The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-04-01
Vet Bureau
Is Problem
forHarding
Probe of Soldiers Relief
Agency Holds Balance Of
Public's Faith in Presi-
dent, Says Sullivan.
Appointments Personal
by MARK SULLIVAN.

President Harding, when he returns
TO Washington, will be free from the
presence of congress. To that extent
he viii be relieved from the strain
s. which has developed in the relations
between him and the senate and
house. TO that extent also he will
have an opportunity to make his own
personal impression on the country.
not obscured by the impression that
congress makes. For eight months
Harding will be the whole republican
party so far as the country sees 1t
in office.
President Harding's friends count a
good deal on this condition. They
think that when the public gets a
clear picture of Harding and his ad-
ministration-when all the news that
comes out Of Washington deals with
his administration only and is not
obscured or confused by the news of
What congress is doing-the public
will then think more favorably of
Harding, his cabinet and the work
they do.
Probe Findings Arouse Interest.
There may be a good deal in this.
AZ the same time, when Harding re-
turns, while he will be free from con-
gress, he will nevertheless have TO
face a world of difficulties and en-
. barrassments. Not only are there
ahead of him many complex public
questions for decision; in addition
there are to be several Investigations
conducted by committees of congress
or otherwise the outcome of which
may vitality affect the public's judg-
ment about the success of the adj
ministra ton. OF these Investigations
the one that just now Is most dis
cussed in Washington is that which
proposes to go with exceptional thor
oughness into The management of
the war veterans bureau. If frac-
ton of the runors and allegations
concerning the war veterans bureau
tisat float about Washington turn ont
to he well founded then 1t will fol-
low that the public knowledge of the
faets will have an unhappy effect on
the public confidence in Harding's ad-
ministrative ability and his Judgment
Of men. The men whom Harding
chose to manage the war veterans
bureau were. in a peculiar and inti'
mate sense, personal appointments.
II the coming investigation shows that
these men have failed to do well 1t
must be a cause not only of grief and
humiliat ton to Harding himselfp but
will also furnish material for acute
criticism of his administration. II
.hould be made claar, OF course, that
ihese allegations are as yet wholly
in the field of ex parte charges. Also
it is among the possibilities that the
investigation may place the blame IN
ether quarters than on the men whom
Harding appointed personally
Bureau Is Big Item.
The war veterans bureau is an I'M
mense institution. Omitting the treas
IVY Itself, it pays out more money
than any other one government IN
gtitution. When Harding came into
effice there was already much com
plant Of lack of efficiency in it. That
early talk, it should be said, went no
further then TO say that the manage
1nent was slow and cumbersome. This
vas no serious reflection on any, be-
cause the lHStllhlloii WdS eh'i ~ -
beginning. Some hundreds OF thou
sands Of cases had piled up, on which
the bureau ought TO have taken ae-
fion, but had not yet found time. The
cleaning up Of these delayed cases
was very much on Harding's MIND.
The veterans were muttering ABOUT
them. with just cause.
when Harding came into office ahd
made his new appointments to man
age the bureau he thought he was do'
ing well. There was frequent evidence
II a kind Of naive confidence that the
management Of the war veterans
t,,,reau was going 10 be one OF the
outstanding triumphs Of his admin
istration. lie used TO tell with satls
faction how fast the delayed cases
we're being disposed of and more l,e,le.l man an
one/ Of his messages 10 congress re-
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