The Detroit times., 1911-03-23
COURTS CHANCE TO
GET At sN|TGEN
F. c. Osborn Says Municipal League
Hopes Inspector Will Garry Out
Threat-Says Kunz Wobbled.

F. c. Osborn, chairman OF the edu-
cational committee of the Municipal
league, In an interview with The
Times, Thursday. relative to the
threat of School Inspector Snitgen TIA
sue the league, because Of statements
IL made about him, said:
1T was TO be expected that In
spectors Snitgen, Kuhn, and the 9th.
ers who voted against cheaper high
school books on Jan. q. 1910, would,
because they are so hard hit, make
the loud squeal they have. But not
one OF them denies or dares 70 deny
that he voted as we stated. The vote
we published is taken directly from
the Official proceedings OF the board
OF education, dated January 27, 1910,
and is the complete vote; six In
spectors were absent.
There was absolutely no valid ex-
cuse for Snitgen and the others TO
vote against these cheaper high
school books at that time, for the plan
was TO get the books on two or three
months time, and the books would
be sold In a short time-the bulk OF
them In ten days. No money was re-
quired 10 carry out the plan.
AS to Mr.. Snitgen's threat, that he
will sue the Municipal league for libel.
we would like nothing better than
such an opportunity TO get Mr.. Mar
tindale and his followers on the wit
ness stand In the text book matter
Speaking OF Albert G. Kunz's charge
that the league made q cowardly at
tack upon him on the day of the pri-
maries, and that he was never pledged
as an anti-Martindale candidate. Hr.
Osborn observed:
November %, last, Mr.. Kunz, by
appointment. met In the Offices OF the
Detroit Municipal league. myself and
Messrs Brotherton and Pratt, with
view to arriving at a mutual under
standing on the main issue fin the
school board campaign.
These gentlemen were well pleased
with the position taken by Mr. Kunz
In this interview Mr.. Kunz pledged
himself, verbally, that he would vote
against Mr.. Martindale. He was not
asked AT this interview to pledge him
self In writing.
THE fact that Aid Herman Schultz
had presented Mr. Kunz's name as
man who. he believed, could be de-
pended upon to vote against Mr.. Mar
tindale, the fact that the Seventeenth
ward is strongly anti-Martindale, and
the further fact that Mr.. Schultz could
not afford TO, and. as we believe,
would not break faith with the people
OF the Seventeenth ward In this mat
ter, and was. therefore, bound to keep
whatever candidate he might recon-
mend in line. all coupled with the as.
surances which Mr.. Kunz had him.
self given us, seemed to us sufficient
reason why we should indorse Mr.
kunz. We, therefore, in all our print
ed matter for the Seventeenth ward
placed his name first as an anti Mar
tindale candidate
However, about two days before
the close OF the campaign, our atten-
ton was called To an advertisement
OF Mr. Kunz In one of the papers. and
also TO an interview from him, printed
In an evening paper. In these he had
swerved from his clear stand as an
anti-Martindale man 10 the position
which he is now taking.
Mr.. Kunz was again interviewed
this week, by two members OF the
leagues educational committee, and
was asked frankly where he now stood
on the Issue before the voters in this
campaign. He was asked will you
make a statement TO the effect that
you will vote in July, 1912, against the
re-appointment of Wales G. Martin
dale? He replied that he would not"