Evening star., 1947-02-19
probe ofDeeds Office
By House Unit May
Bring Hearing Soon
Sv Robert K. WoIsh

BY Robert K. Wolsh
Preliminary investigation of
the Recorder of Deeds Office by
the District subcommittee of the
House Appropriations Committee
may result in public hearings
early next month, principally on
complaints of lax and expensive
administrative methods, it was
learned today. .r
The Washington Taxpayers Asso-
citation and the General Accounting
Office also have moved into the
picture. Representative Horan.S Re-
publican. of Washington, chairman
of the subcommittee, today received
from Rufus s. Lusk, association
president, a protest against "horse
car era" methods of copying docu-
ments in the recorders Office.
In a separate examination. re-
quested by First Deputy Recorder
Oliver Thornton, the GAO began
an audit of accounts in the auto
mobile liens section of the office
This was in line with an inquiry
started several days ago by Mr.
Thornton.
Other sources disclosed that on
the basis of testimony obtained so
far by the House subcommittee, the
report by its Investigators is not
expected to contain charges of large
fiscal Irregularities.
Big Saving Is Seen.
The Taxpayers Association let
ter noted that the recorder of deeds
Office is approximately $4,000 docu-
ments behind in copying and that
DR.. Marshall L. Shepard, the re-
corder, has asked for 20 additional
clerks. Between $4,000 and $780,.
600 a year could be saved in the
operation of that Office if photo
stating machinery were installed in
the Office, Mr.. Lusk declared.
'The fact of the matter is that
recorders have not wanted to re-
duce their staff" Mr.. Lusk wrote
Recording fees could be cut in two
and service improved a thousand
per cent. Almost one-half the peo-
pie of the United States live in
jurisdictions where photostatic ma
chinery is used to record various
documents. 1t has been used for
more than 20 years by the register
of wills in the District"
Mr.. Lusk explained that one such
machine would cost less than $15,-
600 and, with three operators, would
do the work of so persons. This
not only would greatly speed up
the copying work, but "the records
would be permanent and there
could be no possibility of error" he
added.
Present Method Criticized.
Urging the committee to recon-
mend purchase of the equipment,
Mr.. Lusk declared "the present
method of copying deeds on a type
writer and then proof1ng them is
about as right for these times as
horse cars would be on Pennsyl-
vania avenue"
Chief Investigator Robert E. Lee
of the District Subcommittee said
he expects to make report within
two weeks. He and Mr.. Horan de-
clined to discuss findings thus far.
The investigation, however, re-
portedly is centering now on exami-
nation of evidence of patronage
practices, disputes among office per-
sonnel, lack of independent fiscal
audits, frequent absences of key Of
ficials, and other factors which may
have encouraged inefficiency, irreg-
ularities or increased administra-
tive costs.
t. Won't PREJUDICE Situation.
Representative. Horan said he
does not intend to prejudge the sit
uation. He hopes the preliminary in
vestigation report will be completed
as soon as possible so the subcom-
mittee can schedule hearings, II
necessary, and move on to routine
investigation of any other District
agency where such an inquiry is
deemed advisable, he declared. He
indicated at least one other such
investigation is planned as "rou-
tine measure"
He added that though he has nc
reason to believe Irregularities are
to be found in other District offices
his subcommittee intends to see that
all District departments and Of
ficials operate efficiently and devote
full time to their work.
Mr.. Lee, when asked about re-
ports that the FBI has been look
ing into operations of the Recorder
of Deeds Office, replied the FBI is
making no investigation of that
kind at this time and is not con-
nected with the House subcommit.
tees investigation.