New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-04-13
". eeks Riddles
Charges He Is
Lax on Claims
Millions Recovered. MANY
More in Process of Col
lection. Nothing to Con.
ccal, Secretary Asserts
Would Welcome Inquiry
Never Heard Of Bosch Mag.
neto Until After Property
Was Sold, He Declares

rom me Triburs's WASHINGTON R,,.ou
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The rov.
eminent has recovered in cash md
property many millions of dollars and
many additional millions are in process
OF collection, Secretary Of War Weeks
declared to-day in a statement rcfut.
ing the charges made in the House
yesterday by Representatives johnson
and Woodruff that the War Depart.
menu was lax in liquidating war con.
tracts and in instituting criminal nro.
cecdlngs against alleged graftcrs.
In his reply, which was framed afto,
secretary Weeks had conferred with
president Harding, the Cabinet officer
ussc1oses that he retired from the firm
or hornblower & Weeks unon enter;no
tne Senate in 1918. and that he has
SINCE had no business connections. The
hrm bearing Secretary Weeks's name
was cited by Representative Johnson
as being involved in the sale of tho
american Bosch Magnetic COMPANY to
Martin +. Kern. and the charge was
made that Mr.. Weeks had not inter
ested himself in the investigation Of
TINS sale. which was alleged to be
fraudulent.
etai! " eekS denies that he ever
owned block of Bosch stock. and
charscterizes the attemnt to connect
hun with the deal as purely mali
clous." The War Secretary asserts ho
welcomes an investigation of the War
departments work in connection with
the settlement Of controversial case,
Weeks Issues Statesmcnt
IN ms statement Mr. Weeks said:
have read with as much care az
have had time this morning the state
ments made by Congressman Johnson
ana Congressman Woodruff in the
House Of Representatives. yesterday.
At this time do not wish to com
ment on those statements, except to
say that the War Department is doing,
and has done during the last vea1
everything possible to bring about an
effective auditing of controversial
cases, and. as far as possible. to pro
ttect the government. 1t has recovered
IN cash and property many millions,
and many additional millions are in
process of collection. About $4,000
contracts have been audited. There
were about 100000 made by this de-
partment. The others will be audited
as rapidly as the force furnished by
Congress permits it to be done. Sew
eral cases have been turned over to
the Department of Justice, where it is
believed very considerable amounts
are due the government on account of
fraud or otherwise.
In any case, the department has
nothing to conceal and, if Congress IS
thinks it judcious to make an inves-
tigation, will welcome it with the as
surance that it will demonstrate the
III tNh
the last thirteen months with regard
to claims, sales and in every respect.
Bosch Magnetic Charge Denied
There is, however, one personal
matter connected with the charges
made, in more or less direct form,
about which | feel l must make explicit
comment. 1t relates to the sale Of the
American Bosch Magnetic Company
stock. | am told that this company
was sold by the Alien Property Gus
todian at public auction, the purchase
being made through the firm of Horn
at one time connected, and the state
ment has been made in the press that
as result Of that transaction I re-
,eved a block Of Bosch stock.
ITO that l have this comment to
make: ! retired from the firm Of Horn
blower & Weeks when | entered the
United States Senate in 1913, and from
all other business matters with which
was connected, and | have never re-
1ewed any Of those connections or
made others. | never had any interest,
financially or. otherwise, in any war
contract; never received a block of
American Bosch stock or any other
stock issued during the war; never
heard of the Bosch company until the
sale was made and long after the stock
was put on the market. | think my re-
ationship to my old firm, in which
have every confidence as to its hon
esty and businesslke conduct. has