Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-13
Weeks WELCOMES
CONGRESS INQUIRY
Would Demonstrate Work
Done by His Department on
Claims, He Says.

Replying to charges made in the
House Tuesday by Representatives
johnson of South Dakota and Wood
run OF Michigan, both republicans.
Secretary Weeks. in formal state
| ment issued yesterday afternoon. de-
clared IL Congress thinks it judicious
! to make an investigation. the War
Department will welcome it with
| the assurance that it will demonstrate
| the good work which has been done
during the past thirteen months with
| regard to claims, sales and with every
! respect"
\ The Secretary said the War De
partment is doing everything pos
sible" to bring about an effective
auditing of controversial cases: that
| it has recovered many millions in
cash and property, and many addi-
| tional millions ARE in process of COL
lection"
| Refers to Personal Matter.
The Secretary said there was zone
personal matter connected with the
charges made, in more or less direct
| FORM" referring to statements relat-
| ing to the sale of the American Bosch
Magnetic Company stock to the firm
| of Hornblower & Weeks by the alien
property custodian.
! Mr.. Weeks said he retired from that
| firm when he entered the Senate in
| 1913. and from all other business
matters, and that he never renewed
any OF those connections or made
| others. He added that he never heard
| OF the Bosch company until the sale
was made and long after the stock
| was put on the market
! The statement which is understood
| to have been issued after consultation
with President Harding. follows in
part: The War Department is do
| ing and has done during the past
year everything possible to bring
| troversial cases and. as far as posi-
BILE, to protect the government. 1t
has received in cash and property
many millions. and many additional
millions are in process of collection.
About $4,000 contracts have been au-
dited. There were about 10000
made by this department The others
will be audited as rapidly as the
| force furnished by Congress permits
it TO be done. Several cases have
OF Justice. where it is believed very
| considerable amounts are due the
[ government on account OF fraud or
/ otherwise.
I'm any case the department has
\ nothing to conceal and IL Congress
| thinks it judicious to make an inves-
| tigation, will welcome it with the as
surance that IL will demonstrate the
1 good work which has been done dur
ing the past thirteen months with re-
/ gard to claims, sales and with every
respect.
Bosch Magnetic Case.
! There Is. however. one personal
! matter connected with the charges
| made, in more or less direct form,
about which I feel i must make ex-
plicit comment. 1t relates to the sale
| of the American Bosch Magnetic Com
pany stock. / am told that this COM
pany was sold by the alien property
chase being made through the firm
of Hornblower & Weeks. with which
] was at one time connected. and the
statement has been made in the press
that as a result of that transaction l
received a block of Bosch stock.
ITO that 1 have this comment TO
| make. i retired from the firm of
the United States Senate in 1919, and
from all other business matters with
! which / was then connected, and /
have never renewed any of those con-
nections or made others. 1 never had
any interest. financially or otherwise.
lin any war contract: never received
a block of American Bosch stock or
any other stock, issued during the
war: never heard of the Bosch COM
pany until the sale was made and
Hong after the stock was put on the
market.
II think my relationship to my old
firm. in which i have every confidence
| conduct, has been generally known.
and that any attempt to connect me
with its business, or any other bust
ness, is purely malicious. / would
personally welcome any investigation
Of that matter"