Evening star., 1924-03-10
OPPOSITION DELAYS
NAMING CITY HEADS
President to Study Charges
Against Oyster and Rudolph
Before Acting.

Eieventh-hour opposition TO the re-
appointment by the President of Cuno
III. Rudolph and James F. oyster as
the civilian Commissioners Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia was made at the
White House today.
Because Of the nature of some of
this opposition, it was stated by an
official Of the White House that Presi-
dent Coolidge will not make public
his announcement of his selection for
these places today, but will want time
to reflect and to receive explanations.
Satisfied in his own mind that Com
missioners Rudolph and Oyster had
practically the unanimous approval of
the majority Of the trade, civic and
political bodies of the District, as well
as of the representative citizens, for
reappointment as heads of the local
government, President Coolidge is
known to have been ready last Satur-
day to send the nominations to the
Senate. 1t is represented that he
would have done this had the Senate
then been in session.
Dupont Circle Protest.
This morning a delegation from the
Dupont Circle Citizens Association
lodged at the White House a formal
protest against these reappointments.
This deputation was headed by Rear
Admiral Joseph Strauss, L. S. N, re-
tired, president of that organization,
who was accompanied by Snowden
Ashford. former municipal architect
of the District: Mrs. Archibald Hop
kins, vice president, and Capt. Clayton
e. Emig, secretary.
In their protest these Dupont Circle
citizens claim that the present civilian
Commissioners do not warrant reap
pointment because they, as members
of the Public Utilities Commission
and the zoning Commission of the
District, have not acted in the best
interests of the city at large. They
said also that their organization had
never Endorsed the administration of
these two Commissioners nor urged
their reappointment, az has been rep
resented to the President.
The members of this delegation
said that they have urged the appoint
ment of Charles A. Baker, local attor-
ney and president of the Federation
of Citizens Associations. for appoint
ment as one of the Commissioners
Other Opposition Voiced.
This protesting delegation was
shortly followed by the appearance Of
julius Peyser. member of the board
of education, head of the Public
school Association of the District, and
who has been prominently mentioned
as a candidate for appointment as
Commissioner.
He made known his objections to
the reappointment of the civilian
Commissioners to Bascom Slemp, sec
retary to the President. He was ac-
companied to the White House by
Walter Trey, secretary of the Public
School Association, and president OF
the Takoma Park Citizens Associa-
ton, who protested against the reap
pointment upon the grounds that
Commissioners Rudolph and Oyster
have seriously interfered with the
education program of the District
that they have permitted violations
Of the child labor law of this city,
and that they substituted a teachers
salary bill of their own making,
which was inferior to the one pre-
pared by the board of education.
Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter, president of
| the Congress of Mothers and Parent
Teachers Associations of the District,
| accompanied by Mrs. Henry S. Par
sons, a member of that organization
also told Secretary Slemp they op-
posed the reappointments.
Will Consider Charges.
In discussing the matter today an
| official of the White House said that
because of the Presidents unfamiliar
J ity with some of the details of the
| records of the two Commissioners in
| question, and with the manner in
! which the local government is oper-
ated, he would naturally be de-
sirous of obtaining information that
will enlighten him upon certain
points brought out in the opposition
that developed today.
1t was represented that he would
be especially interested in having a
satisfactory explanation in answer
to the charge that Commissioners Ru-
dolph and oyster had not always act
ed in the best interests of the city
while serving as members Of the
Public Utilities and the Zoning Com
missions.
Although a number of citizens as
sociations have Endorsed Commits
sioners Rudolph and Oyster for re-
appointment, such action has not
been taken by the Federation of Cit
izens Associations, as published Sat
urday. The federation is made up of
two delegates from each neighbor-
hood association, and Leland T. Ath-
erton, secretary, explained that the
central body never indorses candi-
dates for Office.