Evening star., 1924-02-10
Official Text Practically
Same as Printed in Star
More Than Month Ago.
ATTACK ON COL. FORBES
FEATURES DOCUMENT
Former Director Is Scored as
Neither Able Nor
Honorable.
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.


two news stories published exclusive
ly in The Star on January and s,
the Senate committee investigating
the United States Veterans Bureau,
filed in the Senate late yesterday its
second preliminary report" which
included the report of Maj Gen. John
F. Organ, counsel Of the committee.
In The Star on January z. 1t was
disclosed that the Organ report, COW
ering nine months of investigation.
which had been submitted to the
committee, contained sensational in
dictments of Col Charles r. Forbes,
charging graft, and conspiracy to de-
fraud, and concluding that the out
standing cause of unsatisfactory con-
ditions' in the bureau. which led to
the Senate investigation, was It's
Leadership during the encumbency
of Col. Charles r. Forbes" That
Forbes was neither able nor hon
orabie in the conduct Of his Office was
another quotation made in the ex-
tract from the Organ repor.
The Star on January quoted
specific recommendations made in the
O'Ryan report for greater economy
and efficiency in the Veterans Bureau
while affording to the country's
heroes more sincerely helpful
humanitarian care.
Statement by Reed.
Speaking in the Senate chamber
on June s, Senator David A Reed
Of Pennsylvania, chairman of the
Senate committee investigating the
! Veterans Bureau. asked the Senate
Ito pay attention to the newspaper
extracts" He said what appeared
in the newspapers is not in any sense
an approved, or authorized. or final
statement from the committee or
from its counsel" He then notified
the Senate that I'VE hope to have
our final report, including that part
of counsers report with which we
agree, ready for the Senate within
ten days"
Thirty-two days later-yesterday-
Senator Reed in putting Maj. Gen.
Organs report, exactly as 1t had
been quoted in The Star, before the
Senate. submitted the second pr>lim-
mary report" for his committee,
which said with reference to the
O'Ryan report:
while the findings and recommen-
dations in Gen. Organs report are
his own and are not the findings or
recommendations of the committee. 1t
is nevertheless the fact that the COM
mittee fully concurs in nearly all of
his findings and that the committee
has embodied in its proposed code
nearly all of his legislative recon-
mendations.
THE committee takes this further
opportunity of stating its opinion
that Gen. Organ and his assistants
deserve high praise for their able,
fearless and thorough service through
out this investigation.
Disclosures in Report.
"Since the conclusion of the hear
ings of the committee, and as result
of the disclosures in those hearings,
the Department of Justice has been
furnished with the written evidence
and the transcript of the testimony
taken before the committee. and is
now presenting these matters to a
grand jury impaneled at Chicago, Ill.
These criminal proceedings, together
with Gen. Organs discussion and
conclusions in his report herewith
filed, will probably render unneces-
sary an extended discussion by the
committee on the dishonesty and in
competence shown in the Veterans
Bureau and it's predecessor, the War
Risk Insurance Bureau, until the di-
rection of the bureau was taken over
by Director Hines in March, 1923.
"The committee agrees with Gen.
Organs characterization Of the
wretched incompetence, waste, and
dishonesty Of the administration Of
the bureau under Director Forbes.
The record of that administration
might be more easily forgiven If the
disabled veterans. for whom the
country intended so much, had actu-
ally received the benefits that they
were meant to receive. But the dis
heartening truth is that many of the
men who had charge of the bureau
during that period fiouted the sacred
trust that had been reposed in them
and their treatment of disabled
soldiers and sailors was harsh, un-
fair, and often brutal.
"The committee will make further
report, dealing particularly with the
hospitals of the Veterans Bureau,
and giving a summary of the reasons
why the previous administration of
the bureau has failed to attain the
results intended by Congress-"
In making his investigation Gen.
Organ organized a corps of as
sistant Investigators, numbering ap-
proximately 900 lawyers. $50 doctors
and 200 special agents. .
Care of Disabled.
With reference to the administra-
ton of Col. Forbes the Organ re-
port, extracts from which were quot
ed in The Stars report on January Z
says:
while many Of the shortcomings
Of the governments effort on behalf
Of the disabled can be traced to the
novelty and the magnitude of the
undertaking. to- the haste which
Continued on Page s. Column u