The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-21
PROBE MADE IF BURE All. SUBOFF|CGS
Quiet investigations Have
 Gone On In All Sections Of The Nation Where Irregg-
 IaritieS Might Have Existed TESTIMONY TO COMMITTEE IS BUT A FRAGMENT
Mrs. Mortimer Makes An h.
 effectuaI Attempt To Appear Before Committee To Vim
 dicate Her Own Character

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20.-Matters presented in the public hearings be fore the Senate veterans committee constitute but fragment" of what has been developed both in relation to the neglect of the disabled and to corruption and waste in the vet erans' bureau" John F. ORyan, gen eral counsel, declared tonight at tho
 close of the public phase of the committees investigation.
 General o'Ryan listed scores Of re, been made In all sections of the country and which embrace local bu- reau offices and hospitals, govern ment vocational schools and the work in universities and colleges where former service men are training. He announced these will be presented to the committee at the coming bust mss sessions, at which all of the mat ters under investigation will be re- viewed and report to the Senate formulated.
 Wants To Vindicate Name.
 A somewhat dramatic incident oc- cured at the final public sessions with the appearance of Mrs. Kath- erne Mortimer of Philadelphia. wifc of Elias H. Mortimer, principal ac- cuser of former Director Charles R. Forbes, in an unsuccessful effort to be heard in what her counsel said was a vindication of her character and good name"
 Chairman Reed announced the com mittee will decide later whether she will be placed on the stand to an sWer such questions as her att0rney Daniel T. Wright, might prepare in writing and the committee might regard as releYent These questions were furnished the committee latcr in the day after there had been an agreement that, in any event, Mrs. Mortimer's testimony at a private session of the committee two weeks ago will be made public latet
 Senator Reed said the committee could not recall anything In the rec ord reflecting on Mrs Mortimer's character, adding that where she was referred to 1t was merely for the purpose of fixing dates and times and the names of persons present when veterans bureau affairs were under discussion. MT. Wright replied that Mrs. Mortimer had in mind the tes- timony of her husband and of her uncle and aunt, Mir. and Mrs. J. M Williams of Philadelphia.
 There may be several brief public SSSSlOIS OI lHe COInullLlee QQflnE the next two weeks for the purpose of admitting to the puplic record cor- tain reports and documents gathered by investigators, but Senator Reed declared that to all intents and pur- poses the public hearings are ended The committee will not decide before next week. he said privately, whether 1t will hear Mrs. Mortimer.
 Many odds and ends" were cleaned mp during the seven hours the com mittee sat today. One subject of in- quiry was the leasing by the vet eran bureau of the hospital site near San Diego, Cal, owned by the Mack signed on June Is, 1922, for a period of 8 months from June 1. and S35,0OO was paid out by the government on the signing of the lease on the rep resentation that a foreclosure was about to take place because of the non payment of interest due on :; mortgage on the property given by the Mack company.
 A. F. Mack. vice president of the company, appeared with a request to be heard. Senator Reed told him the records showed that only $25.00q in interest was made by the conn pany, and that the committee was of the other s10000. The witness said he got 5.l50. and his brother John Mack, $4,S5O in payment ot amounts they had advanced the com pany.
 Mir, Mack declared that so far as he knew there had been no payments to Charles F. Cramer, former general counsel or any other officials of the bureau in connection with the lease nor had Nly inducements been made to the veterans bureau to enter into the lease. It developed that the ne gotiations were carried on by his brother and agreement was made that John Mack should furnish tbe committee with an affidavit as to the whole transaction.
 Recommendations for legislation from the American Legion and the Veteran of Foreign Wars were re- ceived during the day. Both organi cations congratulated the committee on it's work, John Thomas Taylor, general counsel of the American Le- zion, declaring that the hearings have awakened the country to the seriousness of the situation, not only as it affects the disabled men, but also the government"