The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-28
BY EDWARD B, CLARK


Washington.-Alyin NJ. Owsley, ma
tional commander of the American Lee
gion, has just been the guest of the
National Press Club post of the Lee
gion, and during an interim in the re-
ception ne spoke to members of the
post II to other newspaper men pres
ent on questions of Importance to the
veterans organization.
A congressional inquiry will be
made into the conduct of the veterans
bureau and into the methods which
have prevailed in the work that has
been done. Col. Charles r. Forbes,
who recently resigned as director of
the veterans bureau, has rendered an
account of his stewardship to the Pres
ident, and the colonel has expressed
himself as welcoming any inquiry into
the operations of the Office while un-
der his direction.
National Commander Owsley had in
his audience when he spoke to the
Press Club Legion post not only the
recently resigned director of the vet
Grams bureau, but the man who has
been named to succeed him in Office,
Col. Frank L. Hines, United States
army, retired. There were also pres
ent several members of both houses of
congress who, according to the Le-
gion's viewpoint, either have helped or
have hindered legislation for the vet
Grams.
There was an insistence by most of
the veterans of the World war that one
of their comrades should be made di-
rector of the veterans bureau. This
apparently was the first consideration
with them, but of course it was coupled
with the consideration of ability and a
promise of efficiency, a real disciplin-
airy efficiency. There are plenty of
men in Washington who are ready to
say that if there has been any real
trouble in the veterans bureau either
under the administration of Woodrow
Wilson or Warren G. Harding, it prob
ably has been due to the lack of what
the army knows as hard discipline.
Want Regular Army Methods.
One of the somewhat curious devel-
opments of the controversy owe the
conduct Of the veterans bureau is that
while the great majority of the ex-
service men have shown something
much like animosity toward the regular
army, their desire largely seems to be
today that regular army methods as
they can be applied to Office work shall
be used in the veterans bureau. There
was opposition to the appointment of
Colonel Hines, a regular army man,
but there was also a great element in
the various organizations of veterans
who desired that a man accustomed to
army ways should be put in charge of
things.
Taking it all in all, the ex-service
men, almost all of whom, of course,
entered the war from civil life, seemed
to feel that a regular army officer will
be unafraid of the politicians N the
one hand and the eX-service men on
the other, and will do those things
which he thinks are for the highest
good of the greatest number of vet
erans. The newly appointed director is
on the retired list of the army. His
livelihood does not depend ON his pay
In the veterans bureau. If he leaves
his post he goes back upon the retired
list and receives his regulation retired
army pay.
Ever since the veterans bureau was
established 1t has been known that
many of the politicians, irrespective of
party, have been anxious to secure
places in the bureau for those whom
they could not secure work in other
departments of the government.
Harding Likes Warm Weather.
President Harding has a penchant,
If that is the word, for Florida. He
likes warm weather, he likes to fish,
he likes to play golf, and just now he
is feeling the necessity for rest. When
he returns to Washington from the
Florida trip the President probably
will make his plans for another trip,
although the Alaskan journey, which
apparently was determined upon, may
not be undertaken.
A few weeks ago a summer White
House" was offered for the use of the
President. 1t is located on a pleas
ant hill in Maryland, but the offer
probably will not be accepted. All
the Presidents, or certainly those who
have held the office in comparatively
recent years, have had their favorite
forms of summer recreation and their
favorite places in which to seek their
rest.
When Grover Cleveland was Presi-
lem the first time he was compelled
to stay in Washington a large part
of one summer, a fate which has be-
fallen several Presidents since Cleve-
lands day. When Mr.. Cleveland oc-
cupied the White House the Poto-
mac flats had not been drained
thoroughly, and the executive man.
sion was a fine place in which to re-
ceive the calling attentions of the
MOSQUITO which carries the malaria
germ. Screens were not as common
a thing in Grover Cleveland's day as
they are now. Mosquitoes, it is said,
made life miserable for all the Presi-