The Washington herald., 1911-06-19

/ HOW MARTIN WAS SELECTED.
The selection Of Mr.. Martin Is said to
be due largely to the recommendation OF
James E. West, who has been identified
with the Fairgrounds movement here
and who is now general executive secre-
tary of the Boy Scouts organization, with
headquarters in New York. Mr.. Martin
Is the head Of the Boy Scouts in Column
bus President Arthur c. Moses, Of the
Playground Association, has indorsed Mr..
Martin, and last Saturday had an inter
view. accompanied by Mr.. West, with the
District Commissioners. who. 1t is stated;
have agreed to appoint Mr. Martin, upon
the Recommendation Of the Playground
1 Association.
Mr. Martin has been offered g, 200 year
to remain in Columbus. while the salary
as Fairgrounds supervisor here is only
$500. II is proposed, however. to sup
plement this sum by paving Mr.. Martin
an additional salary for developing the
Boy Scouts organization in this city, q
with the Fairgrounds, and which he IS
well qualified to undertake.
No Public Hearing Likely.
| 1t was stated yesterday that a public
hearing would be asked of the District
Commissioners before final action Is
taken, in view OF the fact that the Cham
Der Of Commerce passed a resolution last
March. directed both to the Commission
ers and the Playground Association, ask
ing that local man be appointed. The
resolution was passed through the efforts
| of Mr.. Isaac Cans, who was identified
| with the effort to secure the appoint
ment of a Washington man.
Commissioner Rudolph last night, how
ever, discountenanced the idea of pub
ent," he said, there will be no hearing
held by the board on the question of
the Martin appointment. The Play
ground Association has given five
months of study, to the question, and is
much more competent to pass upon IT
than We are. OF course, the District
Commissioners. and, believe, the Play
ground Association, would naturally be
disposed in favor of a local man. II
must be borne in mind that director
of Fairgrounds should be not merely
man who knows cslisthenics and out
door exercises. but must be a thoroughly
equipped executive, especially under the
conditions which we have in Washing
ton. do not know whether we have
sUch a man in the city, but I am in.
clined to believe that the Playground
Association, with its experience and its
investigation, has decided the question
better than the Commissioners could, no
matter how many hearings we held.
Favor a Local Appointment.
Among the citizens who are on
record as favoring the appointment of
local man, and who probably will take
ka-g-
Senator Charles Dick, of Ohio: William
Knowles Cooper. secretary of the Y. NJ.
&c. A; F. W. Woodward. DR.. Thirkield,
president of Howard University; John
Joy Edison, superintendent of Schools A.
T. Stuart, Edgar c. Snyder, Mrs. A. A.
Birney president Of the Mothers Con-
gFess; Mrs. Ella S. Shelton, president of
the local branch of the W. C. T. u;
Mrs. G. T. Smaliwood, principal Of the
Washington Seminary for Girls, and
many others. President Taft has been
approached on the subject and several
members of the Senate District Commit
tee are known to have strong convic-
tions in the matter.
II can say -emphatically that / have
done all in my power to have a WASH
ington man appointed as director of
night Il do not think it can be ques-
toned that we have the requisite ability
here and do not need to seek 1t In out
side cities, The plan to oppose the APP
pointment OF Martin may be organized
soon."
~ May Arrive July Is.
oficials OF the Playground Association
stated yesterday that Mr.. Martin, in the
event that this appointment is ratified by
the Commissioners. probably will arrive
IN Washington before July Is. President
Arthur C. Moses also declared 1t was
not. part Of the plan to combine the
offices Of director Of Fairgrounds and
superintendent Of the bathing beach, as
was reported.
Such plan might be considered II DR..
w. B. Hudson were appointed to the joint
berth. II is conceded that some ad-
vantage would be gained by bringing the
Fairgrounds and the bathing beach in
a. a.