The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-27
Forum Of The People
Commissioner HarrisOn Makes 2 statement.


 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 I notice in your issue of Thursday, Oc- tober 23, another editorial dealing with the park board situation. Since thisN controversy came up of the re-appointment of Lewis Bowen as a member of the park board you have had several editorials in which the gist and substance was to impute and convey the impression that politics was the actua- ting cause of the trouble, and by inference and implication have sought to convey the impression that by reason of my being member of the city commission and mem Der of the park board that l was trying to play politics on the choosing of the person. mel of this board.
 1 deny these unfounded inferences that you draw and challenge the truthfulness of your statements. You do mot attempt to state in what manner in what way pol itics is being played, but on the contrary make your bald, unfounded inferences with out giving any reasons or facts to substan- tiate your statements, your obvious purpose being to imply that I am the one that is playing politics. This is not unusual, how ever, for The Age-Herald, because they are unable to see anything but politics in any thing that is done at the city hall.
 For the information of The Age-Herald may say that the park board was created under my administration and under my sponsorship as the commissioner of parks and playgrounds. If had wanted to play politics l would have never lent my support and my activity to the creation of this board It is safe to assert that the park board law wonld have never been passed by the legislature nor the park board created had l not given it my active support.
 When the board was appointed the city commission and myself felt that it was im- portant that we should have a well balanced strong representative board who were capa- ble of commenting the confidence of the people generally and of administering the work that this board has control over. Con sequently MT. M. P. Phillips was chosen as a business men. MT. Elmer c. Thuston was also chosen as a business men, being presi- dent of the Birmingham Saw Works. Mrs. Charles J. Sharpe was chosen as a business woman and representative of the women and musical clubs of the city. MT. Lewis Bowen was chosen as a representative of the labor interests of this city, and also because. of his conservative business ability and having sponsored the park board law through the legislature. l am a member of the park board by reason of my official position only, subject to such change as may come by change in administration. I hold and 1 feel that the city commission holds that this con stituted a well rounded, strong representa- l tive park board.
 The effect and the purpose of the atti- tude of Mir. Phillips and Thuston in now try ing to knock Mir. Bowen off the board is not because he has not made a good member, because they both say that he has, but to deprive the park board of the representation on the board of which Mir. Bowen presents It is not even for the reason of getting what they call a so-called big man. Their prime purpose and only object is to get full and complete control of the park board. This has been the attitude of MT. Phillips since he has been on the board and was strikingly demonstrated when the board was first or ganized when he announced in a public state ment that he would not serve on the board unless he was elected president. If Phillips can get Bowen off of the board and another member on who will follow his dictation he will dominate the board completely. know and the majority of the park board knows that this would not be for the best interest of the park board and it's organization.
 In your editorial you seek to fix politics in the minds of the public as the cause of the friction on the park board, and as your defense for the action of Mir. Phillips and Thuston in blocking the re-appOintment of Mir Bowen. You have made no investigation of the facts, you have made no analysis of the cause, but simply haul off and make that charge with the purpose that it will mislead the public as to what is the real cause of the friction of which everybody knows and with the view of trying to shift the responsibility to my shoulders. have not been to The Age-Herald editorial office seek ing to impress them with my side of the question, which is not only shared by my self, but Mrs. Sharpe and Mir. Bowen as well, as I understand MT. Phillips has al- most every day since this controversy arose.
 I court the fullest inquiry into the cause of the friction on the park board and to my position and attitude from the day the board was organized up to the present date. know where the trouble is The majority of the park board knows where the trouble is, and I believe the people of Birmingham know where the trouble is, and they all know it is not politics
 l The fragrant unprecedented position taken