The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-16
Glen Echo Controversy to Be
Brought to Crisis.
BOY MAYOR IN DANGER, TOO
War Department officials Resent
Aggressive Outburst Against AttOr-
and Mai. COsby's Actions and Re-
ports Regarding Conduit Road.


def issued Saturday night, as to the
governments control Of tie Conduit road,
may find in a very short time their bun
called by the government. The officials at
the War Department are not pleased with
the course now being pursued by the Glen
Echo officials, especially in regard to their
aggressive outburst against Attorney Cen
eral Bonapartes opinion and Mai. Cos
by's action and reports in regard to the
Conduit road.
The War Department officials are
seriously considering the question of
bringing the matter to a crisis and order
ing Maj. Cosby the engineer IN charge Of
the Conduit road. TO arrest trespassers
and lawbTeakers on that thOroughfare. In
other words, the government officials are
DESTROYS Of bringing the matter at once
before the Federal courts and not letting
the matter go before the courts Of Mont
gomery County.
Having asked the opinion OF the Attor-
ney General as to the jurisdiction over the
Conduit road. and having obtained the
opinion from the Attorney General that
the War Department had absolute 1uris-
dictiOn over this government reservation,
the War Department is bound TO obey
and respect this opinion until It has been
tested and overruled by a Federal court.
May. Arrest Marshal Collins.
The action of Marshal Collins and
Mayor Garrett Sunday night in ignoring
the Attorney Generals opinion, and ar
resting persons on the Conduit road for
alleged violations Of Glen Echo rules. has
caused the government officials to practi-
cally decide that there is no use to delay
matters any longer. The plan most IA
vOred by the officials at the War Depart
ment is to instruct Maj. Cosby 10 at once
arrest Marshal Collins should he attempt
10 trespass and exercise jurisdiction on
the government reservation and bring him
forthwith to Washington and before the
Federal court.
Should Mayor Garrett aid or abet Col
Inns in his trespass, he, too. viii be appre-
hended and forced 10 appear before the
Federal court where the question can
be settled without further delay.
Refer to Mrs. AyreS' Case.
The War Department has recent pre-
cedent for its contemplated action in the
case Of the wife of Col. Ayres who
caused so much trouble recently at West
Point. She was forbidden to use the
roads or walks Of the government reser-
walton at the Military Academy, and
threatened with arrest If she did 50. In
like Garrett and Collins, she has obeyed
this order. and has not used the reserva-
ton or entered upon the government
roads.
The Conduit road, according 10 Attorney
General BOnaparte. is the same as a street
in the Military Academy grounds, or in
the navy yards, and. according 10 the de-
cision, neither Collins nor the mayor can
presume 10 have any jurisdiction over it, /
and their action Sunday night in causing
the arrest and filming OF alleged violators
of speed laws is as great violation as
if Mrs. Ayres had disobeyed orders and 1
trespassed upon the West Point reserva- /
ton.
Garrett May Compromise.
Mayor Garrett said last night that he /
had received fourteen letters from promi- /
nent automobiles in Washington. and
had been visited by several delegations of /
farmers. who had heard that the War
Department might order the closing OF
the Conduit road TO traffic He said
these letters and visitors had all counsel
ed the idea of having a conference be-
tween the War Department, the authori-
ties of Glen Echo, and the farmers of
Montgomery County. with a view 10 ar
irving at a compromise and final settle
ment of all the matters at issue.
Mayor Garrett said he had answered
the letters and had given the delegations
assurances that he was willing 10 meet
all parties half way, in the hope Of
effecting such a compromise. For ex-
ample, he said he would be willing 10
hold a conference with Robert Caverly, /
president Of the Washington Automobile
Club, and a representative of the Mont
gomeTy County farmers and talk the
thing over.
Mayor Garrett stated that the authori-
ties were ready to make some concessions
as soon as a spirit of fairness was per
ceptible on the part of the automobiles
and the United States authorities. He
was Of the opinion that the trouble could
be thrashed out in an hour in meeting. /
say. between Mr.. Caverley, Maj. Cosby.
some representative citizen of Montgom-
D
not want a large meeting, but was ready
10 meet these gentlemen tomorrow. OF
any other day, and would do his best tn
arrive at a conclusion which would satisfy
all parties. II
Concessions to Glen Echo.
Mayor Garrett said he realized that the II
six-mile-an-hour requirement was pretty II
severe on Automobiles. He said Glen Il
Echo would be willing to modify that
provided certain other concessions could II
be made by the United States authorities. Il
One Of these was an entrance at grade
upon the Conduit road, and another was
the withdrawal of suits, prosecutions.
and threats against himself and Marshal
Collins, who had sought only to do their
duty.
Mayor Garrett exhibited no spirit to
show the white feather. He was evidently
not scared a little bit He did desire
peace, and would go as far as any one {
TO secure it, 50 far as It was peace with
honor. Mayor Garrett was hopeful last
night that the interested parties could De
gotten together within a day OF two and
the compromise indicated effected