The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-02-07
Whence this Fear of Melpolder?

We have paid unqualified tribute in the past
to the shrewdness of John T. MelpoIder, paid
agent of public philanthropy" in this city, and
have asserted that he always obtains that which
he wants. Acquaintance with the history of the
Social Service Bureau. and his methods substan-
tiate our assertion.
year ago Melpolder decided that he would
remain general secretary of the Social Service
Bureau even if the members of the board sought
his resignation. He won Last week he deter
mined to continue at his post, even if the COM
munity had discredited him and three members
of the board were on record as trying to get rid
of him if they knew how" He won.
Whence this power? Whence this hidden
agency that enables Melpolder to swing the board
into line after it has decided to get rid of him
verse their decision after they have twice agreed
individually that he had outlived his usefulness?
Does the board fear Melpolder? Does the man
possess hypnotic power that sets at naught the
will of his superiors, discrepancies their mental
processes, making them, as it were, puppets an
swering strings that lead into his office?
The community is beginning to believe that
the members of the board really fear the man.
It is believed that he cows them into submission
bluffs them into acquiescence intimidates their
good judgment, terrorizes them into submission.
Slight acquaintance with Melpolder will convince
any one that he knows how to bluff and bulldoze.
If the supporters Of Melpolder want corrobora-
tive evidence, all they need do is to ask applicants
for charity to tell their experiences. Melpolder,
seemingly has reversed his status. Instead of
being submissive to the board, anxious to please,
deadly in earnest to carry out it's plans, he has
curing his wrath, and subservient to his dicta-
tions Or, to use the "plain language of the
Friends, Mepolder "bosses the board,'' instead
of the board bossing Mepolder."
Besides his ability to be boss Melpolder
possesses a vindictive temperament that may &C.
centuate the fear members of the board enter
tain for him. Cross Melpolder's path once, and
you have an enemy for life. He is implacable
and ruthless, vituperative in his denunciation,
and bitter in his browbeating. If you doubt it,
ask some of the people who have tried to work
with him, or who have had the courage to oppose
his methods. Perhaps the members of the board
prefer to accept his dictation rather than to lay
themselves open to the abuse and the attacks
that inevitably would follow their opposition to
his methods. The persecution which some who
opposed Melpolder have suffered may be the
powerful deterrent that is keeping members of
the board in line.
But why should the board fear him? The
best foil against vindictive foe is the knowledge
that your conscience is clear and that you have
done your full duty. If fear Of. Melpoder is
keeping the members from telling the full truth
to the public, some members of the board are not
true to themselves or their trust. The unqua-
fled endorsement of Melpolder may have been
written because some members fear the man.