Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-05-03

are evidences warranting the predic-
ton that disclosures will show that in
the bureau there has been dishonesty
on pretty big scale here and there"
This word of the attorney of the in
vestigating committee has refer
ence only to past operations in the
bureau, which now is under the au-
thority of the new director, Brig Gen.
Frank T. Hines. The senate investi-
eating committee has just begun its
work. 1t is composed OF these men,
bers: Senators Reed, Pennsylvania,
and Oddie, Nevada, who are Republic
ans, and Senator Walsh, Massachu-
sets, who is a Democrat.
Between 100000 and 100000 of
war veterans throughout the United
States will watch the progress of the
investigation with high interest. Thus
far since the change in the manage
ment Of the bureau there nave been
few complaints of delay or of inJus-
tees in the apportionment OF COM
pensation. One never can tell, how
ever, when an epidemic of complaints
will break out. Many complaints, Il
is known, are based on no reason, but
when one complaint is entered and
publicity is given to it some way or
another other complaints come piling
in. The complaint business seems to
be contagious
Where They May Find irregularities
1t can be said in a general way that
no one expects that high officials Of
the bureau under the old regime will
be found to have prof1ted by actual
dishonest practices. The feeling seems
to be that graft or dishonesty, if any
is found will be shown to have oc-
Cured in rather hidden corners of the
service, but it is on the hidden cor
ners which it is the business of the
investigating committee to turn the
light. 1t is believed in Washington
that irregularities, or at any rate
carelessness in the expenditure OF
funds, if there was any such, will be
found to be connected with the opera
lions of selecting and buying hospital
sites, and in the erection of buildings
for the use of ex-service men.
Washington is a sort of focal point
for the attention of the veterans all
over the United States. They watch
the main office of the bureau appar-
emily more keehly than they do the
branch offices in various parts of the
country. 1t is expected that the in
vestigating committee virtually will be
swamped with complaints concerning
individual cases. 1t is not believed
the committee can give attention to
the hundreds of personal grievances
which will be presented. The work
of the committee is to discover where
the trouble was, to punish the trouble
makers, if possible, and to see that
nothing of the kind at all occurs again.
1t is believed in Washington, and it
Is unquestionably the hope Of the vet
eran body, that the committee will
turn up to the light all the cases of
men given employment in the vet
erans' bureau who have obtained their
jobs not because they were competent
to do the work but because they had
the backing of the politicians.
Influence" to Be Disregarded.
The most recent public expression
of service intention on the part of the
new director was the bold utterance
a few days ago that under his rule
any man whose case was recommend
ed for investigation by congress-
man or any other official of govern
ment would be given no more consid-
Grafton than the man whose case was
presented by himself without any in
fiuence back of him. 1t is known
definitely that some men prior to this
time have had their cases pushed
ahead of the cases Of other men equal
ly deserving simply because some man
of influence in the country asked
prior consideration for his favorite.
1T is only fair to the bureaus au-
thorities and other men and women
charged with the work of caring for
disabled veterans in different parts Of
the country, to say that the public
should not take one case of abuse as
representing a general condition. 1t
is the invariable rule Of some of the
Legion men whose attention constant
ly is directed to supposed cases of in
justice, to investigate carefully but
quickly, in order to find out whether
the complaint is justiiable before TAX
ing action.
There are cases of imagined griev-
ances and occasionally the imagina-
tive one succeeds in getting public
ity for his supposed wrongs, and in
stantly the public jumps to the con-
clusion that the case is righteous
one and that all the veterans are suf-
fering likewise.