Dr. BUCKLER. They simply notified me that my term expired on the 1st of May, and it would not be renewed. My time expired. Mr. ROBSION. What did this nephew of Mr. Munroe do before he entered that service? Dr. BUCKLER. I do not know anything about that. Mr. KING. Can you give the committee the name of any of the owners of the buildings in New York that Mr. Hogan represents! Dr. BUCKLER. Mr. Hogan represents the Woolworth Building. Mr. KING. Does he represent any other buildings there in New York? Dr. BUCKLER. I presume he does. Mr. KING. You said he stated there was a general prejudice against these men coming into the various office buildings there in the city, and you could hardly get space for them? Dr. BUCKLER. I will explain that. He said, for instance, that on one occasion they rented a building to the Pinkerton people, and they almost emptied their building. He said, "You have to be very careful about the type of tenants you get in a building." From a business standpoint, I think that is true. Mr. KING. And yet for a long time these very men had been making money out of these buildings that these boys had lost an arm, or a leg trying to defend? Dr. BUCKLER. I said to Mr. Hogan, "You men have been making money out of these boys, and it is pretty hard to hear you talk that way.' (Whereupon the committee adjourned until Tuesday, April 13, 1920, at 10 o'clock a. m.) COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, The committee this day met, Hon. Simeon D. Fess (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee has been in receipt of a great number of letters, coming to the chairman of the committee since this investigation opened, which indicates that there is some misunderstanding on the part of some service men and schools that are now carrying on rehabilitation work. These letters have requested that a generous attitude be shown to the rehabilitation work and that Congress take no steps to discontinue it. In view of the number of letters coming from various parts of the country to this effect, the committee feel that the wrong impression has gotten out, that there is an attitude of unfriendliness or possible indifference on the part of Congress toward the work, otherwise there would not be these memorials coming from all sections of the country requesting that the work be continued. The chairman of the committee is making this statement for the committee, that all the questions that thus far have been asked as to the probable length of time it will take to complete the work have been to lay the foundation for such appropriations as will be needed to make it effective, and the committee desires the country to know that there is no desire on the part of Congress to curtail the work, and there is no basis for any concern on the part of any service men that this work will in the slightest degree be crippled, but it will be carried on to fulfill the purpose of the legislation which, at the time it was enacted, was regarded to be one of the most advanced steps thus far taken. Mr. Joslin, will you take the witness stand. STATEMENT OF MR. THEODORE G. JOSLIN, WASHINGTON, D. C. (The witness was duly sworn by the chairman.) The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Joslin, please give your address to the committee. Mr. JOSLIN. 81 Home Life Building, Washington, D. C.; assistant correspondent of the Boston Transacript. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Joslin, in the procedure of our investigation an interview was referred to which had been handled by yourself. The witness, I think, was a former employee of the board, and at one time was a member of the Vocational Board. I understand you would like to make a statement with reference to it. Mr. JOSLIN. I was just going to say that on the 10th of April I addressed a letter to the chairman of the committee which related to the testimony that Charles H. Winslow, formerly of the board, delivered about two weeks ago yesterday. In that statement, by inference at least, he questions the accuracy of an interview which he gave me the day before he resigned from the board. I think that was on October 1, last. In view of the fact that it questions the accuracy of the statement, I can not permit that question to go unanswered. The CHAIRMAN. You may make such statement, Mr. Joslin, as you have to make. Mr. JOSLIN. For that reason I addressed a letter to you, and you suggested in a letter I received this morning that I appear before the committee, so that I could be sworn in making the statement, and with your permission I would like to read the letter to the committee. The CHAIRMAN. You may proceed. Mr. JOSLIN (reading): Hon. SIMEON D. FESS, Room 407, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. APRIL 10, 1920. MY DEAR DR. FESS: May I respectfully ask that you place the following statement before the House Committee on Education and incorporate it in the hearings on the charges against the Federal Board for Vocational Education: Charles H. Winslow, who recently testified before your committee, was questioned regarding an interview he gave me on or about September 30, 1919, and printed in the Boston Transcript October 1, 1919. The following quotations are taken from page 124 of the hearings: The CHAIRMAN. Reverting to this published statement in the hearing, you have read that? "Mr. WINSLOW. Yes, sir. "The CHAIRMAN. Is it accurate as it was given by you in that interview? "Mr. WINSLOW. Well, I would not pretend to say that it was accurate. It was so long since I was interviewed, and I never saw the copy until this morning of the interview." In view of the testimony, I wish to make a statement of facts. I frequently called at the office of Mr. Winslow while he was a member of the board and each time I called he gave me considerable information about the work of the board. He telephoned to my office about two weeks before he resigned and said he wanted to see me. Because of other work, I delayed going to his office. A fortnight later he telephoned a second time. I went to his office and he informed me that he was about to resign, because he was dissatisfied with the manner in which the board was conducting its work. I asked him if he wanted to make a statement, and he said that he did. He slowly dictated the statement, which I took in longhand. After dictating the statement he corrected it and asked that it be published on the day he left the board. He remarked that the statement "barely scratched the surface" and that he would have more to say at a later date. This is the statement which he told your committee he "would not pretend to say was accurate." Furthermore, on the morning of the day he testified before your committee he called at this office and said he had been summoned to testify. He said the interview was accurate and would so testify. He told me why he was reluctant to tell the whole story to your committee. His remarks in this particular were so personal to himself that I regarded them as confidential. Sincerely, yours, Theodore G. JOSLIN. That is the only statement I have to make, Dr. Fess. Mr. ROBSION. What connection did you have with the board? Mr. JOSLIN. None whatever. I am a newspaper correspondent and my only connection with the board was to visit the members of the board from time to time to see what they had to say about the work of the board. Mr. ROBSION. I did not just gather the purpose of your appearing here. the accuracy Mr. JOSLIN. My purpose is only this, that Mr. Winslow challenged of that interview and I could not permit that challenge to go unanswered, and I simply appear before the committee after first addressing a letter to Dr. Fess. Mr. ROBSION. The statement you read and the supposed interview are so near together, without any mark of distinction, that I do not know that I just caught which was the interview and which was not. Mr. JOSLIN. The interview was not read. The interview is in the record here. The letter simply referred to the interview. The CHAIRMAN. The interview is a part of the statement of Mr. Winslow. Mr. ROBSION. Do you claim that Mr. Winslow did make that statement? Mr. JOSLIN. He did, without question; yes, sir, and made it carefully and after considerable thought. Mr. ROBSION. And you took down the statement, did you? Mr. JOSLIN. I did; yes, sir. Mr. ROBSION. And then Mr. Winslow corrected it? Mr. JOSLIN. Yes, sir. Mr. ROBSION. And you gave it to the press? Mr. JOSLIN. Simply to my own paper. Mr. ROBSION. And later on you saw him and talked with him about it, did you? Mr. JOSLIN. I saw him. I did not know he was in the city or had been summoned to appear before the committee, but I think it was two weeks ago yesterday that he appeared in my office and said he had been summoned. Mr. ROBSION. Did he then reaffirm the interview he had given you and which you had given to your paper for publication? Mr. JOSLIN. Yes, sir; as I stated in this letter which I addressed to Dr. Fess. Mr. ROBSION. Do you know anything else about the vocational work! Mr. JOSLIN. Very little: no, sir. Mr. ROBSION. That is all. STATEMENT OF MR. EUGENE H. MEYER, CARE OF FEDERAL BOARD FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, NEW YORK CITY. (The witness was duly sworn by the chairman). Mr. Tow NER. What is your full name? Mr. MEYER. Eugene H. Meyer. Mr. Tow NER. And what is your home address? Mr. MEYER. My home address is Newark, N. J. Mr. Tow NER. What is your business? Mr. MEYER. I am connected with the Federal Board for Vocational Education at present. Mr. TOWNER. You are connected with the Federal board now? Mr. MEYER. Yes, sir. Mr. TOWNER. What is your position? Mr. MEYER. My official position, I understand, is that of place ment officer. Mr. TowNER. At whose instance or suggestion do you appear here, Mr. Meyer? Mr. MEYER. At the request of this committee. Before I the matter or before the committee questions me, so as to show my standing and my interest in this matter, I would be pleased to have the privilege of reading three letters into the record to this committee. These letters may appear egotistical in so far as my presenting them is concerned, but I would like to show my interest in the matter. Mr. TOWNER. Very well. Mr. MEYER. I have one here from the Camp Dix examining board, Camp Dix, N. J., under date of March 15, 1919, from C. L. Bjerring, major Medical Corps, United States Army, to Eugene H. Meyer: MY DEAR MR. MEYER: In view of the fact that in the near future I will be transferred from my present assignment as president of the camp examining board, I wish to take this opportunity of thanking you for your hearty cooperation and oftime valuable suggestions in the handling of disabled soldiers. Your sincerity, wide vision, and patriotism, combined with a thorough understanding of the Federal rehabilitation act, and the needs of the disabled service men, made your services of the greatest value both to the Government and the men. Knowing that you will continue the spirit and ability, displayed in the past, I wish you the best of luck in your future work, knowing that you will feel yourself rewarded in the good will of the service men and the appreciation of your coworkers in this most important task. Very sincerely, yours, C. L. BJERRING, Major, Medical Corps United States Army Maj. Bjerring was president of the camp examining board in charge of the medical examination and rating of the demobilized soldiers. I would further be pleased to be permitted to read this letter under date of October 1, 1919: Mr. E. H. MEYER. FEDERAL BOARD FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, MY DEAR MEYER: In closing my work as supervisor of training for district No. 2, I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my personal appreciation of your faithful and conscientious service in the interest of disabled soldiers, sailors, and marines, and especially to thank you for your cordial cooperation with me in the training department. I feel that I owe you a personal debt of gratitude for your genial good fellowship. May you ever continue to be the royal good fellow you have proved yourself to be among the men of the training department and may your success in life be in proportion to the good will which you hold toward others. Cordially yours, F. G. WADSWORTH. Mr. Wadsworth, I understand, was a witness before this committee some few days ago. He was chief of the training department. Then, under date of January 6, 1920: MR. EUGENE II. MEYER, FEDERAL BOARD FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. 469 Fifth Avenue, New York City. MY DEAR MR. MEYER: At my leaving the service of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, I am glad to express to you my thanks for your great interest shown in the work, and more particularly in the welfare of the individual disabled boy. After all, the welfare of these boys is the principal interest of the board, and I know you have worked untiringly and unceasingly during your year of service to see that the boys had a square deal. Not every man with this board has shown this interest, aside from merely holding a position in the board, and I am grateful to you personally, and I am sure the disabled men must be. With best wishes for your future, and hoping you will continue with the board just as long as you possibly can, I am, Sincerely, yours, S. E. FARWELL, District Vocational Officer. |