The Washington times., 1920-06-26
SUTERF[AYS
VAN SCHA|CK
Says People, Ignored In D. c.
School Issue, Will Keep Up
Fight for Thurston.

The fight TO have Ernest l. Thurs
ton retained as superintendent OF
schools will go on even after his term
expires next Wednesday. Jesse G
suter. vice president OF the Fedora
ton of Citizens Association. told John
Van schaick. Jr. president OF the
Board OF Education, in a letter today.
Suter replied TO Van Schaick's re-
cent letter In which the board presi-
dent expressed the opinion that the
apparent attitude OF the public to-
ward Thurston was not true senti-
msnt
s'suter declares that public officials
In the pSst have always regarded the
voices OF citisens' associations and
other organizations as expressing the
''desire and temper OF our people"
1T 10 Disappointing" says Suter.
referring directly to Van Schaick's
letter. "only in its reiteration OF tho
fact that the touch of yourself and
members OF the board has not been
more sensitive to the unmistaken
throb OF the public pulse"
SEES LACK OF HARMONY.
Suter declares to Van Schaick that
"the tone throughout your letter is
mony with our local people. You seem
to see only the nations side of our
city and to utterly disregard the In
habitants thereof"
Van Schaick recently wrote to Suter
in reply to resolutions adopted by the
Petworth Citizens Association urging
Thurston's retention. Suter supple-
mented this resolution by q short ad-
dress before the Board of Education.
For specific reply to the letter
(Suter now refers to that part where
public sentiment is discussed), you
are respectfully referred to the en-
closed report. which was adopted by
the Federation OF Citizens Associa-
tions by a decided majority at the
meeting on Monday night last"
1t was at this meeting by a vote of
"a to Is the federation went on rec
ord as favoring Thurston's retention
and called upon member OF the board
opposing Thurston to resign.
The rest of Suter's letter follows:
Even though you have sojourned
among US for a long time. you seem
to lack an understanding of the meth
DDS through which necessity compels
our local citizenshib to nnd express
sion. When one recalls that you have
retained your citizenship in New York
State and as a voter have had other
means of such expression. 1t Is not
difficult to see why you have never
been able to put yourself In the
shameful and humiliating position Of
being an American bereft of all pow
ers save the very weak and unsatis-
factory rights Of petition and protest.
OF course, you cannot be expected to
understand anything so far from your
own personal experience.
"UNAMERICAN CONDITIONS"
sour position under these very un-
American conditions has only been
rendered less intolerable through the
fact that our local administrative Of
ficers have for the most part shown a
decent respect to the opinions of that
small but quite important portion OF
mankind calling the District of Co
lumbia it's home. Our civic and busi-
ness organizations have been found
ed and operated upon the effective
ness of petition and protest. Other
local officials in the past have had
no difficulty in understanding the
desire and temper of our people, ex-
pressed through the very channels
which seem beyond your understand
ing, and they did not regard the
honest, forceful expression Of opinion
by individuals and organizations as
intimidation.
"Had our forefathers held to the
spirit of your letter, we would today
be British subjects and the Declara-
tion of Independence and the Boston
tea party would have been unknown.
'I do not think that the ideas laid
down in your letter will influence
the public to subside into that state
of utter hopelessness to which you
would consign us. I do not think
that our organizations of citizens will
cease their activities because you
think their action only vocal. I do,
however, believe, that our people will
accept your challenge to go on with
this fight until Congress shall speak
in a way that even you and your
colleagues on the board will under
stand.
every truly yours,