretary Glass, in his statement,
asserted he had not received the
resignation of Director Lindsey and
said it would not appear to be neces-
sary to explain to the public the de-
STABILITY of Colonel Lindsley's dis
missaI from the service, in view of his
own authorized statement that on
April s, last. he expressed to the as
sistantr secretary of the treasury in
charge of the war risk bureau his
utter indifference as to whether or
not the directors official communica-
ton to the secretary of the treasury
might be construed as a gross per-
sonal affront.
Says Lindsey EgotisticaI.
This one sentence" the ,seeretary's
statement added, clearly reflects the
spirit of exaggerated Importance and
insufferable personal vanity which
characterized the official conduct of
Colonel Lindsey for the entire five
months period of his incumbency of
office, eliminating in his concertedly
studied 1ndignity of April s. The
strutting around of this official and
the extensively peremptory tone of his
memoranda finally ceased to be anus
ing and that among things of greater
consequences accounts for his re-
moval."
Referring to public information.
Colonel Lindsey wrote to Secretary
Glass according to correspondence
given out by the former:
You know as well as l do that the
bureau is not in good repute with the SOL
diers and their families. and that the best
and only way to correct this impression
is first by improving services: and
second, advertising by means of thought
full publicity. have been compelled to i'm
pose narrow limitations upon the bureaus
81 rNrNefA
the delays in the treasury.
Speaking quite Plainly, Mr. Secretary,
you inherited in this bureau volcano, and
| assumed its dictatorship with a full
knowledge of the fires that burned be-
meath it. You alone have the power to de-
termine whether this bureau is to be a con-
structive factor in your administration and
helpful to the four millions of men and
their dependents. or whether you will per
day to day in the manner l have de-
scribed"
Denies Holding Up Appointments.
Referring specifically to Colonel
Lindsleys charge that his recommen-
dations as to appointments were held
up by the treasury, Secretary Glass
statement says that when the di-
rector's deliberately offensive letter
was written there had been promptly
approved by the secretary of the treas
ury and the acting secretary, 9,19S
recommendations for appointments
Enacted on. Two of these three were
approved before the receipt of Di-
rector Lindsley's remarkable letter"
Secretary Glass said he decided to
make inquiry before approving two
recommendations for appointments
because the salary proposed was above
the average for the positions. Three
other appointments were held up, the
secretary asserted, for investigation of
duties to be performed for $40 a day.
Later, according to the secretary's
statement, the director general sent
word that these duties had been in
accurately stated in the original re-
quest and that later the men con-
cerned were put to work 'in defiance
of the seoretary's authority and il
cOntravention of law"
Into American Legion Work.
Colonel Lindsey plans to devote his
| time after his retirement to organiza-
ton of the American Legion, the or
ganizatiOn of war service men, of
which he was elected temporary head
at a recent convention at St. Louis.
| Formerly he was head of an insur-
ance company, banker and business
man of Dallas, Tex. He is a Democrat
and prior to wor was mayor of Dali
las
Dudley Gates of San Francisco, head
of the allotment and allowance divi-
sion of the bureau, and j. w. Barton
of Dallas, head of the compensation
division, have also offered their res
ignationS to Secretary Glass.
Checks for allotments and allow
ance payments due in May have not
been mailed out by the bureau, owing
to lack of funds. They have been pre-
pared, however, and will be put in the
mails as soon as congress this week
makes the necessary appropriations.