Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-29
NOT A HOT DISPUTE
DISTRICT AUTHORITIES COM
MENT ON SMOKE NUISANCE.
The Matter Referred Long Ago to
President Roosevelt-Treasury
Departments Action.

The District Commissioners stated to a
reporter for The Star today that they are
not aware Of any hot dispute between
themselves and the officials of the Treasury
Department with reference to the emission
OF smoke from the chimneys Of the treas
ury building. The Commissioners OF course,
decline to enter into any controversy with
the officials of that department with ref
erence to the matter and declined to dis
cuss the substance of the communication
received by them from Acting Secretary
Taylor of the treasury.
1t is understood. however. that the Com
missioners are at a loss to know why they
should correspond with the Treasury De-
partment officials or the officials of any
other federal department which may have
been deemed in violation OF the smoke law
instead of corresponding with the Presi-
dent Of the United States. as has been
done.
When the departmental officials were
brought before the Police Court on charges
of violating the smoke law OF the District
the court held that the law did not apply
to the departments of the government, ana
the cases against the officials were dis
missed by the court. The Commissioners,
however, appealed the case to the Court OF
Appeals.
Referred Case to President.
At that time. at the suggestion OF Presi-
dent Mcfarland. the Commissioners ad-
dressed letter to the President OF the
United States. stating that as the case
would likely not be decided by the Court
of Appeals for long time the matter
was brought to his attention with the view
that he might suggest to the cabinet of1-
GERS that they cooperate with the local
authorities to prevent the emission OF
dense. black smoke from the buildings I'M
~ atcr{p nrcn
sidered that since the President has control
over the federal departments they should
address him in reference to the matter
rather than write around all over the city
t. each and every department official
President Roosevelt, 1t is stated, took
a great interest in having the smoke nui-
sance in Washington abated, and he
brought the matter to the attention OF
their subordinates be directed to assist in
preventing violation of the District smoke
law. This suggestion, it is understood, has
been followed
AS the departments from time to time
have been found to be in violation of the
smoke law the Commissioners have for
warded reports of the occurrences to the
President, and they have not written to
any of the departmental officials about the
matter, nor to Secretary Loeb. The re-
ports. it is understood. have been for
warded by the President to the heads of
the various departments.
Treasury Department Takes Exceptions
1t is alleged that the Treasury Depart
ment officials have contested the latest
report of the District smoke inspector with
reference to the violations that Mr.. Taylor,
acting secretary Of the treasury, has
adopted new procedure in the matter
and has written directly to the Commits
sioners, instead of addressing the President.
through whom the Commissioners reports
were forwarded to the treasury. It is I'M
derstood that the Commissioners will con-
tinue in the future as in the past to con-
duct their movement for the abatement of
smoke nuisance as respects the federal de-
partments with the President and not with
any department officials.