Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-18
MORROW FAILS TO APPROVE
OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT ATTEND
CONVENTIONS, He SAYS.
At Least, Not at the Expense Of the
Observation-Disclosures Ruls
Otherwise.

Should the District pay the expenses of
those of its officials who attend annual
conventions in connection with their re-
spective duties is a question that has been
under consideration by the Commissioners
fo.' several weeks.
Nal Jay J. Morrow. Engineer Commits
sioner is opposed to the District paying
for such trips. and has refused to approve
applications by heads of the various bu-
reaus of the local government to attend
conventions when they were referred to
him. He says he does not believe in con-
ventions. and contends that they are in no
way beneficial either to the officials at
tending them or the District in sending
the latter.
Commissioners West and Mcfarland
locked at the matter differently, and APP
proved the applications. They outvoted
Maj. Morrow.
Names of Applicants.
Those who have filed applications are
William T. Belt, chief of the fire depart
ment. to attend the convention of the In
ternational Association of Fire Engineers
a; Columbus. Ohio; DR.. Woodward health
officer to attend the American Health
Society meeting at Winnipeg. Canada;
Thomas f. Drake, superintendent of in
surance, to attend the convention of the
superintendent and commissioners of in
surance at Detroit. Mich. at which meet
ing he expects to be elected president;
AlonZo Tweedale. auditor. to attend the
annual convention of auditors and con-
trollers at Louisville, Ky; j. c. Simpson
of the electrical department. to attend the
association of electrical engineers al Nor
folk. Va. and Maj. Sylvester. chief of
police. to attend the meeting of the Inter-
national Association of Police Chiefs at
Detroit. and the New York State Police
ssociation in Albany.
The cost of all the trips to the District
will not be more than 500, Commissioner
West said today. it being no more than
the expense incurred by officials of the
engineer department directed by the En-
gineer Commissioner to make trips during
the year to inspect schoOlhouses.
phalts. cements. bridges. roads. oils, sands.
etc, in different parts of the United
States. which trips are paid for by the
District.
Use Their Discretion.
Maj. Morrow believes that such trips
materially beneficial to the District.
but that the conventions are not There
is no act of Congress which either pro-
vides prohibits such trips. The Com
mssioners may use what is known as the
appropriation to meet contingent
penses. The law provides that they use
their discretion In the matter, and In the
discretion of the majority of the Com
mssioners the trips are beneficial.
Il disapprove of these convention trips
at government expense because l do not
think the Commissioners have the right
to disburse public funds in such a man.
ner; that it is not the intention of Con-
gress that such trips should be paid for
by the local government. Maj Morrow
said today.
IF Congress knew that public moneys
were being used in this manner it would
not approve of it and would soon call
halt. Congress will know of it at the
next session. and 1 don't think there will
be any more of these trips paid for by
the District disbursing officer.
why. the House appropriation COM
mittee," the Commissioner added. laugh
ing. would go crazy If it knew that the
Commissioners were approving these Or
ders and permitting the outlay for these
trips. Just think of Representative Bur
Lesson; he wouldn't sleep at night If he
knew of 1t. and there are others. If
officials want to take trips to conven-
tons they should do so at their own ex-
pense. OF course. nothing prohibits the
Commissioners issuing the orders, but in
my opinion it is not discreet to do so.''