Evening star., 1926-11-22
RULING DEPR|VES
LUSBY OF ONE Job
Cannot Be Disbursing Officer
for District and National
Guard, McCarI Decides.

Unless Congress makes specific ap-
preparation and changes the present
statutes, Maj. James r. Lusby, after
June 80, 1927, can no longer hold the
dual position of disbursing officer
for the District of Columbia and for
the District of Columbia National
Guard, nor can he continue to pay out
certain travel funds for the Fire De-
partment and the National Guard, 1t
was ruled by Controller General Nc
Carl in three decisions made public
today.
MAJ. Lusby cannot continue to hold
his dual post as disbursing officer for
two separate organizations, the ruling
held, because of Il law which prohibits
payment to an individual of more
than one salary when the combined
amount of the salaries exceeds the
sum of $4,000 per year." AS disbursing
officer for the District, it was shown,
he receives $4,000 year. AS disburs-
ing officer for the National Guard he
has been receiving 5000 a year.
Allowance Is Explained.
Gen. Anton Stephan, in charge Of
the District National Guard, today ex-
planned that Mr.. Lusby receives "an
allowance" of SIS a month as certified
to him by the War Department. It
cannot be called exactly salary, he
declared. He said that the money is
drawn through regular pay voucher,
however, and Mr.. Lusby is docked If
he Is absent, as other employees.
The McCarl decision said that It
was desirable" that the two posts
should be held by one individual in
the District Of Columbia, as 1t Is SIM
ilarly held in States Having q rela-
lively small National Guard" On
this account, 1t was said, no curtail-
ment would be made in the salary Of
Maj. Lusby. as often is done in cases
where disbursing officer or other
Government employe has been over
paid. or overdrawn his account.
That an opportunity may be af-
fOrded to present the matter to Con-
gress. for its consideration, ''said the
decision" payments to Mr.. Lusby as
United States property and disbursing
officer to and including June 80, 1927,
will be passed to his credit, and not
thereafter unless specifically author
lied by law as required by the act
of 1916"
Travel Expenses Questioned.
Under q second decision. McCarl
questioned the legality Of payment Of
travel expenses to .. T.. Fearn, super
intendent of machinery of the Fire
Department, for a trip to Louisville,
KY, and Indianapolis, for the purpose
Of inspecting motor fire apparatus
and appliances and investigating fire
department repair shop practice"
The account was credited in Lusby's
record. but warning was served by
McCarl that "credit will not be
allowed for travelling expenses in
Cured after June 80, 1925, under Dis
trict of Columbia appropriations not
specifically or by necessary implica-
ton providing therefor"
In a third decision, the controller
ger raj made final disallowance in two
pay nents by Lusby to sergeants Of the
National Guard, and allowed vouchers
previously questioned paying travelling
expenses Of officers attending National
Guard conferences.
The payments disallowed included
one to Sergt. p. F. Briggs for $3.50 for
expenses for accompanying patient
from Virginia Beach, Va, to Walter
Reed Hospital and return, and one Of
SO to Sergt. Lloyd r. Needs from
Washington to Cleveland, Ohio, and
return for the purpose Of attending
the national matches"