The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-29
FORBES, WAR
RISK CHIEF, PUTS
pep IN employees
Makes EN- Come to Work on
- Time and Tend to
Business,
Hard-boiled Forbes.

surance Bureau by many Of the en-
ployes of the Bureau. on account OF
his strenuous methods which he has
employed since he assumed once .
few weeks ago.
Alta Boy Forbes
This Is the nickname applied to
the director by a host OF Govern
ment officials and former soldiers
who have had dealings with him
during the past few weeks.
Col Charles r. Forbes. OF Seattle
the new director of the War Risk b.
reau, has only been In once few
weeks. but In that time he has made
his presence felt both to the soldiers
seeking claims and the employees OF
the bureau.
SPEEDS UP CLAIMS.
One of his first oniciai acts after
assuming office was to devise some
means for speeding up the claims OF
the soldiers. That he has found .
successful way 10 proven by the fact
that within thirty days. the work OF
the Bureau will be current. When
he came into the once there were
50. 900 claims pending. and now that
he has struck his stride he has re-
duced tho claims by $4,000. and ex-
pected to have the remainder Of the
accumulated claims out Of the way
before the beginning Of the fiscal
year SO that he can start the new Ms
cal year with a clean slate.
To accomplish this he not only
speeded up the work of the bureau.
but sdded nifty physicians to help pass
upon the claims.
The bureau IL now handling $500
claims lay. while tho average num-
Der of new claims coming into the
office Is about TOO. Colonel Forbes
says that as soon a. everyone gets
into the swing of his new system.
the work will be pushed moro rap
IDLY.
While building up the efficiency Of
the bureau. the new director has not
accomplished this end by the addition
CT new employees. On the contrary.
he has cut the foroe. On June I. 476
employees will be let out and an ad-
ditionsl 525 will be let out July 1. By
the Government about S1.600, 900 In
salaries alone.
Tho War Risk Insurance Bureau
will be run on q business basis As
long as / am connected with It," Col
cnel Forbes said. 'It will be run with
II 9 idea that II IL an fundamentally
OF the Government for the good of the
soldiers and with q view to spending
as little as possible of the peoples
money to see that the soldiers get
their due.
81 have made Q personal inspection
OF some OF the places and found that
the Government was paying . great
deal for the leasing of quarters TO
carry on the work. In my home
town, Seattle. I found that the Gov
eminent was paying too much rental
and l Immediately cut OF several
Thousands q year"
sTAGGERED-HOUR PROGRAM.
Colonel Forbes has put into opera
ton a set of rules for the conduct of
employees which has put everyone on
their toes. One Of his most stringent
ones was tho locking of the doors at
o'clock. after which time no employe
as permitted to enter the building.
hours on account OF tho limited eleva-
tor service and the number Of persons
employed In tho building.
Another rule 10 tho clearing Of the
Railways. (which have always beer
favorite meeting places for . certain
element OF the employees. In former
years, the Hobbies and Railways OF
| tho bureau were veritable prone.
nades, nov they have the silence oi
| the tomb.
Due, perhaps to the strict regula.
lions, many stories of actions BY th<
new director have been going thu
rounds. Some sound plausible. 9TH
ers not so, while others are almos
unbelievable. Every smploye of thu
bureau who tells the story swear,
that IT is true. but some Of the highs,
| officials say that they are pure In
| ventioDs.
One story that has been creating
the most laughter Is tho one tia
tells of the director going into ~
office and observing q young mai
reading a newspaper. The director
| went up to him and asked:
rs that all you have to DOR
Yep" replied the young man.
rs that all you have been doins
all morning" the director demand
ed?"
Yep" said the young man.
rs that ALI you intend to do 70,
the rest of tho day?"
yep
We'll, you had better 60 and SEE
the appointment clerk and tell him
that /, Colonel Forbes. told you tc
write your resignation, that you are
not wanted here and IL you do no,
do that / will nre you.
go to, ole top" the young mar
replied, and do II yourself, II 20,
want to hre mo 60 and see Congress.
man -. I am his secretary ant
1 have been waiting around here al
morning to get some information oil
claim. After you get through will
that see IL you can get some actor
on this claim for mo. I am tired o
hanging around here"
MAKES FREQUENT TOURS.
| The director admits that he make
tours Of the building and talks witt
tho employees to see what they ar
doing and that he keeps . check OF
them. Colonel Forbes has told then
that they have pothing to fear II the.
will do their work and keep in min
that they have a duty to tho soldie
and to the Government. He toll
1 them that he expects as much worl