Evening star., 1926-04-23
FENN|NG REVIEWS
PLEAFORC CHANCE
TO HELP PROBERS
Can Give Them Authentic In
formation on Which to Act,
Commissioner Says.
CITES WISCONSIN CASE
DATA AS INACCURATE
House Veterans Committee Con-
tinues Examination of Davis on
Guardianship Questions.

While the House World War Vet
Grams legislation committee, inuur-
ing into guardianships of mentally
incompetent veterans throughout the
United States and the District of Co
lumbia was continuing it's examina-
ton of Maj. Davis G. Arnold, ma
tional guardianship officer of the Vet
erans' Bureau, today. COMMISSIONS
Frederick A. Fenning issued another
plea to be given an opportunity to
appear before the various House, in
vestigating committees to present "au-
thentic information on which to base
their inquiries
In a prepared statement issued To
the press, the Commissioner said:
LAS is well known, ! have repeat
edly urged that I be called in order
that the various comittees conducting
investigations might have authentic
information upon which to base their
inquiries. The desirability and the
Importance of proceeding in this way
is illustrated by the report that yes
terday l was criticized for continuing
to act as committee of one OF my
wards, who, some years ago, was
transferred by the Veterans Bureau
to Wisconsin, and it appears that the
statement was made that there should
have been a guardian for him out
there in Wisconsin.
Cites Letter of Brother.
II am persuaded that the gentle
man who made this complaint does
in
sion a letter from my wards brother,
who lives in Wisconsin. in which he
states that the ward Is not bona
fide resident of Wisconsin, and in
which he asks me to continue to care
for my wards affairs until such time
as he, the brother, qualities as con-
servator"
With the view of obtaining legisla
ton at this session of Congress to
remedy alleged irregularities in guard
ianship matters through the United
| States, the committee voted today to
ask the House for unanimous consent
to hold it's inquiry this afternoon.
This was granted and the sessions
will be resumed at 2:30.
When the session opened today,
Representative Gibson, Republican,
Vermont, took up the cross-examina-
tion of the witness. Mr.. Gibson
wanted Maj. Arnold's position on
whether the present law, permitting a
maximum commission of 10 per cent,
was too high and the witness replied
he did not think the beneficiaries of
the Government should be deprived
of l cent under any conditions. Along
this line of reasoning, he said, he
| thought Mr.. Fenning received ''toO
much" for his services. Maj. Arnold
| advocated one man as a public guard
| ian for all the Government wards
| and suggested that control of their
| estates be lodged in the Veterans Bu-
reau.
Denies Suspicion Existed.
Questioned by Mr.. Gibson on the ad-
visibility of guardian maintaining
constant contact with his ward. Maj.
Arnold declared it depended upon the
condition of the ward. In cases where
there is a bad mental disease, he
thought 1t inadvisable. Asked If he
ever looked into the relations of DR..
William a. White, superintendent of
st. Elizabeths Hospital, with Mr.. Fen
ming, the witness replied he only knew
they were great friends, relatives and
partners in business" He further de-
clared ''in the past" there was no sus-
picion directed at either of them. DR..
White, the witness added, is looked
upon as a man of great responsibility.
!, The only concern of the guardianship
service is to see that the beneficiarieS
get proper guardian, he continued.
adding. 'Mr. Fenning is looked upon
as a proper guardian"
Since the report of DIR. Stickney.
contact officer of the bureau, stating
that Mr.. Fenning constantly opposes
the transfer of his wards" to other
hospitals, Maj Arnold said the Com
missioner has been appointed guard
ian in only one case by the Veterans
Bureau In 1918 the bureau recon-
mended his appointment in one case
and in 1919 it recommended 81; in 1920
13. in 1921. in 1922. none in 1928.
1926 80 far"
Praises Woman's Work.
Mr.. Gibson questioned the witness
at length regarding the activities of n
Miss Marks at the bureau and wanted
to know if he took any original part
| in recovering "at least Il million dol
| lars which the bureau was paying
| out to unlawful guardians. Maj. Ar
mold paid high tribute to her ability,
; but added she acted under his direc
tion. In the work of determining who
! had not filed annual statements as to
| the ulSpOSlIlOn Oh Ine WdTOS estates,
| Mai. Arnold said before the task was
| begun more than 46 per cent of the
guardians had made no report. or
| this number 10 per cent never will be
recovered, because the funds were III
the hands of close relatives who kept
| no accounting of the funds spent, he
| said.
| In March of this year. following Il
nationwide tour of regional guardian
| ship offices, the witness testified he
recommended to Gen. Hines. director
of the Veterans Bureau, that because
too large commissions were being
charged the veterans the law should
| be changed so the wards estates
would not be depleted.
Luce Raises Objection.
! Representative Rankin, Democrat,
| Mississippi, asked the witness TO pro-
duce the record of q case at st. Eliza
beth's Hospital where a deceased sol
dier's body, from which the head had
been severed and the spine extracted,
| and which was in a badly decomposed
condition, had been refused by Fen
ning's undertaken" and an effort had
been made to get the Veterans Blu
reau undertaken to send 1t home to
| the parents.
Representative Luce, Republican.
Massachusetts, raised a point Of order
on this question, but Chairman John
son, Republican. South Dakota. over
Continued on Page S. Column e)