The Washington herald., 1922-12-28
FORBES invites
BUREAU PROBE
BY CONGRESS
Defends Record In Dealing With
Veterans, and viii Help Con-
gress to Make investigation
TELLs0F Accomplishment
Director Claims Charges Of Un-
fairness to Former Service
Men Have No Foundation

81 welcome a Congressional in
vestigation of the U. s. Veterans
Bureau and will cooperate with
any committee appointed to act
IN that capacity"
This Is the answer Of Col.
Charles r. Forbes. director Of the
U. s. Veterans Bureau. to charges
emanating from Congress that af-
fairs Of the bureau are in q state
of chaos.
Last Saturday a group Of former
service members of Congress de-
clared they would demand Con-
gressional investigation of the bu-
reau. They charge the officials
OF the bureau are not working in CO.
ordination with their chief, that
there is waste and inefficiency IL
the management. and that one Of
the divisional chiefs has placed a
taboo on the employment of former
service men.
DEFENDS REGIME.
In an interview with The Herald
yesterday, Colonel Forbes defended
MS administration Of the soldier
relief organization and gave a
lengthy account Of the accomplish
ments OF the bureau in the year
and one-half it has been in ex-
tstence.
There is no. more friction between
heads Of departments here than ex-
lists in any large organization" said
the director. And what little there
Ii we are gradually eliminating as
We get better organized"
Il am highly gratified with our
results so far. l am in no way
distressed with present conditions
as folks on the Hill so glibly esti-
mate, was his answer to the state
ment that he is much disconnected
over the way things are going.
WILL NOT RESIGN.
Colonel Forbes again put to rest
all questions of his proposed resigna-
ton by saying: Il am here to stay
as long as there is job to do in
the interests of the disabled veter-
ans Of the world war. i do not con-
template leaving in the immediate fu-
ture"
Il have investigated the charge
that one of our divisional chiefs has
issued a statement that he viii not
have eX-service men in his employ
and have found no truth in the ac-
cusation. i believe in favoring the
ev-service man, in giving him all
he deserves. But. of course. I will
not keep them in our employ at the
expense of efficiency"
There will be a still greater reduc-
tion in working force in both the CEN
trail and field forces of the Bureau,
according to the Director. They will
come gradually and will not affect
as large q number Of employees as
the recent five per cent cut did. "As
We become better organized We can
do with fewer workers" he said.
Defends POLICY.
Colonel Forbes defended his stand
on the commitment of veterans to St.
Elizabeth's and other asylums with.
out court action. II believe we can
get them out better and do more for
them in that way" he explained
Practically all of the mental cases
sent to sanitariums are handled in
this way. he stated
Plans are now being discussed for
Q huge new general hospital to be
built near W ,hington, Colonel
ForS~s stated. II hope to confer
with the President in a few days OF
the final details Of this new construc
tion.''
An all-year-round school for train
ing physicians in the treatment ot
mental cases. which will be the
largest and one of the most thor
oughly. equipped institutions OF Its
kind In the world, is now being or
ganized at st. Elzabeth's, according
to Colonel Forbes.