Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1923-02-09
SHAKE.UP HANGS
! ON BUREAU PROBE
Charges Of Improper Admins
tFatiOn Are Expected
HARDING AWAITS REPORT
Controversy Is said To Center Around
Conduct OF Legal Division
Officials Are
Silent.


the Veterans Bureau, for months
subject Of bitter controversy, is under.
going an investigation which is ex-
pected by some weII-informed officials
here to result in Important readjust-
ments.
How far the changes to be made
will go in the direction Of complete
overthrow of bureau personnel and
methods of operation remains to be
determined by President Harding aft
er all the facts have been ascertained
and laid before him. but it would cause
no. surprise among some of his closest
advisers If shifts recently made
among bureau officials were followed
by others of more far-reaching char
acter.
The inquiry is understood to have
been undertaken after many charges
of improper administration had
reached the White House from the
American Legion and other sources.
and after members Of Congress who
have looked into bureau affairs had
about perfected a plan to ask for
public Congressional investigation
For. the present the storm center OF
the controversy appears to be the
legal division of the bureau. which
has the final say on all contracts for
hospital sites and other contracts in
volved in the Governments program
of veteran aid. Charles r. Cramer,
who as general counsel for the bureau,
was head of the legal division, re
tired from office after he had an
nounced that he would leave It to Col
Charles R. Forbes, the bureau director
to say whether his services were any
sifnnger considered desirable
Nbw Colonel Forbes. himself. is pl-l
route to Europe for rest and ad-
ministration of the bureau is in other
hands. Some of Mr.. Forbes friends do
not expect him to return to his desk
although Administration officials in
ssist that he is in no sense under "sus-
pension" They are unwilling to pre-
dict whether he will be asked to step
out or will voluntarily give up his di-
reetorship.
In any case the question OF select
ing a new director is receiving serious
consideration, and It is predicted gen.
orally by those who know the inside
story of the bureaus affairs that Col
Thomas W. Miller, now Alien Prop
erty Custodian. viii be first choice for
the place. Colonel KILLER, however. is
believed to prefer to stay at his pres
ent posi-. and IT is said that the selee-
itioE may fall ultimately on Franklin
Di0lier, who was the first national
commander Of the American Legion.
oniciais will not talk about the facts
already turned up by the inquiry now
In progress. William ]. Burns. chief
OF the Department Of Justices Investi-
CATION Bureau, declined to discuss
the case in any way or to confirm re-
ports that agents under his bureau
had been at work on it. officials of
the Veterans Bureau itself professed
ignorance whether any part had been
taken in the inquiry by anyone con
nected with the Department of Jus
tice. ~
The. legal division of the Veterans
Bureau is called upon daily to pass
judgment on expenditures that run
into enormous totals. During the
present fiscal year the money involved
In contracts, which pass through the
hands of the general counsel and his
subordinates, has amounted to S400.
100000. These expenditures are made
from lump sum" appropriation of
Congress, without legal stipulation as
to the detailed items that are to be
covered, and it has been pointed out
that It. would be surprising il in the
handling Of so large an amount some
part Of the appropriation was not di-
verted for purposes other than those
Congress had in mind in authorizing
the expenditures.
Another phase OF the storm now
rentering around the legal division.
that Of the employment Of civilians. is
understood to be receiving the atten-
ton Of the Presidents advisers. Thou
sands Of claims OF disabled veterans
-and others entitled to aid are passed
rpon by the legal stan and not the
least OF the complaints of critics of
the bureau have been aimed at what
has been termed lack Of sympathy
yithin the legal division with the
problems and needs Of the veterans.
Bureau officials contend that the
legal division employs IA civilians to
II World War veterans. If the former
were all discharged and inexperienced
FORMER Service men replaced them it
wosIld materially retart the work Of
granting proper claims, these officials
assert.