Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-29
1000 GIVEN LAST
OF COMPENSATION
Congressional Action Requir-
ed to Resume Payments to
Dependents of US.

The employees compensation COM
mission today put into the mails
about 1000 checks, which will be the
last to be mailed to beneficiaries, be-
cause the disbursing officer of the
commission has been shut off from
further funds by Controller General
McCarl. The commission at the same
time made public a letter from the
chairman. Mrs. Bessie p. Bruegge-
man, in which she explains that the
check Enclosed will therefore be the
last which can be paid YOU until
some, action is taken by Congress
authorizing payments in spite of this
recent decision of the controller gen.
eral."
The commissions expenditure of
about 100000 a month in compensa-
ton to these 1000 men and women,
widows and orphans in all parts of
the United States, therefore ceases
with today's payment. 1t was UNDER
stood the commission had hoped that
Congress would amend the law Suffi-
GENTLY to satisfy the position of the
controller general.
The stoppage of funds was the re-
suit of a long drawn-out controversy
In which the Attorney General of the
controller general were involved.
The commission held that it could
paw compensation to persons suffer-
ing from vocational diseases con-
tracted in the course of employment
with the government, such as tuber-
culosis. etc Controller General Nc
Carl, on the other hand. held that
such payments could not be made I'M
der the law and that the law was
specific in restricting the payments
only to persons whose injuries could
be traced to the day and hour.
Funds Are Cut. on.
Appealing to tho President, the
commission obtained an opinion from
the Attorney General which they
claim upheld their position that they
could pay such claims.
The controller, upon receiving GER
tain vouchers of the payment of
money to employees, called upon the
disbursing officer of the commission
to explain further evidence as to why
this money had been paid and as to
the condition of the claimant. The
disbursing officer refused this infor-
nation, whereupon the controller gem
eral cut off his access to Treasury
funds by refusing to order any fur
Their acquisitions upon the Treasury.
The commission not only is without
ANhuo ~ pay DUl Call
draw no money from the Treasury
even for the pay of the clerical and
administrative force. The disbursing
officer, A. H. Gardes. was understood
to have sum of money to his credit
which might be sufficient to meet the
next pay day of the administrative and
clerical force. 1t was understood,
however. that further than this his
funds would hardly go.
Letter Explains.
The letter to claimants, in which
the chairman of the commission ex-
plains the situation, is as follows:
1.-The commission regrets to have
to notify you that the controller gen.
eral. by a decision of February H.,
1924. has refused to permit its dis
bursting officer to draw any more
money from the employees compen-
sation fund. The controller generals
reason for this refusal Is that the
commission has declined to submit to
him the evidence upon which awards
and payments had been made in cases
which he desired to review. Upon
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