The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-23
FIGHT BREWING
 AGAINST REPORT OF PARK ARTISTS
Harrison Issues Broad
 side Against Statements Of Phillips

K A determlned flgnt on tne report or Olmsted Bros, and J. c. Whiting, architects and landscape artists en- ployed by the park board which opposes the plan to build the new public li- brary in Woodrow Wilson park, was rapidly crystalizing Monday and will reach it's climax at the boards next meeting.
 This fight may take the form of a broadside against the architects them selves, calculated to force their retire ment from the city's service. Although the park board a week ago voted to concur in their report opposing the park site, indications were that this action would be reconsidered
 Commissioner William l.. Harrison will lead the fight for reconsidera- tion, he announced in a statement Mon- day, in which he unloosed a scorching attack on NJ. P. Phillips, board member who is fighting the park site, declaring that Phillips visit to the Brooklina, Miss, headquarters of the architects before their report was given out, was "a strikingly strange, if not rotten pro- ceeding."
 He charged that Phillips went to Brookline to influence the architects report as far as he could, and then came home and said nothing but lets stand by our architects
 Pointing out what he described as discrepancies in statements made by Mir. Phillips at the recent joint ses- sion of the park and library boards, Commissioner Harrison served notice he would ask the park board at it's next meeting to grant the library board the right to build its S65O,OOO struc- tufe in the Woodrow Wilson park. In his fight, he said he was actuated by what I conceive to be the public interest of the city on this question"
 Mir. Harrison's statement is as fol- lows:
 II notice that Mir. Phillips gives out statement, two telegrams and Archi- tect Writings report in Justification of his stand against putting the library building in Capitol park, which I sup pose he claims in an answer to my statement giving my version of this matter. I claim that Mir Phillips nor Mir. Whiting by his telegrams have an- swered my charges of what appears to me now more than ever of Phillips connection with the report.
 "I call MT. Phillips, also MT. Whit tng's, attention to this glaring incon- sistency of their own statements and dates regarding his visit to MT. Whit ing's office at Brookline, Mass, and I invite the public's notice to these dates and statements. If there was nothing else (which there isl I believe it to be proof conclusive and convince ing. In the report of Mir. Whiting, dated September IF. this quotation taken from Mir. Writings report Since we know that you were anxious fn we sent you last night the following night letter Now note this telegram was dated September II and on the day following the letter was sent dated Friday, September 12. When I ques- tioned MT. Phillips before joint meet ing of library and park boards and drew out of him the fact that he had been to Mir. Writings office, had conference with him and bitterly op- posed to Whiting the putting of the building in Capitol park I asked him at this meeting on what day he saw Mir. Whiting and he stated on Monday, which was September 8. Now you will notice in the quoted telegram he said since we know that you were anxious to have our decision as soon as possible, you will see that he knew We were waiting for it and anxious for it. We wanted a month and half for it.
 But let's see if he really did want to get it to us as quickly as possible Note these facts and dates and judge for yourself and see if there is not something strikingly strange, if not rotten, in this proceeding. Now here is the crux of this proposition. Mir. Phillips on Monday, September 8, con ferred with Mir. Whiting. In a later telegram of Mir. Writings, dated Sep tember 19, he said his decision was reached before Mir. Phillips visit but not sent pending Mir. Writings review. Note Mir. Writings report was dated Friday, September 12. Now they say and they say that they had the de- cision ready before Mir. Phillips visit but was waiting for Mir. Whiting's re- view and MT. Whiting conferred with Mir. Phillips on Monday, September 8. Now, according to these dates, this re- port was not mailed until Friday, Sep stember 12 or five days after Mr. Phillips conference with Mir. Whiting and after they said they were in a hurry to get it to us? Or does it not look like that there was a definite un- derstanding between Phillips and Whit ing on the matter!
 T have seen no good sound reason yet assigned against granting the space in Capitol park. Feeling that there is a public interest involved and that the attitude of the architect and MT. Phil lips actions are not in keeping with good faith with the board and the other members, shall ask the park board at its next meeting to grant the space for this building"