The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-30
WILKINSON FIRM
 IN OPPOSITION
lContinned From Pnge Onel

lC0HEfMuSu EFum k.HSC UHo1 On motion of Commissioner Harrison, who praised the distinctive service of MT. Altman, it was unanimously ac- cepted Wilkinsofl's unanimous election to fill the vacancy then followed.
 Mir. Altman listed a number of req sons for his retirement, chief among His service on the board had been more or less stormy; as he ar Police Com missioner Cloe had clashed frequently over police affairs Altman was the author of the civil .rvice and police relief bills and worked before the leg islature for their passage. The civil service bill stripped Commissioner Cloe of much of his authority over the police and fire departments and vested it in the board.
 Judge Wilkinson will be installed as a member of the board next Monday evening, at which time Altman will end his service. Altmans resignation leaves the chairmanship vacant and the post will be filled at Mondays, ses- sion.
 Action Unanimous
 All members of the commission as- serted they elected Judge Wilkinson because they felt he was highly qual- flied President D. D. McLendon and Commissioners W. B. Cloe and W. D. Dickson joined in the following state ment:
 Judge Wilkinson stands for law en- forcement. He knows personally almost all of the members of the police and fire departments and is popular among them. The men wanted him named as NHya ha lieve he will be a great help to the city in this position"
 MT. Altman's letter of resignation follows in full:
 'STo the Honorable Commissioners of the City of Birmingham:
 "I hereby tender to you my resigna- tion as a member of the civil service board of Birmingham, the resignation to take effect immediately.
 Please allow me to express my ap. preciation of the confidence shown in and the honor bestowed upon me when you named me a member of the board for a term of five years.
 II am impelled to resign from the board for several reasons, any of which is sufficient, viz:
 "1) 1 have heretofore publicly and otherwise stated that I did not care for and would not hold a political office. At the request of the committees from the police and fire departments, allowed my name to go before you as q member of the board, with the un- derstanding between these committees and myself that if I was selected I would remain on the board only long enough to assist in the matter of get ting the civil service law, the police pension and relief law (both of which are new in Alabama), and the affairs of the board properly fuhctioning and under reasonable headway.,
 That has now been accomplished.
 ''The board has adopted rules and regulations for the departments. which rules and regulations are in writing and only now need to be put into code form. We have installed or instituted d merit and demerit system for the depart ments; construed and put into opera tiOn and into effect probably every possible phase of the two laws in Ques- tion. We were pioneers, and the work of the board in it's beginning was more difficult and irksome than it will be in the future.
 Please allow me to say that in my judgment the efforts of the civil serv- ice board have been very beneficial
 ''(2D I have been chairman of the board from its organization until now. and have found that very much of my time has been consumed in giving at tentiOn to matters arising from the op- eration of the laws and the performance of the duties as a member and as chair man of the board. Many inquiries over the telephone and many personal visits are made to me every day upon mat ters solely appertaining to the police and fire departments, their membership and