The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-04-02
LINDSAY WARREN
ENDING A GREAT
CAREER APRIL 30
Comptroller General of the
U. S. To Retire After
1872 Years

Beaufort County'S most dlStln-
guished citizen, and one of the
greatest in State and nation fol
that matter is coming home. Hon
Lindsay G. Warren, for the past
1917 years Comptroller General OF
the United States is to retire April
80, approximately year and half
ahead of his 15-year term. Mr.
Warren will receive full pay OF
$4,000 year for, the rest of his
life. His retirement is due to high
blood pressure.
Prior to appointment to this Of
fee in 1910 by President Roose-
welt, Mr.. Warren served in Con-
gress for the First N. C. District
for Is years, and made brilliant!
record. Curing this time he father.
ed much legislation which has
been the foundation of the spectac-
ular development and improvement
of the North Carolina coastal area.
No man has rendered more pa
triotic and unselfish service to the
people of an area previously unable
to do much for themselves.
Mr.. Warren might have retired
earlier, but his friends say he de-
layed retirement until most suit
able and worthy successor might
take over the work. A singular
feature about Mr.. Warren is that
his great vision and magnanimous
nature has won and kept for him
equal love and respect of Republi-
cans as well as Democrats on Cap
itol Hill.
In January, when Mr.. Warren
was successful in having Frank H.
Weitzel, a career man in the Cen
eral Accounting Office, appointed
Assistant Comptroller General
there was speculation that the
Comptroller General was setting
his house in order, preparatory to
retiring from office. Despite the
fact that Weitzel had strong oppo-
sition from Republican party stall
warts, President Eisenhower defer
ferred to Warrens' request in MAX
ing the appointment.
though his 15-year term in Of
~ oes not expire until Novem-
'.s7 1866, Warren can retire at
salary for the remainder of
his life. This was made possible
by special bill, passed by Con-
gress last year, which places the
retirement compensation of the
Comptroller General on par with
that of federal judges.
While the bill will affect all sue
ceeding comptrollers generals, it's
overwhelming support and passage
by both the House and Senate was
nothing less than a personal tri-
umph to Lindsay Warren.
Republicans and Democrats were
equally vocal in praising Warren,
when the retirement bill came up
for action. Democratic floor leader
Sam Rayburn of Texas, declared
that as Comptroller General, the
North Carolinian has saved this
government millions upon millions
of dollars through his fine sense of
justice and his fine judgment"
During his 1914 years in office,
Warren has seen the staff of the
General Accounting Office expand
from 5000 employees to almost 49,
900 during the spiral spending era
of World War II. Since the war,
however, he has been carefully
pruning the staff to suit more nor
NAL conditions, and now has it
back to approximately 5000.
Sometimes referred to as the
housekeeping agency of govern
ment," the General Accounting Of
fee is the one government agency
that is responsible to the Congress
instead of to the Executive. AS its
head, Warren has been meticulous
in keeping the agency in order, and
for the past seven years has gone
before Congress asking for a re-
duced budget, while most other
agencies are continuously seeking
more funds.
The post was first offered War
rem in 1886. Holding safe seat in
Congress, with important commit
tee assignment and prospects of
one day becoming Speaker of the
House, he declined the offer.
The late President Roosevelt
again in 1888 sought Warren out
and urged him to become Comp
troller General, and again the
North Carolinian declined.
In 1910, when he was again Of
! the job, Warren had just
N renominated for his ninth
" utive term in Congress. He
no desire to take over the
Wondering accounting office, but
finally succumbed to repeated
pleas of the President and accept
ed.
Under Warren's administration
the prestige of the office has risen
UNNECESSARILY. His relations with
the government as whole have
haav, aycalIont ond during the ma 81