Evening star., 1924-02-14
Secretary Mellon, in Letter to
President, Gives Assurance
That There Has Been No
OveriSSue of Securities
SAYS ALL BONDS OUT
HAVE BEEN PAID FOR
Treasury Head Recounts Mode of
Checking Paper and Output of
Plant Precludes Any Chance
Slip - Temporary Obligations
About Replaced by Permanent.

About Replaced by Permanent.
Secretary Of the Treasury Mellon
today announced the appointment OF
Maj. Wallace w. Kirby, Engineer
Corps, United States Army, to be
acting director of the bureau of en-
craving and printing. Maj. Kirby
succeeds Louis a. Hill, resigned.
At the same time Secretary Mel
Ion made public a letter to President
Coolidge, declaring the public can
rest assured that there has been no
overissue OF government securities
and that the integrity Of the public
debt cannot be attacked"
The announcements brought to a
vital turning point developments at
f1e bureau, following the abrupt dis
missal of former Director James L.
Wilmeth aud twenty-eight chiefs, in
March, 1922, aid sensational charges
of Charles 3. Brewer, special attor-
ney, Department of Justice, that
there had been duplication of gov
ernment securities and irregularity
at the big plant.
Mr.. Melons letter to President Cool
, idge is the first official summarization
of the whole bureau affair While du-
piication had been discovered in the
numbers Of about 5000 pieces of gov
ernment security, Mr.. Mellon said,
There was no duplication or overlssue
of the public debt on this account
Probing Brewers Report.
In addition, Mr. Mellon added in
formally that the latest Brewer report
alleging similar irregularities, was
being Investigated by the Treasury, but
that Judging from long experience in
running down Brewers charges in the
past the Treasury expected to find in
, his latest charges nothing material
Maj. Kirby has been appointed acting
director through special detail from the
War Department. at the request of
President Coolidge, and will not leave
the Army during the assignment 1t
IS expected a permanent director may
DC CHOSEN dIler the bureau Is put ONCE
more in good working order
The official statement concerning
the appointment of Mai. Kirby was
made hy President Coolidge, but given
to the public at the Treasury, and
reads as follows:
Called Expert by President.
The bureau of engraving and print
ing is an essential part of govern
ment operations. For the past two
years its organization has been dis
turbed and ii is not now functioning
with snoothness. After consultation
= with the Secretary of the Treasury I
have asked the Secretary of War to
detail as acting director of the bu-
reau Maj. Wallace w. Kirby of the
Engineer Corps, United States Army,
who Is an expert in the work done in
the bureau, and who served with dis
tinction in the American expedition
airy forces in France in charge Of
battle maps and map-making. Maj.
Kirby will retain his commission in
the Army, and after the bureau is put
once more in good working order a
permanent director will be appointed.
The present directors resignation will
he accepted without prejudice to his
consideration Tor reappointment.
Text Of MELONS Letter.
"Dear Mr.. Presidents:
81 am writing to advise you of the
situation which has developed in con-
nection with the charges made by MI.
Charles 4. Brewer as to alleged du-
plicate issues of liberty bonds and
public debt. Mr.. Brewer has been
conducting his Investigations Cor
tnore than two years and he has made
lis report under date of January Is.
Vary 26. and the Treasury has since
been checking it up, with a view to
answering it item by item at the par
lest possible moment. In the myan-
time: however, the report has beopme
public through procee dings brotght
by Mr.. Brewer in the District oa CO.
lumbia courts against the Secretary
of the Treasury and the Attorney
General, and since ii is calculated to
disturb the public mind by suggesting
doubts as to the integrity of the 1ub-
lic debt, ] believe it is time to make
Il clear statement of the facts land
answer once and for all the chargss
which Mr.. Brewer has brought
kgainst the Treasury.
Goes Into Charges.
Mr.. Brewer charges in substance
that there have been large issues of
duplicate liberty bonds. and at least
implies that there has been a con-
cials of the Treasury, to suppress the
facts and make it possible for the
guilty parties to realize on the dupli-
cate bonds. His charges cover prin-
cipally the issue of temporary bonds
during the years 1917, 1918 and 1919.
and, as appears from the report, were
made first by Mr.. J. w. McCarter of
South Dakota, in letters published In
September, 1920, in the name of the
"McCarter Corporation" a family
corporation organized by McCarteH in
The interests of the Nom Partisan
League. 1t appears from the records
of the Treasury that Secretary Hous-
ton made a thorough investigation
into the matter at the time, and sub
sequently stated in two letters which
we're made public on September 28,
1920, that the charges were without
1Nundation; that they were mahf-
2stly based on misinformation and
Misunderstanding, and that. though
there were instances of duplicate
seriaf numbers on liberty bonds. no
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