Show Officials Stirred to Action C officialdom has been galvanized into action in the thc Welling VeIling case casc by the thc filing of thc audit of the office of the secretary of state for 1932 disclosing that the thc total of funds pouring into the office but never reaching reaching reach- reach ing lug the state treasury has reached in in round numbers That at least i i is-an is r an pion ion It may be wro wrong g. g Governor Henry H. H Blood now calls for i speed toward recovering the missing funds and for prosecution of individuals an investigation tion might show to be criminally involved Calling in Deputy Attorney General Grover Giles the governor pressed him to move with no delay State Auditor Julius C. C Andersen promises swift investigation of the shortage reported reported re re- re ported Wednesday and to demand from See See- Welling that restitution of the missing nussing funds be made The audit report places blame upon no individual b by name but as the responsible responsible sible head of the department the state looks first to the secretary of state Mr rr Welling will have 20 d days s 's in which to reply to the demand Meanwhile I in the Third judicial district District Attorney Calvin Rawlings calls upon his deputy Parnell Black former Deputy District Attorney Harley W. W Gustin and former former for for- mer Deputy State Auditor Alvin to confer with him regarding prosecution of or long delayed embezzlement charges against two former of the secretary of state One case ease was begun May far 30 1934 1034 The curtain cur cur- tam tain was lowered on September 20 when the district attorney was given until October 27 to file brie briefs s on oi defendants defendant's demurrer The curtain has not been raised for the next act In another case tho the complaint was filed on August 14 1934 but even the tho preliminary hearing in the lower court has not been held so BO f fr r. r Sinco Since the first auditors auditor's report of shortages shortages short short- ages in the office was filed on omi January 24 1934 one of the auditors has died a deputy auditor has left the thc state auditors auditor's office to become a deputy c county cleric clerk and a deputy district attorney has resigned to d devote doto oto his time to his private practice Obviously these facts complicate the matter of bringing the loose ends together so that the mills of justice justice jus jus- tice may resume their grinding So recalling man many previous promises urgings ings and nd demands for speedy dy action it is doubtful if the people of Utah are arc much encouraged encouraged encouraged en en- b by p those voiced this week What hat the citizenry wants is not promises of action but action itself The picture is none too bright at best in view view of the thc fact that auditors still have c before them the time task of checking through 1931 the first year ear of Secretary VeIling's ad ad ministration tion This scandalous case casc coming coining to a halt hale upon the he least provocation would have llave been placed in In the han hands s of a grand jur jury if it had arisen in In almost an any other state In such circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances it is is doubtful if the public interest could h have ye suffered as it has in this affair which reeks with grave charges seeming total lack of appreciation of official responsibility and ample basis for widespread belief that somewhere in the mystery of dilatoriness there exists a desire to shield someone who has been guilty o of a gross violation of public trust The rhe implications that reach into many high places stir distrust and md resentment throughout the state but appear to pass unnoticed by those concerned |