The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-21
Has Comptroller General More
Authority Than Members OF
Cabinet? Government Lead
ers Will Take Case To Hard
ing And To Supreme Court
DEPARTMENT HEADS IN
FIGHT WITH ECONOMIST
Young Progressive Taking His
Office Too Seriously, Off
ciaI Family Feels-PreSi-
dent May Have No Right To
Hold Him Within His Power

WASHINGTON, May 2o.-The ques-
ton of how much power lies in the
hands of the governments young fl
nancial dictator, Comptroller General
j. r. McCarl, who claims to be su-
perior to cabinet members, is soon to
be carried to President Harding. The
supreme court may be called upon to
make the final decision.
McCarl, conscientious young Ne
braskan, has already overruled two
cabinet members, Secretaries DENLY
and Weeks, refusing to approve dis
bursements from the navy and war
departments, and is now in contro-
versy with the department of justice.
The latest dispute. that with As
sistant Attorney Seymour. will be
aired before President Harding this
week.
Cabinet members, alarmed at Nc
Carts rigid authority. hope that the
President will be able to draw the
line of the comptroller's power
Hitherto, he has chung tenaciously to
the letter of the law, which gives him
final word in government expen-
ditures.
o
Cannot BE Removed.
There is apparently no way around
him. He was appointed by the Presi-
dent for 15 years as provided when
the office was recently created in
connection with the budget system.
He cannot be removed except by a
joint resolution of Congress, whom
he represents before the bureau of
the budget. 1t is not likely that
| Congress will remove him. since he is
| carrying out strict program of
| economy that Congress could not at
| ford to disavow.
McCarl is protege of Senator
Norris of Nebraska. He thoroughly
agrees with all of that progressive's
views on strict government economy.
In appearance, he is almost a dou-
BILE for Senator Borah of Idaho, and
has been mistaken for Borah many
times. He has the Idahoan's full
flushed face, long hair and wears the
familiar black bow tie.
Cuts Government Costs.
Nothing that looks like useless ex-
pense can get by him. He shocked
hardened officials recently by refus
ing to approve disbursements that
Secretary Debny had authorized for
transportation and officers expenses
usual expenditures not generally
questioned heretofore. secretary
Weeks, openly at odds with the comp
troller. has refused to conform to or
ders that all bills for transportation
be audited before being paid instead
of afterward.
The dispute with the department of
justice has brought matters to head
McCarl has ruled restricting the
compensating powers of the United
States employees commission. Sey-
mOur called on by President Harding
for an opinion, has ruled more lib
orally. McCarl says that his word
is final. Other government legal ex-
perts claim that he has gone beyond
his jurisdiction.
Harding without Power.
President Harding may be unable
to make any decision, since he has no
power over McCarl. 1t is very likely
that the while controversy will have
to be carried befroe the supreme
court to settle once and for all just
how far the comptroller general can
go, and set a precedent for this new
ffice,
peculiar phase of the present
case is that the department of justice
troller. against one of its own deci-
sions. Another tangle may arise here.
Several times in the past, the depart
ment of justice has refused to insti-
tute suits for comptrollers of the
treasury, lineal predecessors of the
comptroller general