The Wilmington morning star., 1945-05-20
CAROLINA
FROM THE
CAPITAL
By DAVID BRINKLEY
Star-News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON, May 19.-The Compression.
al directory takes full page of fine type to
define the duties of the Director of the Gen.
eral Accounting Office. But Lindsay Carter
Warren, a native of Washington, N. c.. can
and does sum up his duties in that job by
saying his work consists of saying "NO!
in loud voice to anyone who wants to spend
an unnecessary dime, more or less, of the
public's money.
In Eastern North Carolina, where he used
to represent the First congressional district,
Warren made bright record as a politician
as a lawyer and as a back-slapping good
fellow In Washington, they still think he's a
good fellow but they've found. too, that when
the talk turns to money - the public's money
- he's a hard man to deal with
President Roosevelt appointed him in 1910
while he served in the House of Representa-.
tives. At first he refused, but finally he &C.
copied the job with it's guarantee of $12 600
a year for Is years. AS Comptroller General
of the United States and Director of the Gen
eral Accounting Office, his ivory tower is al
most as lofty as that of Supreme Court JUS
tice He cannot be removed by anyone except
for cause ana he cannot be reappointed. So,
as Warren himself likes to point out, he is
beholden to nobody and his allegiance is to the
people over whose money he watches with
a cold eye.
Big Auditing Job
This year, as during several years past,
he'll do the biggest auditing job in the history
of the world More than 68,Oo00000O0 will
flow through his books and ledgers and ac-
counting machines, and what he and his Is, 900
GAO employees do with all that money is high.
ly important to everybody's pocketbook. If
Warren has his way, not farthing will be
mis-spent.
He does business few blocks from the
Capitol in red brick monstrosity which used
to be the Pensions building and which every.
one admits now is the ugliest piece of archi-
lecture in town. But behind this rocco ex-
terror lies what to any taxpayer is beauti-
full sight: government official who has a
wholesome respect for other peoples money.
Once he was compared to Pansy Yokum,
the comic strip character who Travelled a
thousand miles to return a nickel. But that
probably was an exaggeration. 1t is fact,
however, that he has a reputation around
Washington as a sort of wandering bard in
search of dime that might possibly been
lost, strayed or stolen. To some, he's known
as a penny-chaser, a financial gladly who fire.
quently and unexpectedly demands: ''Where'd
that quarter go?"
Frequent Victims
Two of his more frequent victims are the
Army and Navy into whose hair he delights
to climb. His last brush with the services was
when the Army authorized $4,000 for whiskey
for an officers club. Another item that caught
his eye was the Arnly's use of public funds
for Christmas cards, jrke boxes, vitanin pills
valet services and a spare set of false teeth
Needless to say, the generals and admirals
don't enjoy searching for ten-cent piece
which has fascinated Warren by its absence
The same goes for industrialists doins
tn ch n
the sheriff, the sight they welcome least is the
arrival Of Warren's curious auditors bearing
greetings from the Comptroller General il
one hand and calculating machine in thu
other.
Warren's record to date is excellent ane
though many have writhed under the GAO
searching stare, never a word of criticism
has been raised.
Some Congressman thought that when h
was named Comptroller General, good o II
Lindsay would name some of their politica
cronies to plushy GAO jobs. But he pricket
that balloon his first month in office when h.
reached down into the ranks of the GAO
chose 9 career man with political back
ground and made him chief deputy Othe
workers who had grubbed along for year
without recognition were pleasantly surprised
when they were called into Warren's offic,
and appointed department heads.
| Today, Warren says that in all the GAG
there is not single responsible job held b,
anyone but a competent, experienced govern
ment career man. He plans to keep it tina
way. And he plans, too, that in the year
between now and when he returns to eastern
North Carolina at the end of his term he
going 20 say 'tNO!'' in a good, strong voic
to everyone who tries without authority to Blu,
juke boxes, vitamin pills or false teeth witt
other peoples money.