The Washington herald., 1914-01-11

by Commissicuer eiddons as euo6nfiAI q
his nndings- That Proctor mau1feseeo
much interest IN the nre mvesugaf1ou
and its outcome is also stated BY M
!, friends.
Battalion chief Proctor would becoma
IRE chief in the event both Chief Wae.
nsr. and Deputy Chief Sullivan should
rstire.
Thus far Chief Wagner has not voiced
any Intention of retiring. Even witnoe'
his retirement. however. the battaiion
chiefs would be promoted In the event
Sullivan resigns or is retired.
Friends Of battalion Chief Proctor ~
sert emphatically that Proctor was a..
ways suIIivan's friend" and that even y
this were not the case, Charley would
not undertake anything against Andy.
Meanwhile plans are being formulated
by prominent business and civic orsantsa-
lions urging a public hearing OF suiii-
vans case. The Chamber Of Commerce
and the Board Of Trade. It Ii said, may
take the lead. At any rate, these Two
organizations are to be urgently reauested
In petitions now being circulated py SUI
livan's supporters to champion the chief
deputy's cause.
wender, az silence.
The silence and secrecy displayed by
Commissioner Siddons in the Sullivan
case are arousing the wonder. ana IN
some quarters the indignation OF business
and professional men In the District the
question being propounded Is. IF the
Commissioner Is maintaining such un-
called for secrecy In this case. how viii
the people Of the District know whether
he will do likewise. or has done so, In
other cases?"
II is pointed out that the case of Chief
Sullivan. especially after a reflection
upon his efficiency was cast by Mr..
Siddons' statement. Is public property.
80 to speak; that its every phase should
be made known TO the public. as the adj
Of the Districts fire-fighting
organization IL among the things near
est to the heart OF all citizens, not to
speak Of the efficiency OF the individual
firemen. Party politics. It is further as
serted. II applied in the promotion of
men, at the expense of one man who.
through thirty-five long years, has estab-
hshed an unquestionable and brilliant
record. would be infinitely harmful to the
efficiency of the department and would
endanger the safety of the public.
These objections against Mr.. Siddons'
attitude in the matter were made clear
to him yesterday by a reporter for The
Washington Herald. Mr.. Siddons over
ruled all objections" on the ground that
'in this particular case / cannot say
snything whatever"
Mr.. siddons Reticenf.
In connection with this matter IL Is re-
called that when Mr.. Siddons took hold
of his office as Commissioner. his first
official act'' was a ruling that great
care should be exercised In the giving
out Of news to reporters. Many i'm
portant cases since have come up, and
In each the representatives of the press
have had considerable difficulty to gain
details from Mr.. Siddons.
Commissioner Newman, being an ex-
and having a clear idea
as to what the public is interested in and
what IL Is entitled to know. has somewhat
Mr.. Slddons' attitude
by cooperating with the reporters wher-
ever he could. In the Sullivan case,
however. Mr.. Newman asserted last
night, he could do nothing for the boys
and for the public" the whole matter
being solely in Mr.. Siddons' hands.
Meanwhile. 1t is asserted in some quar-
tiers. Commissioner Siddons' silence is
only deepening the mystery and is
the question:
Who is the niger in the wood-p.ler