Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-21
POLLARD IS RE|NsTATED
At SECRET MEETING
Employment Bureau BOARD Gives
Back Job to Man Dropped
While In Militia.
SESSION is REPORTED STORMY
Minutes DO Not Show Who Moved
tn Discharge Howitzcr Lieutenant
From City Service - Instructed
Not 20 Give Action to Press.

After stormy executive session last
night tho BOARD OF Directors OF tho
Richmond Public Employment bureau
voted 10 o to reinstate Lieutenant
James j. Pollard as clerk in the
department. MIR. Pollard is lieutcn-
ant In the Richmond liowitzers. and
found. OF his recent return from ser
vice in Mexico, that his position had
been abolished. and that he was the
only city employee whose position was
not held for him while absent on mill
tary duty. 4 motion was also adopt
ed TO the effect that the action OF the
board should not be given TO the press.
and tina; every effort be made to keep
secret the whole transaction through
which Lieutenant Pollard was dis
charged and later reinstated.
When the Public Employment Ru-
reau Board was created two years ago.
Mt which time there was said to he
considerable Unemployment in Rich :
mond. provision was made for n mana
ger at $1,000 per annum and clerk
at 5000. and those amounts were again
provided in the annual budget recently
adopted Mr.. Pollard WAS elected to
the clerkshp. Wortley Dickie being
made manager.
RESPONDED PROMPTLY
TO PRESIDENTS CALL
Mr.. Pollard has been for some years
a lieutenant in the Richmond Hewitt
5ers. and Is well known in military cir
cles. He responded promptly to the
call to the colors. served with his bat
terry at Camp Henry c. Stuart and went
with II 70 Texas. When the artillery
commands returned to Richmond some
weeks ago. Mr.. Pollard was inform
ed that the board Of the Public EN-
ployment Bureau had vacated his po-
sitton. and that he Was. therefore, with
out employment He has since been in
active charge OF Il recruiting detail for
the battery under direction OF Captain
William NJ. Myers. Friends OF the en-
ployment bureau stated that the action
was not taken because Mr.. Pollard was
in the militia. but because, with NOR e
prosperous times and tho general de-
mand for labor. there is less work for
the Public Employment Bureau to do.
and consequently two men are not
needed.
The secret session of the Public EN-
plcyment Bureau board last night is
said to have been stormy Chairman
John T. Wilson was not present. and
r. l. Patram occupied the chair. the
other members present being Frank L.
Butler. Frank A. Jones and Thomas
j. Leahey.
MINUTES DO NOT SHOW
WHO MOVED DISMISSAL
whose motion Mr.. Pollard had been
dismissed from the c,ty's employment
in his absence. but the minutes failed
to state who made the motion. the
record merely showing that on motion
his position had been vacated. The
approval OF the minutes OF preceding
meetings was held In allegiance until
this matter can be further investi-
gated and il can be clearly determin ed
who proposed and secured the dis
m!ssal from the city's employment Of
man then serving with a Richmond
military command on the Texas Dor
ders
Pending tho outcome OF this investi-
cation. Mr.. Leahey moved that Lieu
tenant Pollard be restored to his po-
sition at his former rate OF pay
Messrs. Leahey, Butler and Jones voted
in the Affirmative. Mr.. Patram as
chairman. was not called upon to vote.
and Mr.. Wilson. the only other mem
her OF the board. was not present
A motion was then adopted instruct
ing the clerk not to make public the
nature OF the proceedings OF last
nights meeting and that every effort
be made TO keep secret the whole mat
ter OF Mr.. Pollard's dismissal and re-
instatcrnent