The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-09
REPL ! I D
WOMAN
CRITIC

UIuUIO
President MILAN Issues State
ment Showing Mrs. West
Had Been Asked to Resign.
Stating that Mrs. Ella H. West,
agent of the Board of Children's
Guardians Of the District had
been asked to resign some days
ago, w. w. MILAN, president of
theb GARD, and a local attorney,
today authorized statement of
"the true facts"
Quotes Two Letters.
President MILAN, in his statement,
quotes two letters to Mrs. West,
one of which suggested that she
resign on June 20, while the second
took her to task for not replying
to the first and carried another
emphatic request" that she termi-
nate her relations with the Board
of Children's Guardians.
The statement was issued after
q conference of the board held
yesterday afternoon and as result
Of publication in The Times yes
terday of Mrs. Vests resignation,
in advance of action by the board.
It is made plain in the statement
that it was prepared with the
entire sanction of the board with
the exception of Mrs. Gilbert GrOs-
Venor, who voted in the negative.
The statement issued by the
board follows:
Text Of the Statement.
The Board of Childrens Guar
dams, at a meeting yesterday after
noon, at which those present were
Judge George C. Aukum, Judge M.
M. Doyle, DR.. William A. Warfield,
Mrs. Gilbert H. Grosvenor, Mrs.
Frank B. Noyes, and the president,
w. w. MILAN, accepted the resig-
nation of the agent of the board,
70 take effect June Goth, 1928. Mrs.
GEosvenor, at her request, was re-
corded as voting in the negative.
The resignation was, in effect.
though not in terms, rendered to
take effect June 3Oth, 1923, in q
letter addressed by the agent Of the
board to the president, under date
June 9Th, 1928, and delivered to
him at the meeting at about 4:25
.. M, by a clerk from the office
of the board, some time after 1t
had been circulated on the streets
In an afternoon newspaper.
Because the letter, by it's omission
OF reference to the correspondence
preceding it, as well as by it's gen.
eral tenor, failed to acquaint the
public with the boards reasons for
acting, or the fact that it had moved
in the matter at all, the board, al.
though declining to take the more
drastic action of removing the agent
at once, was unwilling to accept the
resignation as rendered, and accepted
At to date June 20, as stated.
The agent letter obviously creates
the impression that the resignation
was voluntary and because of her
dissatisfaction with certain actions
Of the board and the attitude to-
wards her of certain of the mem
bers.
Comments upon the letter In the
article that accompanied 1t were
based upon this assumption. This
made it necessary, in the opinion
OF the board, for the facts to be
given to the public, and the board
with one member, Mrs. Grosvenor
voting in the negative, directed the
president to prepare statement frc
the press, giving "the true facts
concerning the resignation.
Quotes Presidents Letter.
This necessity is more apparent
from the fact that morning news
paper very naturally places The
same Interpretation upon tnS
agents letter.
The true situation is made clear
by the following correspondence.
Letter from the President of Ch'
board to the agent.
Washington. D. c., May 81. 1929
Mrs. Ella H. West,
Municipal Building,
Washington, D. c.
Dear Mrs. West:
At a conference Of all the mem
bers Of the Board Of Children
Guardians on the goth instant, l
was ascertained by an informal Vot
that six of the nine members o
the board are Of the opinion tina
q change in the office Of agent o
the board is desirable, and that
should take place in the REASONABLE!
near future.
BY near future II was understoo'
that the period ending with Jun
30, 923, was meant. IT was In
structed TO communicate with yo'
concerning your pleasure as TO tn
date. within the period mentioned
Ia which II would best suit you d
resign, having due regard to you
right to avail yourself Of all leav
with pay to which you may be en-
titled.
While I am writing this by al
thority of the board, ! am maxim
II personal and unofficial hecaus
II II not desired to make any off
(ContinuaA nm Para 1RI