The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-05

- II Suspended Chief.
r7sEs --.-
lad statement to The ArUus to-
doya Charles Reagan. editor OF the
TftCny Labor Revisw and mem
beS a. Mayor Schriyer's nsw board
a. nro and police commissioners,
explains his position in regard to
the sending investigation Of the
relies department and its suspend
- chief, Thomas Cox, and corrects
Mat he regards as an erroneous
slxreosiOn created through an
Ar7Ss editorial OF last evening rel
axivG to his appointment 10 the
tsard.
Although Mr.. Reagan accepted
the appointment Monday, he de-
elsrsd the matter will be placed
betUre officials OF the labor move
ment ut . meeting this evening and
TINT his decision to remain on the
board will be determined by the
opinion of these olncials. Mr.. AeAr
gan's statement follows:
'sROck Island, ILL.,, Oct. 5.-EditOr.
TIE Argus: In your editorial OF
| oct. I, you make reference to my
/ xppoiRtment as member Of the po-
/ lice and are board with the state
nent that Reagan Wins at Last.
Your article would leave the i'm
pression with your readers that for
/ thu past three years I have been
L standing candidate for that posi-
tiSp. Nothing is farther from the
truth. Let me say to you that new
er during the past three years have
either verbally or in writing ever
Il applied for a position on the police
and fire board. The facts in the
case, however, are these: At the
beginning of the Schriver admin
istration, the Tri-City Federation OF
i Labor had regular meeting, pro-
posed the names of the different
members of organized labor for
various appointive positions under
the new administration. Among
these were the building inspector,
electrical inspector, plumbing In
spectOr and a representative OF Ia
Dor on the police and FIRE board.
\ srAt this meeting, at which l was
not present, being out of the city
on special business, my name was
pfDposed as representative OF Ia
bUr on the police and fire commits
sion and received the unanimous
endorsement Of the Tri-City FEEDER
alton Of Labor at that time.
III 1.-THE action of the federation was
transmitted in writing to the may
| / or and commissioners Of the city Of
Rock Island, and that has been the
| H first and only time to my knowl-
edgesthat my name has ever beer
! 4 mentioned in connection with a po
! ( sition On the police and fire board
4 i THE new administration did no
I see fit to accede to the request o
/ tile Tri-City Federation of Labo
\ IN regard to placing a representa-
/ ave of labor on the police and fir
Il 1 keard at that time. A few day
+ liter, Mr.. jacobson, president o
tie Tri-City Federation of Labor
/ and myself. representing the organ
lied workers, appeared before
special meeting of the mayor ant
commissioners and pressed the can
/ didacy of the federation's choice
/ for the different positions as inspec
tors, but at my solicitation no men
/ don vas made regarding the polio
snd are board position. l took tn
position at that time that IL I wa
i not acceptable to the new admin
L ktration, had no desire to fore
myself into the position. Let m
further say that during the l
years that / have been an officia
L Of a labor organization in one ca
pacity or another, / have neve
i been q candidate for any politics
pffice nor aspired for any appoint
ment to any political position. a
II though ON many different occasion
1 have been urged to do so by m,
colleagues in the labor movement.
al"The impression created by you
Editorial that Mr.. Pender was
Representative Of organized labo
Il aen the board is not in conformit
with the facts. Mr.. Fender is no
R member OF a labor organization
Sktfiliated either with the America
Federation of Labor nor the Tri
City Federation of Labor. nor di
be haze the endorsement of on
4dngle labor organization for til
Hposit:on on the. police and fiji
Board.
4 This is not said az reflection
Upon Mr. Pender, who Is held Il
3ke highest regard by those VIII
4fnow him as a man of sterlin
Qualities and Enquestioned integ
Hty, but in order to remove an
i Impression that might have bee
II created by your editorial tina
Il 4here was q conflict in the labo
movement between two aspirant
pr the position.
4 H"The Tri!City Federation OF La
eDr is composed of IS afflHate
lbcal unions representing a grea
Humber Of citizens Of Rock Islant
They felt At that time and feel to
day that in the appointment {
4 hommissioners Of the nature Of th
pDlics and FIRE board. that organ
ted labor should BE- accorded equs
Il Representation along with othe
II INHERENT elements represented /
be community and the fact tina
a