Arizona republican., 1922-04-04
BUREAU
HEADS DISCHARGED
FOR INEFFICIENCY
[RepubIican A. p. Leased Wlrel


WASHINGTON, April S-Reorgan-
ization of the bureau of engraving
and printing through the executive
order issusd last Friday by President
Harding. removing James L. Will
meth, its director and 2S other Off
cials was explained today on the
ground of efficiency" by Secretary
Mellon. No charges involving the
honesty of any of the dismissed bu-
reau officials have been filed, the
treasury secretary stated.
Mr.. MELONS explanation of the
sweeping changes made in the adj
ministrative personnel of the bureau.
was the first official light thrown
upon the presidents action since the
announcement of the order at the
White House. Meanwhile specula-
ton has been rife in official circles
over the sudden removal of the of
cials and resolutions were introduced
in both the senate and house today
seeking to elicit further information
from the president.
Senator Caraway, Democrat of Ar
kansts. introduced a resolution CALI
ing upon President Harding to i'm
form the senate, If not incompatible
with the public interests. as to the
bureau and under what authority of
law the changes were made.
Representative Moore, Democrat of
Virginia, at the same time introduced
a resolution for the appointment of
a special house committee to investi-
gate the changes.
Efforts to obtain n personal ex
planation of their dismissal We're
made by Mr. Wilmeth and a delega-
ton of former bureau officials who
called at the White Houses but With
out appointment, and therefore failed
to see the president, who was golf
ing. They left memorandum stat
ing the object of their visit and in
dicated they would return any time
Mr.. Harding could see them, declar-
ing they wanted to know why they
were discharged and to have the OBJ
portunity OF meeting any charges
which might have been mode and
knowing who preferred them. They
asserted they were at complete loss
to know why they were discharged
lnefficieney In Bureau
Reorganization of the bureau
heads, according to Secretay Mellon,
came as a elimination OF a number
Of Investigations into the operation
of the plant following complaints as
to the efficiency of its operation.
The seeming abruptness of the
change he explained by the unex~
pectedness Of the announcement, al
though he recalled similar sudden
changes in official positions during
the Mckinley administration.
Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury Wadsworth, Mr.. Mellon said,
made 4 number of Investigations OF
the bureau. as did other treasury Of
ficials while Director of the Budg-
ct Dawes brought A. r. Barnes on
from Chicago to look into the eff
cheney of the output Of the plant.
Mr.. Barnes, he declared, was the pro-
prietor of an engraving establish
ment somewhat approaching the mag
nitude of the government plant and
was considered an expert on the sub
ject.
These yarious Investigations made
from time to time, Mr.. Mellon con
tinued. disclosed conditions in the
bureau warranting the changes.
Waste was found. he said, causing
losses to the government running
into large sums because OF sheets
being spoiled in the new presses. lack
of modern methods for keeping the
plates. and other unsatisfactory con-
ditions Reports of these invesuga-
tions were made, he added, and it was
thought that Louis A. Hill, the new
director. was the appropriate man 10
be put in charge of the bureau.
Assignment of justice department
agents to the bureau by Attorney
General Daugherty, Mr.. Mellon de-
clared. was merely a matter of pre-
caution IN going over the stock In
the plant, as there were no speclnc
charges of irregularity or defalcation
against any of the dismissed employ
es. Treasury accountants have been
put to work checking up the bureau
operations, he declared, Aat such
step has always been the custom
when a change in the direetorshlp
takes place. Reports of bond dupli-
cation were dismissed by Secretary
Mellon today with the remark that
such charges had been thoroughly
ventilated by former Secretary Hous-
| ton" and completely dispelled.
! The delegation of employees charged
! that the installation of a new elee-
trolytic process of improved meth
| DDS of machinery had met with Bit
/ ter opposition from the transferers
union. Installation of modern ma
| chinerv, they said, brought oppo-
| sition because it meant a reduction
in the force.
-O---
NAME DUTCH MINISTER
THE HAGUE, April 3.-The ap-
| pointment at an early date Of Baron
". er1N af