The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-16
I TEX I BOOKS TAKE DICKSON
 I | CAPITAL
Says f He Gets State Con- tract it Does Not Meces-
 sariIy Mean That He
 Will Resign as City Commissioner

Admitting that ne haS made SeY- eral visits to the state capital to further chances of the Educational Exchange company of Birmingham, textbook publishers agents, to ob- tain the state contract for text books when the present one ex- pires in June, w. E. Dickson, city commissioner of public improve ments, Thursday told an ,Age-Her- aid representative that he had been in Montgomery for this purpose Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and that he could see no wrong in his making private busi- ness plans"
 MT. Dickson disclosed the he had been active in behalf of this con cern for the last four years, going to Cleveland three years ago to talk with textbook publishers attending the National Educational associa- tion meeting and that he would go to Cleveland again this year with this one of his purposes of his trip. He said also that he had worked for the concern during the summer of l9z1, receiving $l25 per month.
 Sees Nothing Wrong.
 Ae said he saw nothing wrong witt h1s spending several days in Mont gpmery in behalf of the concern. al. though coneeding that in effect he mad been lobbying. He protested l-aAa'nst being made exaissple. Asas, lns he had put in as many hours al the city hall as any other commis. sioner
 During the days this week wher MT. Dickson was busy in Montgom. cry, the auditorium plan of actior was entirely changed by the othel iour commissioners, although the project falls within his department.
 lie protested against news story i'll Thursday mornings Age Herald stating he would resign as city con- missioner upon obtaining the text. book contract. He said that this fact, which he admitted would brlng him an interest in the Educationa Exchange company, did not neces- sarily mean that he would leave pub lie life as a city commissioner.
 T jokingly referred to the report during Thursday mornings commIs- sion meeting" Commissioner Dickson added, but in all seriousness l wish that constructive achievements of my department be compared with those of other departments of the city gov ernment. l think that it will be found that my accomplishments have been as marked and that I have spent as much time at the city hall as any other commissioner. l maintain thai it is perfectly proper for me to gc anywhere I please, at any time. or personal business. Other commis. sioners do this, so why not F"
 Made Numerous Trips.
 Commissioner Dickson has made numerous trips to Montgomery this year, with personal business" as this reason on every occasion except the inauguration of Governor w. w Brandon. Last week reports were received that he was working to ob. tain textbook contracts for the Bir- ningham cofcern for which he hao worked in 1921. He visited the state department of education early this week to discuss textbook contracts
 Last week at a meeting of the state board of education. Superin- tenGent of Education Joan W. Aber- crombie was instructed to confer with representatives of textbook pub fishers. to attempt to extend the textbook contracts of the state. re- Iorred in resolution of the oaro .o expire September 30 of this year for twelve additional months. It Is believed MT Dickson was in Mont gomery to oppose this extension of time. It was claimed the extension was asked as means of rendering school attendlhce of less cost to chil- dren of the state.
 MT. Dickson has announced his in tention of attending the meeting oi the department of superintendents National Educational association. a, Cleveland, February 24 to March 2 Although schools are not in his de- partment of civic government he will be out of the city for more than q week He replied in the affirmative Thursday to query asking if he would not work in the interests ot the Educational Exchange company while there, meeting publishers and talking with persons identified with school work. He said that this would not occupy all his time, however.
 During the commission meeting Thursday morning, Mir. Dickson rose to a point of personal privilege to comment on the story of his activities at the capital and the forecast of his resignation. He said he realized he had made mistakes and blunders while at the city hall, but was doing