The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-24
COL. GREENE THINKS
PAYMENT WASLEGAL
Member of Governors Staff
Comments on Situation
OPINION is DIVIDED
Attorney General Has Filed Suit
Against Members of Staff to Re-
cover Expense Money for
Inauguration

To defend the suit filed by Attorney
General BriclSel for recovery of money
expended In payment of the expenses of
the members of the governors staff who
aided in the triumphant Inauguration of
President Wilson, Col Gardner Greene
of Pell CITY, visitor yesterday to Bir-
mingham, is ready.
Colonel Greene takes serious view of
the matter. In regard to the case he
said; Il am of the opinion that the suit
has been improperly drawn. If the ex
pense money, the payment of which was
approved by the governor and the adult
ant general was illegally paid then the
attorney general, in the name of the
state, should have filed suit against Audi
tor G. Brooks Smith.
However. | am firmly convinced that
the code provision that travelling expenses
of members of the National Guard moving
at the direction of the governor must
be borne by the state. is sound The staff
of the governor is connected with the
National Guard of the state and as such
is subject to the orders of the chief ex-
ecutive."
Less Serious View
Mrs. Greene, an honorary major on
the staff of the governor, and who at
tended the Inauguration without the finan-
cial assistance of the state, is also in
Birmingham. She takes a less serious
view of the suit by the attorney general.
1t is her position that whatever action
taken by the governor for the purpose
of rejecting credit on the state of Ala
bama. should be upheld, not only BY
those who dispense the moneys of the
state, but by the patriots in common
walks of life as we'll
Now there is no question:" said Mrs.
Greene but that the staff acquitted it.
self handsomely. IL requires no remark.
ably long memory to recall the brilliance
of the chevrons and laces of the dashing
eolonels, and the martial manner in which
the brutes they rode champed upon their
silver bits. II Is outrageous that ma
terialists. at this late day, should I'M set
the ordinary routine of business, and
by presenting tawdry bill, spoil all the
romanticism which attached itself to TINT
awe-inspiring occasion.
THE staff of the governor of Alabama
was universally admired on that mem
orable day, and l am one who believes
that the governor who so nobly sat his
steed should receive the congratulate lions
OF the state for expanding the trifiing
sum OF money which made the acquisi-
ton of all these honors possible"
Judge Thomas Opinion
The suit of the attorney general has
attracted statewide attention Only two
members of the staff have permitted
themselves to be quoted in regard to the
situation. The opinion of Colonel Greene
is printed above. C. f. Thomas of Pratt
vile. judge advocate general. has issued
statement to the effect that he paid
his own expenses to Washington and
that he has not been refunded by the
custodians of the states strong boxes
Opinion seems to be divided Legal
minds differ. Some lawyers hold as does
the attorney general that there is no law
which would permit the auditor legally
to approve warrants drawn for travel
Ing expenses of the staff of the gov
ernor. Others contend that the section of
the code under which the governor an
proved the warrants is sufficient legal
authority for his action. Their opinion
is identical with that of Colonel Greene
quoted above
The staff of the governor attended the
inauguration in March. The date of the
payment of the expenses of the colonels
has not been published. On August %
the attorney general ruled that the paw
ment of the expenses would not comprise
legal transaction. Suit for recovery
was instituted last Saturday.