Evening star., 1924-04-03
VANDERBILT PLANS
TO FIGHT GRAFT"
viii Devote Full Time to In
quiry Into Political
Corruption.


varied business directorates in which
he occupied a. chair, Frank \. Van
derlip. retired New York banker, in
a private interview today declared
he would henceforth devote his un-
divided attention to the work of plac-
ing before cong ressional investigat-
ing committees evidence of corrup-
ton in the American government.
Charging the republican adminiStra-
ton with transferring to Washington
from Columbus some of the men who
had had a lifetime of unsavory con-
nection with state politics" Mr.. Van
derl:p asserted the need for con-
gressional investigation of the Vet
Grams Bureau, the alien property GUS
todian bureau, the War Department
in respect to sales of war material
and the Shipping Board is extreme
Mr.. Nanderlip has occupied an eX-
tensive suite of offices in the Smith
building, from which he intends to
conduct rigid Investigations into the
transactions of government depart
ments and the conduct of public Off
cialS as head of the citizens federal
research bureau. The organization.
the former banker declared with
emphasis, has come to Washington to
stay, and he expects to enroll thou
sands OF citizens from every part of
the country as members.
Plan Permanent Body.
1T is the aim of the founders of
the Citizens Federal Research Bureau
10 make it a permanent organization
in our national life" said Mr.. Wander
lip. The need for it has been
emphasized by what has naturally
followed in the evolution of the great
- Ia hon n
and i'll the methods of publicity by
the government departments on the
other. 1t is practically impossible for
newspapers to undertake the original
present situation. They must safe
guard themselves from libel the
work is unpopular, and if a Washing
ton correspondent undertook il with
thoroughness he would be disciplined
by the departments with respect to
obtaining current news"
Praises Choice of Stone.
Mr.. Nanderlip heartily praised
President Coolidge's selection of Har-
IAN F1Ske Stone to succeed Mr.
baugherty. II think President Cool
1dge in appointing Dean Stone has
made as fine selection as could have
been made in the country" he said
He is not only a man of the highest
honor. but of as keen ability as any
man I know"
Mr Nanderlip's retirement from the
BUSINESS dlrectorates of which he
was a member was made known yes
ferday. when he gave out for n,IhIi
cation letter he had written 70 +
7. SWenSon. president of the FreeDort
IeXas Company of New York. in re-
sponse to the latter's request for his
resignation from the board of thai
company.
SwenSOn's Letter
III IS my painful duty to inform
you of expressions which have come
10 me from members of the boards
o. our companies in respect to your
continuing as a director. The matter
becomes pertinent at the meeting of
our board to be held on Wednesday.
me 18th, when the proxies will be
instructed for the election of direc-
tors for the ensuing year to be held
April :. ot
L cannot advise you of this feel
ing solely on behalf of the other
directors. for personally T. am not in
I1iEInpathy Iie mafters with your attitude in pub
that you will be inclined to advise
me of your willingness and determi-
nation TO discontinue as one of our
directors
NanderIip's Reply
MT. Nanderlip, in his letter of reply.
said. in part:
l am quite willing to comply with
your request, and you may consider
TINS letter as a tender of my resiena-
ton as member of the board NV
one regret in the matter is that men
with whom | have long been asSociat-
rd in business are now SO blind to
the present situation in the govern
ment at Washington Had YOU and
YOUR associates the slightest concep-
tlon or the truth in regard to the
corruption which has been current
you could not. without the most COM
plete sacrifice of honor, do anything
but applaud honest effort to uproot
that corruption.
There have been times, notably in
lNlS, when my judgment regarding
the debacle in Europe was at vari-
ance with that of many of my asso-
ciates, but events confirmed my
prophecies with terrible reality.
Sees Danger in Suppression.
Now, again, L find Wall street at
variance with my views, but 1 ven
ture another prediction. If there is
not full exposure of the corruption
mat has honeycombed some of the
departments and several of the bu-
reaus Of the federal government, busi-
ness, at the mercy of corrupt courts
corrupt prosecuting attorneys and
law breaking officials, will ultimately !
suffer far more than it ever can
through the exposure of these things.
The great danger to business and
government alike lies in suppression
of the facts.
Knowing that your attitude to-
ward the work ! am doing in Wash
ingtop is not unique, but is shared by
: great many of my New York busi-
ness associates. L have decided to
a nf nire
from every business board on which 1
occupy a seat
Among the directorships from which
AIR. Nanderlip will retire, it was
stated, were the Union Pacific. Oregon
Short Line, Oregon and Washington,
Salt Lake, Los Angeles and San Pedro
railroads; the United States Rubber
company, international Mercantile
Marine and the United States Realty.