The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-02
SHARP REPLY.
 COMES FROM
 STATE BOARD
Utilities Commission Resents Criticism Birmingham News For Unemployment of
 Engineer Who Resisted
 Ala. Power Valuation
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU 1
 THE AGE-HERAL , Montgomery. Ala. Feb. i

THE AL E- Ii hEhAl.D Montgomery, Ala. Feb. A. C. Patterson, president of the Alabama utilities commission, and Associate Commissioners H. F. Lee and Frank P. Morgan today issued statement couched in vigorous language in reply to recent editor ials appearing in the Birmingham Evening News in connection with the reinstatement of Engineer l. F. Mcdonnell, who was dismissed by retiring Associate Commission CTS s. P Gaillard and B. H. Cooper on the day before their retirement from office, when the Alabama Power company valuation matter
 brought conflict of opinion be- tween Mcdonnell and the associate commissioners after Engineer Nc Donnell took the position that the valuation set by Commissioners Cooper and Gaillard was in excess of the legitimate valuation.
 Mir. Pntterson's Statement The statement as issued generally to the newspapers at Montgomery follows:
 Tt Is not the desire of the Ala
 bama public service commission to keep alive any controversy growing cut of the unfortunate differences existing prior 10 d change in the personnel of msjority oi the com mission. While the conmlsson con siders itself only bushes mans course, acting as an agent Of the legislature and bound by law se- lect its staff and make its expendi- lures with the approval of the gov ernor, and on this account not hedged about with any, undue dig
 nity, nevertheless the new commls- sion had hoped to receive the con sideration usually shown new ofri- | cials by being allowed to adjust themselves to their .work before criticism began. Because the com
 mission hastened to exonerate the character of l. F. Mcdonnell, F tive Alabamlan- and an Auburn graduate, who had been discharged by the re- tiring associate commissioners on l their last day In office, this un- timely criticism has begun in various 1 ways by certain interests posing as
 watch dogs of the states treasury. The most venomous criticism h come from the Birmingham News and to one thoroughly familiar with the
 policy of this paper and possessed 1 of an average memory, no expla-
 nation is necessary. but realizing l that many good citizens may be mis- led by the transformation this news paper has so deliberately printed, the commission submits a short re- | view of this Incident.
 Says Half Truth Published
 In its issue of January 23 the l Birmingham News quoted an edi- 1 torial from the Opelika News which ! criticised the commission for em- | ploying an engineer who had drawn 1 S23,S56o7 for period of IS months l (the total amount is correct but 1t | was for a period of 20 months) Not content with accepting this half | truth-allowng the casual reader to infer that this sum was a salary l the Birmingham News goes further | and states that MT. Mcdonnell has
 drawn almost s25,0o0 year off cor | porations hailed into court and help less to defend themselves. The word almost In the hands
 of the Birmingham News has ! broader interpretation given it than by any other authority we have
 heretofore compacted'
 .Ijnder the expert auditing of the News any manufacturer, wholesaler. retailer business man or farmer, could put down as clear profit any sum received by him in the transac- tion of his business.
 An itemized statement of alrI cney received by Mir. Mcdonnell was forwarded by the commission to the News together with a request that a correction of it's statement be printed.
 The itemized statement and the letter were printed. but the request for the correction of the News edi- torial letter was ignored. and another tirade of abuse iCosed on the com mission. concluding with the demand that an economy expert should be added to the staff of the commission.
 Says Mcdonnell Denied Justice
 Mir. Mcdonnell was entitled to clear exoneration in the editorial column Of the News and any news paper wishing to be fair would have corrected it's editorial error of Janu- ary 23.
 Not one word has been printed by the News about the summary dis charge of MT. Mcdonnell by the re- tlring associate commissioners, not the slightest inclination of the diff ference of opinion existing between the retiring associate commissioners and MT. Mcdonnell as to the valua- ton of the property of the Alabama Power company except as a news item when this incident occurred. MT. Mcdonnell states that the retiring commissioners attempted to fix the valuation of these properties at an even higher figure than the power company itself showed, and such figures as would require raise in rates for light and power of 25 to 30 per cent in order to rroduce a return upon the amount.
 "The bravery of this young man
 in daring to stand for the public
 tContinued on Page Two)