The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-23
Complaints Force Probe,
but Accuser Is Only One
Punished.
MANY CHARGES MADE
Inspector Refers to Inquiry as
a Farce Comedy'-Loses
HObOken Job.


dent was called many months ago to
the wilful destruction of hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars worth of prop
erty included among the fittings Of
the only official action taken on the
matter to date has been In the ma
ture of an attempt to punish a Gov
ernment employee who called atten-
ton to the vandalism.
These facts appear from papers in
an official investigation entitled Hicks
against the Army" upon which a
public hearing was held March 25 at
which Colonel of the army pre-
sided.
1t further appears from the papers
and stenographic minutes OF this ac-
tion that vast number of things con-
nccted with the handling of army
property about the Hoboken piers had
been incorporated in complaints which
q chief inspector had carried over the
heads OF the persons Immediately in
charge to officials at Washington, and
had been made the basis Of a mass Of
letters TO Secretary Tumulty. to the
President direct and TO certain United
States Senator's.
Long List of Charges.
Some of these charges were TO the
effect that too much authority was given
to foreigners over American citizens :;
fingers In the pie" and were continu-
ally interfering with the administration
of affairs in Hoboken in order to work
their supporters into soft Jobs; that many
persons In authority were grossly in
competent; that affairs were mlshandled
In an incxcusable manner, and that I'M
trained and inexperienced men were die
tating to the trained and experienced.
One allegation was to the effect that
Captain who secured his commission
on the recommendation OF a United
States Senator had a brother in Ger
many and had been In receipt of COM
municatlons from him during the war
and while he was himself in position
to know all about the saillngs Of the
largest troopships.
Another was that a Major living near
the piers caused Government employees
to spend good part OF their time ma k
ing regular household furniture and
special chlldren's furniture for his home,
and that during war days he kept Gov
ernment employees busy around his own
house beating carpets and rugs. washing
windows. saving wood and doing various
kinds OF work.
The most startling charge. however. is
that fortune In kitchen and bakery fit
tings and other valuable appurtenances
or the Leviathan and Imperator were
dumped over the sides OF those vessels
into scows, and heavy iron fixtures w-f
allowed TO drop in great masses on top
of them, completely destroying them.
Couldn't my Fixtures.
This Is alleged TO have occurred when
the two vessels we're being dismantled AT
their Hoboken piers preparatory to being
converted from troopships TO passenger
carrying vessels at cost that will
reach about $4,000. 600 each.
a representative OF the Cunard Line.
TO which the 1mperator was allocated
later. is alleged 10 have made an unsuc-
cessful effort 10 buy some Of the valu-
able kitchen fixtures of these craft. Aa
they were being dumped from the sides
of the vessels several persons who were
familiar with the value OF these artI-
els are said to have remarked that II
was a shame the Government should be
permitted to destroy them in such a way.
When the job OF wrecking all these
fixtures had been completed
and the remnants of what had been the
costliest kitchen outfits ever Installed
by this Government aboard n shin had
been removed TO Port Newark TO be
scrapped. II was estimated the damage
was at least sf.0o0.000.
All OF these matters had been brought
directly 70 the attention OF the Presi-
lent by Henry Hicks. who served as chief
Inspector during the war and for some
time thereafter. but the only result was
the institution OF formal sort OF in
luiry which Chief Inspector Hicks IN a
subsequent letter to Secretary Tunulty
referred 70 as n farce comedy" and
which accomplished nothing.
At the time this inquiry was ordered
Chief Inspector Hicks. although he held
the highest possible rating under the
civil service and was qualified FOR his
position. was ordered 10 give up his dssk
In Hoboken following his first complaints
of wanton extravaganza. Unable TO d,e-
Charge him. certain officials have. e.
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