Evening star., 1927-09-15
FIGHT ON M'CARL
BELIEVED IN 0FF|NG
United InterdepartmentaI
Pressure Said to Be Grow
ing Against Controller.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Efforts are taking shape in Wash
ington for n combined and concerted
challenge of Controller General John
r. McCarls arbitrary power over Fed
eral expenditure. There's been talk
of such move in the past. but it is
believed that it never before gave
promise of undertaking in the form
now thought to be imminent. In the
past the Navy and War Departments.
and military and naval officers gem
orally, have been the principal vic
Tins and opponents of the McCarl
regime. According TO information
emanating from those quarters, it
has recently been found possible to
bring about united departmental pres
sure. 1t is planned to go to the Presi-
dent with an impressive request for
action that will remedy state of
affairs which the affected branches of
the Government are coming to regard
unhearable.
Mr.. McCarl's latest achievement to
| cause resentment in an executive de-
partmert is his refusal to sanction the
diversion of $2,000,000 from the rivers
and harbors appropriation for emer-
gency flood control in the Mississippi
Valley. Dwight +. Davis. Secretary of
War. made formal application for the
funds, but the controller general took
the position that he was without au-
thority to make the ALLEGATION desired.
McCarl Is Adamant.
A few days ago Secretary Davis re.
peated his request for the money,
stating that it was urgently needed
for the temporary closing of $50 Gre
vases. But Mr.. McCarl was adamant
and again pleaded his inability to as
| sign the amount. From the same
| funds the Army engineers desired to
do some vitality necessary dredging
work that must be accomplished be.
| tween October / and December /, if
it is to be effective.
| The controller general of the United
! States-the imposing title which Nc
| Carl enjoys-has made specially OF
overruling opinions of the Attorney
General of the United States. Time
and again the Attorney General has
informed executive departments that
they were authorized to do this or
that, and made official, formal rulings
to that effect. But the omnipotent
| McCarl Just as often set aside the de-
crees of the Department of Justice
chief and proceeded gaily upon the
even tenor of his autocratic way.
Once Secretary to Norris.
! IT remains to be seen whether the
President has authority to shackle
McCarl or whether Congress alone,
which created the General Accounting
Office. must be called upon. Mr.. Nc
Carl has held the post since it's estab-
lishment on July /. 1921. having been
appointed early in the Harding admin
istration. He thrives upon criticism
and abuse. Once upon time he was
private secretary to Senator George
w. Norris, Republican Progressive of
Nebraska, and evidently acquired
something of the fighting spirit of that
battling Westerner.
The controller general is a lawyer
| by profession and has resolutely
| taken his stand on the strict letter
Of the statute governing his powers
| and privileges. Perhaps he is a
disciple of the school to which Pres
ident Coolidge has just proclaimed
his adherence. Somebody was asking
the President for an expression of
opinion about the Federal Reserve
Boards squabble with the Federal
Reserve Bank at Chicago. Mr.. Cool
idge advised his questioners to have
a look at the statute under which the
Federal Reserve Board operates. He
explained that when he himself is i'll
doubt as to procedure on given oc-
casions. he habitually takes refuge
in the terminology of the law. He
acts accordingly and always feels
that he is on safe ground. The
|
That's McCarl all over"
| downright 1927