Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-29
LEAGUE ATTACKS
RECORD OF KERN
CHIEF SANCTIONS MEET WITH
OBSTACLE
MAYOR URGED TO SELECT AN
OTHER MAN FOR PLACE
Captain Thomas Broadhead Slated for
Head of Police Department if
Harper's Present Plans
Co Through

Police Captain Thomas Broadhead
will be chief of police providing the
council confirms the appointment OF Ed
ward Kern as a member of the board
of public works. In addition to other
opposition to Chief Kern, the Munich
pal league has sent a letter to Mayor
Harper protesting against Kern's APP
pointment declaring that his record
shows him to be unfit for the place
Especial attention is called to his vote
on the river bed franchise Whlle ne
was in the city council.
J. A. Anderson, whose friends nave
brought him forward for the board OF
public works, absolutely refuses again
TO take a place on the board. He feels
that it would involve the sacrifice of
his practice, and on that account he
could not afford to accept the appoint
ment, but it is not likely that the
mayor will consider this favorably,
however strong the agitation.
Objects to Kern
The letter from the Municipal
league, which was received by Mayor
Harper yesterday, is as follows;
December 20, 1908.
"a. C. Harper, Esq, Mayor of Los
Angeles
Dear Sir-The Municipal league
would respectfully address you on the
subject
membership of the board of puDllc
works and the appointment thereto
which it is within your power TO make
"ThiS league recognizes that under
the charter the responsibility for TINS
appointment rests primarily with you,
but we know that it is your WISH 10
give the city the most competent ana
the most reliable men obtalnapie io I
such positions, and as an association
containing several hundred of your fell
low citizens and taxpayers having no
other purpose than to assist you IN
carving out this wish, we venture to
offer our views on one point We urge
that no man be appointed to TINS posi-
ton of trust and confidence VINO mas
voted to give away the CITY 5 rlsIls "a "a
the river bed, referring, of course, TO
Mr.. Edward Kern, now serving as
chief of police"
whatever may be Mr.. Kern's rec
ord for efficiency as chief of ponce, tne
position for which he is now candl-
date-the board of public works-1s OF
an essentially different character ano
has largely to do with issues Oh
: fYo11syar sort to that involved in the
d,,r,nbed matter. On two different oc-
1Yara fs-separated by days of public
~ - ksion-Mr Kern voted TO give
6.4 without compensation, one OF
=. ~ 1ost valuable assets in the pos
offer of the city. NO explanation
fver offered for this vote and no
.uhlftable explanation can be offered
--sfhe record stands, and when 1t is pro-
posed to place Mr.. Kern on the boaro
of public works it must be recalled TO
the memory of the people.
1.-THE league has no candidate TO
urge for this place. Any one who
fills the measure of required business
skill. and has a clear public record,
will certainly be acceptable to the
great body of your fellow citizens, as
he will be also to US"
May Remain Chief
If the opponents of Kern's appoint
ment to the board of public works
take the agitation to the city council
and induce that body to withhold the
confirmation he will remain chief OF
police and Broadhead will continue as
captain.
otherwise the present arrangement
will be carried out and Nathan Cole,
ir.. will attend session of the police
commission the first Tuesday in Janu-
airy and cast his vote for Jim Craig as
chief of police. The mayor will take
similar action, as both have promised
Craig to vote for him. But the other
three members of the commission Will
vote for Broadhead, and it is said the
mayor and Cole made reasonably GER
tain there would be three votes for
Broadhead before they promised Craig
their votes.