The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-04
VETERANS CRAFT
QUIZ BRING
Ne THRILLS
Gives Teapot Dome
Close Run

When the special grand jury in
vestigating charges of graft in the
connection with the expenditure of
large sums Of money by the Veterans
Bureau indicted former Director Col
Charles r. Forbes, Harding's favor
lite appointee, brought in an indict-
ment of that official and of j. w.
Thompson, millionaire builder for
accepting and giving bride, the cur
tain was raised on what promises to
be one Of the snappiest exhibitions
Of robbery ever staged in this coun-
try to a capacity audience.
The crooks are now getting so ex-
cited that there is no longer any
talk Of honoring "gentlemen's agree
ments" to hang together II is now
"every man for himself and the devil
take the hindmost." Col. Forbes
knows that he is in bad shape but
in his desperation he is willing to
drag others down with him.
Had the Teapot Dome not been be-
fore the public the scandal in the
Veterans Bureau alone would be
more than enough to wreck the Re-
publican administration. The worst
Of it is as far as the capitalist par
ties are concerned that every scan
dial appears to be shared equally by
both Democrats and Republicans
President Harding's sister will
come to the defense of Col. Forbes,
it is reported. People are now ask
ing if the relations between Forbes
and the late president were not more
than friendly.
Two Congressman Involved.
Two congressman are involved in
the graft of the Veterans Bureau.
Who are they? Others high up in
government circles shared in the loot
that was supposed to take care of
the wounded veterans. Will Calvin
Coolidge be as silent about these
high government officials" as he has
been about those involved in the Tea
pot Dome scandal?
The Boston Post declares that the
revelations of Teapot Dome and Vet
Grams Bureau scandals are not near
so fruitful soil for radical propa-
ganda as the activities of millionaires
whose illicit love affairs with women
of the underworld are causing the
working class to lose confidence in
the masters. The Post thinks
Z.
Even that is not lacking in the Vet
Grams Bureau scandal. In fact the
story might not have been told but
for the attentions paid by the gal
liant hand shaker and shoulder slap
per Mr.. Forbes to the wife of Mr..
Mortimer, his associate in the looting.
Mortimer resented the attentions, and
the expose followed.
Forbes claims that other crooks
higher up than himself in govern
ment circles framed him. "I know
the exact day the plot was laid and
the individual who directed the
frameup. He is a high individual
unofficiallv connected with the. gov
eminent"
Accuses Sawyer
This individual may be Brigadier
General Charles E. Sawyer, physician
to the late president. Forbes
charged that Sawyer had more to do
with the prevention of the proper adj
ministration of the Bureau funds
than any other individual.
Referring to the freedom from ar
rest of Elias r. Mortimer, Col.
Forbes states:
"Why has he been at large on bail
nearly a year, under an indictment
for conspiracy to violate the prohi-
bition law, returned in the United
States District Court in New York,
with no action taken in the case since
he gave bond June 8, 1923, Col. Tom
Fielder, Daugherty's associate in the
Morse pardon case, appearing as his
counsel?
"Why has not the Department of
Justice taken action against him and
certain officials for conspiracy to vio-
late the liquor laws, based on docu-
mentary evidence furnished by me to
the Department of Justice eighteen
months ago, the discovery of which
was the first intimation I had of
Mortimer's real character?"
The grand jury report will be
turned over to President Coolidge.
Harry M. Daugherty limited that the
disclosures in the Veterans scandal
may provide him with club to use
over his enemies. But it is signifi-
can't that the jury reported, money
was accepted by certain individuals
for the purpose of obtaining Glenn
ency from prisoners thru their init
macy with officials"
This is supposed to refer to charges
by Senator Wheeler that Daugherty's
chum, Jesse Smith, sold Federal par
dons in Washington up to the time
of his suicide last year.
Meanwhile reactionary congress-
men are bewailing the fact that the
workers are losing confidence in the
government.