Evening star., 1926-04-27

stand against concluding the hearings
until every phase OF the guardian
ships Of World War veterans through
out the District and the United States
has been thoroughly investigated. He
intimated that politics had an inf1u-
ence in the committee, but Chairman
johnson emphatically denied this.
The chairman would rather give a
years salary or the last five years
of his life than to have politics in
| Jected into the deliberations of this
committee" Mr.. johnson declared.
Chairman Is Assailed.
Mr.. Bulwinkle replied that "the
chairman has fallen from grace"
Representative Rankin. Democrat,
Mississippi. paid a glowing tribute to
Mr.. Gibson for his work as a member
! of the veterans committee and chair
man OF the District subcommittee.
/ He deserves the gratitude of every
redbloOded American for trying to
clean up this situation" Mr.. Rankin
| declared.
The Mississippian. however. made
| strong plea for the continuation of
the hearings, adding that people are
| picked up on the streets of Washing
ton and thrown into ST. EliZabeth's
| without a tria. Then their estates
are taken over by this man Fenning
| in manner that no court or no law
yer who is guided by those principles
| of equity and Justice could defend He
| Is making q fortune out OF these
| World War veteranS-getting more
| than the cabinet gets The record
shows he is in collusion with DIR.
White. Why, last Winter the Ameri-
can Legion of Washington had to get
up collection of clothes and over
l 70 70, In
If the people of my State knew of the
conditions that prevailed here and
| found out that l had relented in
| cleaning up they wouldn't think of
| sending me back. DR.. White and
| Fenning have conspired together to
| handle these mems estate, to the
best of my belief. l am not willing
to stop this investigation"
Mr.. Gibson, In replying to Mr.. RAN
! kin's speech, declared he was not en-
titled to the undue credit" given him
| by the latter. His interest, he ex-
planned. centered solely on 'remedying
conditions among the service men in
| Washington and throughout the Coun-
| try. l am unwilling to play Repub-
| lican politics or to lend my assist
ance to Democratic politics" He said
he went into the service beyond the
age limit, recruited 200 men. refused
job in Washington and went over
seas. ~ hope we can get together"
he added, with the high duty in mind
of remedying a condition that appar-
| emily exists not only in Washington.
but the country at large. I think we
ought to have a committee appointed
to go into the situation to determine
some remedy. We have now sufficient
information to remedy conditions here.
| but l appeal to all to come together In
this cause"
Asks Speech Curb.
Chairman Johnson suggested that
| the speeches be reserved for Me-
mortal day." and declared, 'I'd like
| to get a bill on the calendar before
the House adjourns."
| Representative Milligan, Democrat,
| Missouri, charged there had been many
| discrepancies in testimony of witnesses
| and the committee has found that
| Fenning violated the law IN TWO OF
| three places"
1t then was agreed to proceed with
! the hearings for two or three days,
at the end of which time the COM
mittee will be called into executive
session to draft a bill.
Mr.. Taber, the undertaken. ap-
peared to deny" statement in
morning newspaper that he had re-
| fused to accept the body of one or
Mr.. Jennings wards because of its
| condition. Chairman Johnson eX-
| pIained that such statement was
made on the floor of the House and
| the newspapers merely quoted it.
| The undertaken also submitted him.
| self to questioning and testified he
| never received the bodies of any OF
| Mr.. Jennings wards for interment.
Asks About Jennings Business.
Mr.. Milligan asked the witness if
| Mr.. Fenning is attorney for the Ma
tional Selected Morticians. and Mr..
Tabler replied: i've heard it said
| that he is"
Joseph Gawler & Sons" replied
| the witness.
Mr.. Hooff said Mr.. Fenning was
granted an agents license in 1920.
Mr.. Bulwinkle asked If he wrote
many bonds and the witness replied:
| .'He has a fair production"
"How much commission does he
| receiver"
"The agents agreement is rs per
cent" Mr.. Hooff said.
"How is he paid?" asked Mr.. Bull
winkle.
"By our office. through check"
How often?"
practically monthly"
"Are the checks sent by your Wash
ington office to his Officer
Yes"
Mr.. Bulwinkle then asked that the
witness prepare a list of all cases in
which Mr.. Fenning had written bonds
since his appointment as an agent,
and showing the amount OF premiums
and commissions. Mr.. Gibson also
requested him to prepare a statement
of the total commissions received by
Mr.. Fenning for the use of the Dis
trict subcommittee.
Dayis May Go Back With Fenning.
Herbert L. Davis, auditor of the
| District Supreme Court, was on the
stand until nearly 6 o'clock, and when
the committee adjourned an agree
ment was reached to call him at a
later date If necessary.
Mr.. Davis was a willing witness
and the committee examiners had no
difficulty in getting direct responses
to their questions. At one point In
the examination, the auditor Volun-
tariIy declared that he never before
had known Mr.. Fenning was receiv-
ing 25 per cent commissions for taxi
ing out bonds in the company which
he represented. The Commissioners
had testified to this fact before the
| Gibson subcommittee Saturday. The
auditor without questioning went
farther to say that such commits
sion came under the category Of a
double commission" in that a fee
was charged for this duty along with
other services rendered. "The Su-
preme Court of the United States"
| he declared. "is unalterably opposed
to double commissions or honora-
iums."
Under questioning by Representa-
tive Milligan, Democrat. Missouri,
the auditor declared Mr.. Fenning, as
zaoor a., fha Army during the