Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-12-21
MR.. GIBBONS MUM.
after Discharge
FROM POSITION
Former Child Labor In
spector Will Make
Statement Later
QUARTERLY REPORT
Goes TO Commission

was demanded by the Child Labor Com
mission on Saturday afternoon, today
declined to make amy statement as to-
whether he would give up the Office
or would resist the action of the com
mission in oustng him. Mr.. Gibbons
was attending n funeral tnis morning.
and was not at the Office. When asked
it he considered he was 0usted. or would
resign, as inspector, ne said;
Il have no statement TO make at pres
ont. / have taken the matter under ad-
,iscment and will make statement
when the proper time comes"
After a discussion which lasted near
" two hours, tho Delaware Child La
hor Commission at a meeting held be-
hind closed doors, in the Office of the
secretary. Charles W. Bush in the Ford
building on Saturday afternoon by a
viva voca vote adopted a resolution re-
oucsting the resignation of Mr.. Gibbons
MS child lalor inspector on the ground
that ho did not pcrfor" his duties in u
satisfactory and efficient manner.
The resolution was presented by Miss
Emily =. Bissel and was as follows:
ut is the opinion of the commission
hat Mr.. Gibbons does not perform his
iutv in a satisfactory manner and that
lie commission should ask for his res
gnation."
All the members OF the commission,
including Irenee DUPONT. recently ap-
pointed to succeed Charles A. Cook,
we're present. The others in attend
'nce were: Former Lieutenant Gov
arnor John NJ. Mendnhall. jeremiah
4. Coady. this city; Benjamin Hazel,
IF Smyrna: Andrew Marvel. of George
own; Miss Emily p Bissell this city y:
Mrs. Beniah Watson. of Dover. and
Mrs. Ella G. Emery. of Seaford.
Members of the Child Labor Com
mission today declined to make
my statement about the ousting oil
Inspector Gibbons. and said so far as
they knew no statement would be is
sued, They said Inspector Gibbon.
had been given an opportunity to pre-
sent his resignation prior to the meet
ing. but he had declined TO do-sC. The'
said he was removed under section 4
Chapter 1903. Volume 27. Laws of Del
aware. creating the Child Labor Com
mission, which reads. as follows:
When. in the opinion of a maiorit'
cl the whole commission. any officia
appointed by the commission shall no
porfom his duty in a satisfactory ant
efficient manner the commission shal
have the power to remove the said of
fetal forthwith and appoint a now of
ficial in his stead"
At the secret meeting ON Saturday a
which Mr.. Gibbons was not present. Nh
Hazel strongly defended Inspector Glib
hons and al times Mr.. Coadv put in
word for the insncctor Miss Bissell wa
assisted in leading the movement {
Gust the inspector bv Mrs. Watson Sc,
crpl tilts occurred between Miss Bissp
ed Mr.. Hazel Tho latter charged tina
Miss Bissel had tried AZ every meetm
rf the commission to have the inspect,
dismissed. lie said that Mr.. Cihbor
should lave hecn allowed 10 he nrcscI
fo defend himself Miss Bissel told
length Of the conflict between some
The commi 'sion and the inspector m
referred TO alleged violations Of the In
which she had discovered
The discussion which resulted in Il
iop,ion OF the resolution followed II
rading of the quarterly report of il
spcctor Gibbons. Aftc~ some words hg
tessed between Miss Bisscll aud NJ
i'azcl Mr.. Coadv charged Miss BissC
ith being negligent in her duties as
'cmber of the executive committee
ot going with him TO the Office of q
Inspector.
Mr. DUPONT moved that the cor
mission examine tho records i'm po
sossion of the Inspector to see if d
-harge of inefTiciency could be su
tantiated The primary reason {
'osiring the inspection was TO lea
whether Mr. Gibbons had secured al
davits as to age from applicants 7
certificates in the absence Of the bir
records. Mr.. DUPONT and Mr.. Hai
wero named as a committee OF
sDection. Upon their return Mr.. d
Pont announced that the inspect
admitted that he had not gotten
afndavits.
A letter was received from the ?
sociatcd Charities protesting aHai
the inspector for his action in sec,
ing aid personally for poor taml
Mr.. Hazel reiterated that the irsp
tor should be allowed to defend III
self before tho commission.
The resolution requesting the.
spector's resignation was adonted
q viva voco vote II was decided q
no time should he set for the forf
removal Of Inspector Gibbons. Cha
man Mendinhall and Secretary ~
were reelected for another year
thon tho session closed.
Mr.. Gibbons. n Democrat. was ol
tod Inspector on January last
salary is $1,000 year Mss Bliss
Continued on Page p