The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-01-29
Buffers u s
Charges h a S
Are Aired
Complaint That Welfars I'd
e'.1
Is DiscourteOus S\
competent rs
Memb s,S> :. I'd.
Employees. lake Stand

Members OF the board of public
welfare went far afield Saturday aft
Iernoon in conducting probe into
the affairs OF its superintendent and
employees, pursuant to resolution
from the city council and at the in
stance of City Commissioner D. B.
Butler.
Chairman Henry Monsky an
nounced at the conclusion of the in
vestigation that the board will sub
NIT it's findings to the mayor in time
for the next city council meeting
Tuesday.
Commissioner Butler. early last De.
cember, in letter to the city council,
stated that Wallace Wilson, snperin-
tendent of the welfare department,
was incompetent and discourteous
ana that the alleged discourtesy had
extended to certain employees of the
welfare office.
Testify Against Chief.
Mrs. E. NJ. Johnson and Mrs. Cath
crime Melia were the only workers of
the welfare department who testified
against Superintendent Wilson; the
others asserted that Wilson was cour-
teous and competent and that har-
mony prevailed in the office. Mr..
Butler explained that at the time of
the alleged discourtesy toward him
self by Wilson he was acting mayor
and believed that the acting mayor
is entitled to the same consideration
as the mayor.
Mrs. Melia complained during her
testimony that her office work was
made onerous because Mrs. Ida Levin,
one of the investigators. spent sew
eral hours at a time in a beauty par
lor, being manicured, massaged and
marcelled.
Denies Charges.
II am 35 years old and have had
only one MARCEL wave in my life" re-
joined Mrs. Levin in her testimony.
"Mr. Wilson has always been a gem
tleman, never discourteous to anyone
Mr.. Wilson does the work Of a dozen
men and like myself he never thinks
about the clock to see if it is time to
quit"
Mrs. Levin asked Commissioner
Butler, ''is there anything in the ru-
NOR that while you were in a hos
pital recently you made the remark
that Wilson should be back In the liv-
cry stable at Ffemont?"
Mrs. Levin denied the rumor.
Treated Unkindly.
Mrs Melia added that she had been
treated unkindly by Superintendent
Wilson from the time of her employ
ment at the office; that she wondered
whether Wilson had a personal dis
like for her. She asserted that Will
son told her not to use her initiative
in the welfare office. She expressed
her belief that discord has arisen in
the welfare office because Wilson
did not know what was going on.
Chairman Monsky raised the sques-
tion of whether Mrs. Melias mental
attitude toward the department and
Mr.. Wilson had anything to do with
the case.
1T is very apparent to me-" said
Mr. Monsky, from the evidence of
fered here. that there has not been
hearty cooperation between Mrs.
Johnson and Mrs. Melia and the su-
perintendent. Personally, am of the
opinion that this hearing has been
prompted by a mental attitude"
Butler Holds Stand.
At the conclusion of the testimony
Commissioner Butler stated that he
still was of the opinion that Super
intendent Wilson was incompetent.
He believed the welfare department
could function without a superintend-
ont.
II believe the mayor could take
over the welfare department" said
Mr.. Butler. THE mayor has the least
to do of any of the city commission
ers / don't believe the welfare de-
partment is supervised at present
Chairman Monsky stated that he
(rurn to Page Six. Column TwO.)