Evening star., 1926-06-03
INQUIRY |SASKED
At ST. EL|zAbETH'S
House Approves BIanton
Plan for Investigation by
Controller General.

Controller General McCarl would be
instructed to investigate conditions at
st. Elizabeth's Hospital for the Insane
under a resolution which was passed
by the House late yesterday after
noon without q dissenting vote, and
sent to tho Senate.
The administration of st. Eliza
beths and conditions there affecting
patients have been inquired into be-
fore the veterans committee and the
Gibson subcommittee of the House
District committee and are being pre-
sented by Representative Blanton be.
fore the House judiciary committee in
support Of his impeachment charges
against Commissioner Fenning.
Introduced by BlantOn.
This resolution for investigation by
the controller general was introduced
by Representative Blanton, who is
prosecuting the charges against Mr..
Fenning. and was urged for passage
by Chairman Graham of the judiciary
committee, which is now consider.
ing the impeachment charges. Mr..
Graham said he thought the con.
troller general could conduct the in
vestigation more economically and
efliciently than a congressional COM
mittee.
The controller general would be
authorized to subpoena witnesses and
inquire into the treatment of patients.
the methods of committing them, the
disposition OF their property and the
finances of the hospital. In reply to
a question from Representative Under
hill, Republican, OF Massachusetts.
Mr.. Graham said the controller gen
eral stated the investigation will cost
nothing, as he can make 1t with his
present staff. Mr.. Graham also said
that the judiciary committee had
unanimously reported the resolution
and urged its passage.
Graham and ConnaIly Debate.
The only debate on the resolution
was a spirited colloquy between Chair
man Graham and Representative
Connaliy, Democrat. of Texas. as
follows:
Mr.. Connally-Reserving the right
to object, why provide for the control
Ter general to conduct the investiga-
ton? Why not the committee of this
House?
Mr.. Graham-Simply because it can
be done more effectively and quickly
and with the kind of investigation
that we want. In that connection al
low me to say that this is Mr.. Blan-
tons resolution. The committee has
considered and has unanimously re-
ported it and asks it's passage
Mr.. Cdnnally-I have no disposition
to obstruct any investigation of st
Elizabeth's Insane Asylum. 1t ought
to be investigated. but 1t occurs to me
that the responsibility belongs to this
House. and that TO delegate it to
some department without any respon-
sibility will probably result in a very
unsatisfa ctory investigation.
Mr.. Graham-The gentleman knows.
OF course. that the controller general
is the watchdog Of the House.
Mr. Connally-But the gentleman
has no right to throw the RESPONSE.
bility on my colleague. The gentle.
man stands here today as the chair
man of the committee on the judiciary
reporting matter from his COM
m1ttee. and if the gentlemans COM
mittee does not approve it and does
not believe in ii he ought not to re.
port it.
Mr.. Graham-Did the gentleman
ever know me to report anything that
l did not have authority to report
from my committee, or to make re-
port that / did not believe fno
Mr.. Connally-That is why I am
surprised at the gentleman trying to
throw the responsibility upon the
gentleman from Texas CNIr. Blanton)
Mr.. Graham-I throw no responsi.
bility on anybody
Mr.. Connally-I wanted to know
why the House. according to the
gentleman's statement, admits its
own inability to investigate this. and
says that the Controller General can
DO II more efficiently and better than
the House.