The sun., 1919-01-01
2 MORE DECLINE TO
SERVE WITH HEARST
Henry G. Gray and Ralph NJ.
johnson Withdraw From
Welcome Committee.

Two more prominent citizens have
added their names to the list of those
declining to serve on Mayor Hylan s
Committee OF Welcome TO Homecoming
Troops Both gave the fact Of William
Randolph Hearsts- inclusion in the COM
mittee as the reason for their action.
Henry G. Gray, of the law firm of
Zabriskie, Sage. Kerr and Gray. 40 wall
street, made public his letter to Grover
Whalen, Mayor Hylan's secretary. yes
terday, stating as he did 30 that he
made II public not for personal noto-
riety, but because he believed that pub
| LEFTY should be given to all refusals
| to serve on the committee. Ills letter
read:
II have just received your letter of
December 20 offering me nm appoint
ment by the Mayor as a member or the
Committee OF Welcome to Homecoming
Troops. Sometime ago 1 received a let
ter from George w. Loft, Chairman of
the Mayors Committee on National De-
! Tense, of which am a member. stating
| that the Mayor was to appoint the
members of that committee members OF
the Committee OF Welcome to Home
coming Troops
AT the time / wrote Mr.. Loft and
stated l would not accept an appoint
ment on this welcome committee be-
cause OF that fact that William Ran
dolph Hearst was q prominent member
OF II and chairman OF one or two OF its
| important subcommittecs.
| Il further added that / thought IL
| was an insult both to the citizens OF
this city and the returning soldiers to
| give a prominent place on such COM
mittee TO a man OF the character OF Mr..
| Hearst. / added that X my refusing
! 10 servo on this committee would In
any way prejudice the public interest
! would not let my opinion OF Mr..
| Hearsts character interfere with my
accepting the appointment. but as the
! functions OF the committee are solely
Of a ceremonial character. one person
| could perform the functions as well as
another. l cannot help feeling that no
official welcome ut all would be prefer
| able to a welcome by Hearst.
'tSince writing the letter to Mr.. Loft
referred to another thing has happened
which has added a reason for declining
the appointment. | -efer TO the sour
I rilous attack made by the Mayor on
| every person who refuses TO serve with
/ Hearst. Such an attitude on the part o!
! the Mayor OF this great city Is on a par
with the rawlings of the worst form OF
BoLshevism and shows how conspicu-
ously unfit he is for such a high office.
HENRY o. GRAY"
| Ralph NJ. johnson. vice president OF
Park Hospital, 1915 Central Park West
was the second to announce his refusal
to serve. He sent the following letter
| TO Secretary Whalen:
Il beg to acknowledge receipt of your
| letter OF December 10 announcing my
| appointment as u member OF the com.
mittee Of reception to our returning sol
| diers from service abroad.
MY appointment follows the recog.
! milton Of the work done by the Park
. Hospital. the entire ward capacity OF
which has been occupied for the pas,
year by navy patients
In placing the question before a re-
cont meeting OF thirty-seven doctors and
/ directors II was the unanimous opinion
! that they would consider II great
honor to be represented on that commit
were il not for the fact that w r
Hearst had been designated as a snlb.
chairman. His appointment has aroused
storm Of protest in this community
/ and, performing NOT 10 act h'a n $40.
cate in any capacity. we must declslt
what would otherwise be held n great
honor. RALPH VI. Johnson"