The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-16

" Ac4Fy OI Lne eupiy uep4ktmeut u1u it cleared by the chief co-ordinator, Bureau of the Budget. This step is required by law in all sales of govern ment property.
 Inventory Incomplete
 Through the chief clerk, O'Leary submitted to Colonel Smither, Chief Co-ordinator, list of surplus supplies at Perryville and presented letter from Forbes asking authority to sell them off. As I have noted hitherto, this inventory included only two or three thousand bed sheets, whereas Thompson and Kelly afterward received eighty four thousand. Colonel smith CTS duty was to see that no other division of the government needed or so at the telephone, calling up heads of supply departments. The navy wanted soap; so the chief clerk crossed out that item from Commander O'Leary's list. Otherwise -all clear. Colonel Smither affixed the signature which approved the transaction.
 Then man who gave his name as Silverman teiephoned from New York to Lieutenant-C Commander Cairns, as sistant to the chief co-ordinator Cairns testified before the Senate com mittee:
 'This man who was talking to me said that quite a large quantity of goods were being sold at Perryville at low price, and that his firm had not been given a chance to bid on them, and it was not only to the dis advantage of his firm but he thought also to the government, and he thought also the sale ought to be stopped or the delivery of goods : and so I went up to the supply division of the Veterans Bureau and saw Com mander O'Leary and stated the case to him, and he said the sale that was taking place at Perryville was of a small quantity of damaged goods and was a relatively little matter, and that the people who had been given a chance to buy this material that was then being sold were people whose names had been furnished to the Vet. eran's Bureau or had requested that they be- given a chance to bid; and that the bulk of the material would be sold later, and that all bidders or all dealers who wanted to bid on it would be given chance.'a
 Hears From White House
 SduuS tCkcpuUucu IO ouveTmdn, Te- beating this conversation then dropped the matter, satisfied. A few days later, General Lord, director of the bubget heard from the White House about the Perryyi1le matter. He questioned Colo once Smither sent Major Brown over to the veterans'' Bureau. Brown, Smither testified, inspected the list of urvra / cnII AL the original list were appended two written pages, which Colonel Smither testified he never saw at ali. aTt had been augmented to three times the size it was when it left my office," said Colonel Smither.
 mists that enshroud .throne-whether in monarchy, a republic or big business-and discover the exact. re- lations between President Harding and Colonel Charles R. Forbes at this period. It piques the curiosity. The President had taken unkindly that epi- sode of the medal-presentation on the steamer Alexander. But it is likely when he reached Washington, Colonel Forbes smoothed down the back of his chief. His wit, his personal mag netism, his quality of rough geniality still held the President enthralled, They were, as always before, Warren and "Charlie.'
 Harding Hearing Both Sides
 There are always two sides to a question, especially in the business of government. President Harding was hearing the other side not only from Forbes but from representatives of Thompson and Kelly. To judge be- tween them was probably difficult for q man who had his training in journal ism and politics, not manufacturing and salesmanship.
 And after the Perryville affair reach- ed executive notice, their relations. ap- parently, had not changed. Harding was not ready, perhaps, to break an old and solacing friendship until his friend was proved unworthy beyond reasonable doubt. Forbes testified to a social evening" passed at the White