New-York tribune., 1918-05-09
Head of Department, Under
Hylan's Fire, Resigns and
Accepts Lucrative Offer
Sorry to Lose Him,
DR.. Copeland Says
Denies Official Was Forced
Out; 3'Kicked Upstairs"
His Friends Assert

On the Health Department, yesterday
resigned as chief Of the Bureau of
Public Health Education to accept what
Health Commissioner Royal S. Cope
land in a formal statement described
as "more remunerative and undoubt-'
edly more comfortable position"
Dr.. Copeland declined to admit that
DR.. Bolduan had been forced out of the
city's service, or that charges similar
to those on which DR.. Lucius Polk
Brown, chief of the Bureau of Food
and Drugs, was suspended would not
have followed had he not resigned, as
serting that this highly laudatory
statement CT DR.. Bolduan's action COW
cred everything he cared to say.
In this statement DR.. Copeland, CIV
ing high praise to DR.. Bolduan's pro-
fessional attainments and enthusiasm
in the public service, says almost in so
many words that he is being punished
Tor the impractical dealism" of the
Mltchel administration and for having
followed the orders of Health Commits
sloner Emerson and having published
articles in the departments publica-
tlons favoring the Staten Island gar
hage plant, prohibition and the Gary
school system.
Bearing on DR.. Brown Case
rms statement carries the sugges-
ton that, left to his own wishes in the
matter, DR.. Copeland would have hest
tated in removing DR.. Bolduan. and
that his resignation to take one of the
many places offered since the bureaus
were placed under fire releases him
from an unpleasant position. DR.. Cone.
iand still has the situation created by
the demand for the head of DR.. Brown
to deal with. This situation some Who
have closely followed recen, events in
the Health Department are inclined to
thlnk may decide whether or not DR..
copeland will remain in the denart-
ment. 0p"4
The bases for this opinion are tho
belief that DR.. Copeland will insist on
q real case being made against Dr..
Brown before he votes for his removal
and the difficulties being experienced
Dy the Mayors henchmen in framing
the charges on which Brown is to he
tried. Commissioner of Accounts 9
David Herschfield has had a staff Of
Investigators overhauling DR.. Browns
once since his suspension, in the hone
OF buttresslng the charges made bv
James E. MacBride, president of the
Civil Service Commission. Reports to
date are that they have not been yerv
successful.
DR.. Copeland's Statement
The formal. announcement that DR.
bolduan had resigned has been looked
Tor since, The Tribune on Saturday
announced he soon would leave the
department. DR.. Copeland made =
diplomatic denial of this on SATURDAY. q
but yesterday he gave to the reporters
Dr. bolduan's resignation, effective
November 1. With It went request
for leave of absence from Nav 15,
winch 1t is expected will be granted.
making the actual date of his retire
ment one week from yesterday.
with the resignation and the request
Tor leave of absence DR.. Copeland
made public carefully prepared state
ment.
Personally, l am sorry" said he, 81
am very sorry, DR.. Bolduan is leaving
the Department of Health. Before
coming into the commissionership I
never had met him, but since then he
has impressed me most favorably. |
have found him filled to Overlooking
with enthusiasm for health education
HIS suggestions have been valuable and
many have been followed out His
knowledge of public health is mn
bounded.
ut is an unfortunate thing in
American civil life that the man high
er up is rarely brought to the bar.
Somebody down the line usually bears
the criticism and takes the blame for
the sins of somebody at the top. Dr..
Bolduan hts Loyalty accepted the re-
sponslbillty for what really were or
ders from above, and in my opinion
there was nothing for Commissioners
Mcbride to do other than to fix the
responsibility where he found it. In
evltably and properly, therefore, DR..
Bolduan came under the criticism of
the investigators.
Blamed for Chiefs Orders,
"It should be known, however, that
tne much discussed weekly bulletin.
while 1t is nominally and actually in
the hands of its editor DR.. Bolduan. is
under the most strict censorship of
the commission of health. Every hit
OF copy is first submitted to the Com
missioner He reads and approves or
disapproves. Page proofs come to the
commissioners desk and are passed
upon by him. In short, then, the ulti-
mate responsibility for the bulletin is
the Commissioner.
IN general way Dr. Bolduan and I
have frankly discussed the articles an
pearing in the bulletin during the
mitchell administration. Knowing as
does every other medical man in the
city the Impractical idealism of the
last administration, / can readily be-
Ieve Or. Bolduan when he tells me he
was ordered to print certain things ana
tnat they went into the bulletin
against his judgment and desire.
AS ! understand it, DR.. Bolduan
leaves the department for more re-
monerative and undoubtedly more COM
portable position. He goes with NV
very best wishes for his success and
happiness. shall miss his genial
presence. The department will iose a
faithful and useful servant. '''' ="
Not Forced Out, Copeland Saws
I'VE will not permit the loss of nr
bolduan to interfere with the mnst
aggressive possible activity in tho ,na,,
OF public health education. hut oil, ns
his old friends here and at least an a
new one, myself, will be sorry NOT o.o ~
greet him In his usual haunts.S
lis 1t not to be regretted that ,,,h
lie servant of the calibre YOU have do
scribed is forced out of Office :" askad
q reporter. "sAea
"Dr Bolduan is not forced OUT said
Or. Copeland. "He has resigned to
take position more to his liking.n
THE man in the street, reading your
statement, will reach the conclusion
he has been forced out because he
followed orders and was loyal to his
CHIEF"