Evening star., 1925-03-21
POLICE Join PROBE
OF BLIND AUT0|ST
Records Indicate Veteran,
Supposedly SightIess,
Passed Test for Permit.

The Traffic Bureau of the Police De-
partment today took a hand in the in
yeStigation of the case of Howard T.
Lewis whose blind" total disability is
the subject of a probe at the Veterans
Bureau following the discovery that he
was driving an automobile, despite the
fact that he was obtaining some $500
per month compensation as a double
permanent disa ability case"
Inspector A. ]. Headley, chief of the
Traffic Bureau, announced today that
his investigation thus far had disclosed
that Lewis applied for a permit laSt
August. Policeman Groves. according
to the records at the Traffic Bureau. ac-
companied him during the test of his
operation of an automobile, and dis
covered thatshe steered a machine we'll
enough to be given a permit.
The route of the test, according
to Inspector Headley, was from
Fourteenth and E streets. out to
East Executive avenue, up to Penn
sylvania avenue, back to Fifteenth
street at the side of the Treasury,
to Pennsylvania avenue again. and
then to Fourteenth street, return
ing to Fourteenth and Z.
Inspector Headley said today that
the Traffic Bureau for a thorough
test as to his eyesight. LAS far as
we are concerned, our records show
that he satisfactorily passed the test
last August Inspector Headley said,
but We want to go more thoroughly
into the case of his eyesight at the
present time"
Thorough Probe Planned.
Today was a day of questions at
the Veterans Bureau, in SO far as the
Lewis case was concerned.
Maj. Arnold, chief of control, in
| charge of the case, outlined the two
| issues along which the investigation
of the Veterans Bureau is proceeding
as follows:
"First-Is this man getting COM
pensatien when he is not entitled
! to it?
| "Second-If so, why?"
! A number of questions will be
asked in the medical division as to
| how Lewis came to be certified hope
lessIy blind, or totally disabled
! Did the examination and tests which
! he passed constitute the orthodox
! tests? Did he stumble over chairs,
| not culver when a finger was punch
! cd toward his orbs, give every evil
! dence that he could not see? Or was
| there a differe mt sort of procedure?
Nothing will be given out officially
until the Investigators have ON
| pleted their task and submitted a re-
| port to Director Hines for his inspec-
| ton and approval. Director Hines is
| out of town, expected to return next
| week.
The case brought up memories at
| the bureau of cases in which veter-
ans had been drawing compensation
| under strange conditions. One of
| these cases. pulled down out of men,
ory's files by one of the clerks hap
| hazardly, was that of student at a
California university who had been
| voted the honor of being physically
| paragon of masculinity. 1t was
| found that, as far as the Veterans
Bureau was concerned, he was per
manently disabled.
The aim of the investigation, it was
| pointed out by one official, is to be abso-
| lutely fair to the veteran. II a mistake
! was made in awarding him conpensa.
ton full consideration will be given te
his interests and innocence under such
| a contingency, it was said. On the other
| hand. if il is found that the Govern
| ment is paying compensation to the vet
! Gran under conditions when no com
uensation should be paid, the interests
| of the Government demand that full ex-
| nlanation of the manner and methods
pursued in the compensation award be
| given.