Evening star., 1943-09-21

surrendered June II. Invasion
Italian boot" was invaded on
Salerno sector, capturing it on
tions that DR.. Bocock purchased
food for his personal use out of hos
pital funds: that he provided free
| disqualification for personal en-
ployes; free board for certain IA
vored employees" and employed as
hispersonal servant Filipino who
was paid from Gallinger appropria-
tions, according to Senator Nc
Carran.
Bocock Defends Acts.
Senator McCarran explained that
he was not passing judgment on the
charges but has turned all of the
Controller Generals data over to
Senator Holman to be inquired into
along with the earlier complaints
involving the care provided for
tubercular patients.
While not denying certain of the
allegations made by Senator Nc
Carran, DR.. Bocock today denied
any wrongdoing in the matter. He
indicated that his actions at the
hospital had been properly author
lied and that some of the incidents
cited were beyond his control.
He issued the following statement:
THE charges made are absolutely
without foundation OF fact. While
certain of the allegations cited have
occurred, they were either with
proper authorization or were mat
tiers over which I had no control"
Charges Referred to Bureau.
The charges have been referred
to United States Attorney Edward
Curran, who has turned them over
to his chief assistant, John Fihelly.
The latter said his office had as
signed 1t. Joseph Shimon to the
case.
There are certain angles we want
to clear up" Mr.. Fihelly said, but
these charges go back as far as 10
years in some instances, and it will
require some time to check on them.
We. also want to talk to DR.. Bocock
at the proper time" 8f'
Mr.. Fihelly said his Office also
wanted to question 80 or 40 witnesses
who might have information bearing
on the matter.
Commissioner Mason, meanwhile,
disclosed his own records of how the
Commissioners had handled the re-
port from the General Accounting
Office, in memorandum:
Commissioner Young received the
report from the Controller General
on July Is and referred the same
to Commissioner Mason on July is.
Commissioner Mason brought the
matter to the attention of the Board
of Commissioners on July 10, and
on July 20 Commissioners Kutz and
Mason conferred with Edward M.
Curran, United States attorney, and
John Fihelly, first assistant, CTo
MI. Curran), and on July % trans
mltted the report to the United
States attorney for his review and
action"
Matter Handled PROPERLY"
Commissioner Mason said he was
convinced the Commissioners had
handled the matter proprly. He ex-
planned that the Commissioners had
not advised either Health Officer
George c.. Rutland, his assistants,
of DR.. Bocock of the investigation
report, adding that the Commission
ers had consulted only with Cor
poration Counsel Richmond B.
Keech and later with Mr.. Curran
and Mr. Fihelly.
| He continued: There are in the
Controller Generals report some
charges of serious nature. The Dis
trict government does not have the
machinery for investigating charges
of such nature, nor do we have the
| jurisdiction as to prosecution in
such cases.
Furthermore, the regulations of
Gallinger Hospital and its super
intendent, DR.. Bocock, both were
involved and we felt the district
attorney should have an opportunity
to investigate before the case was
publicized.'
Commissioner Mason said some of
the criticisms. on the administra-
tive side, contained in the Control
Ter Generals report, had been re-
ferred to District Auditor A. r.
Pilkerton. and that steps had been
taken to invoke procedures recon-
mended by the Federal agency.
Issues Statement"
First information that the Con-
troller Generals Office has made
report on Gallinger came late yes
terday, when Chairman McCarran
issued statement, which said, in
part:
Many of the irregularities by the
Controller Generals Office are in
| dividually minor in nature, but
nevertheless have the definite Gu
mulative effect of indicating clearly
rather prevalent disregard, among
certain officials on the Gallinger
staff, of property rights.
Loose management, and inade-
quate control of matters affecting
| PAOPSAeJ oliu nANoAAlCo, h4oO al lilOSb
clearly indicated.
Particularly significant, it seems
to me, are certain charges concern
ing DR.. Bocock, superintendent of
Gallinger Hospital. Since these mat
ters were called to the attention of
the District Commissioners more
than two months ago, and have
been referred by the Commissioners
to the United States Attorney for
the District OF Columbia, / do not
wish to recount them in detail at
.his time. In general, some of the
more serious charges are that DR..
Bocock has converted to his per-
sonal use property belonging to Gal
linger Hospital; that he has pur-
chased food stun for his personal
use from fund authorized for
emergency purchases OF medicines
and supplies required at the hos
pital: that he has provided, on diff