Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-31
Warren May Retire
AsControIIer General
April 3ODuet 10 Health
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(Contlnued From First Page)
for disability, after 10 years,
with full pay-$17,500 annually.
A Democrat, "a, and a veteran
of the House of Representatives,
Mr.. Warren will have served Is
years and six months as Con-
troller General at the end of
the month. His unique Office, es-
tablished in 1921 as a CON
greSSional watchdog" on eXpen-
ditures has a 15-year statutory
term. No incumbent can serve
more than one term.
Two names have been men
toned in connection with the
prospective vacancy: Represen-
tative Cole, of New York. and
Mark Trice, Secretary. of the
Senate. Both are Republicans.
Assistant Will Serve.
Unless President Eisenhower
names a successor meanwhile.
Frank H. Weitzel, Assistant Con-
troller General, will be in acting
charge of the GAO.
After three decades in the
Capital, the Warrens are going
back to their old home in Wash
ington, N. c.. and friends re-
called today that Mr.. Warren
often has quipped that "once I
leave this town. I'll post bond
to guarantee that I won't come
north of the Potomac again."
Mr.. Warren wrote President
Eisenhower two days ago re-
Questing retirement. He ex-
planned:
For over a year, I have
carried on against strong medi-
cal advice under much physical
difficulty. My earnest hope was
to serve out my term and to
see the great program of the
General Accounting Office come
into fullest fruition, but four
eminent doctors. whose state
ment I attach. have urged me
to take this step at once. and
have stated that I am not phys
1cally qualified to continue my
work and that to remain longer
in Office will shorten my life"
Many Battles.
In his years as Controller
General, Mr.. Warren has fought
many battles. Despite the fact
he was a Democratic appointee
In Democratic administrations,
he never hesitated to tangle with
members of his own party if he
thought Government funds were
being misused.
He drew a cry of politics"
from former Agriculture Secre-
tary Charles F. Brannan in 1852
for telling Congress that the
Government stood to lose mil
lions because of shortages and
conversions of grain stored for
the Commodity Credit Corpora
ton. But the Senate Agriculture
Committee ultimately upheld
Mr.. Warren.
The Controller General like
wise became embroiled with for
mer Commerce Secretary
Charles Sawyer over a deal be-
tween the Maritime Commission
and the United States Lines. in
volving the superliner United
States. This dispute is still in
litigation.
In 1850 he led a successful
fight to defeat a Hoover COM
mission proposal that would just
about have -"reorganiZed" the
GAO out of business.
The multitudinous complex of
Government corporations fire.
quently came under Mr.. War
ren's fire for their unrestrained
operations. He@ once warned
Congress that if the existing
trend toward creation of these
agencies was not halted, it would
lead to Government by corpo-
ration" Eventually budgetary
and auditing controls were ap-
piled to the corporations.
Faithful Watchdog"
The North Carolinian kept a
cold eye on the contract settle
ments growing out of World War
II. He bluntly told Congress that
some Of the contracting officers
of the military services could not
be depended on to serve the best
interests of the Government be-
cause of their winning" and din
ing" tie-ups with contractors.