Evening star., 1924-03-26
Subcommittee Also to Re-
ceive Pleas for O. K. on
Oyster and Rudolph.
| WILL PASS ON MERITS
OF OBJECTIONS MADE
Opponents of Commissioners Given
Until Monday to File State
ment of Views.

A subcommittee Of the Senate
District committee was authorized to-
day by the committee to receive all
protests and objections against the
confirmation of Commissioners Ru-
dolph and Oyster. These protests
must be written and must be signed
by. the person who makes them. They
must be in the hands Of the sub
committee by Monday morning.
The subcommittee will then con-
slider whether these protests are suf-
ficiently serious to warrant going
into and whether hearings should
be granted to the persons making
them.
The subcommittee will then report
to the full committee and the full
committee will decide upon the ques-
ton of hearings and whether the
hearings should be open or in execu-
tive session.
Senator Ball chairman of the Dis
trict committee, said following the
there was some question as to
whether the hearings on nominations
could be open, If the rules of the
Senate are strictly adhered to.
Will Hear Both Sides
The subcom mittee appointed to re-
ceive the protests against the Com
missioners will also receive any
recommendations that may be sub
mitted in favor of tbs confirmation
Of the District Commissioners
Senator Edwards of New Jersey,
democrat, is chairman of the subcom-
mittee and the other members are
Senator King of Utah, democrat, and
Senator Weller of Maryland, repub-
lican. The protests or recommends
tions must be sent to the office of
the chairman, Senator Edwards.
The session of the full committee
today at which the nominations of
the Commissioners were considered
and this procedure decided upon was
executive, lasting for nearly an hour.
Protests Confirmation.
Senator Ball today received a let
ter from A NJ. Lawson. president OF
the Central Labor Union, protesting
against confirmation of the nomina-
tions of the two civilian Commissioners,
Rudolph and Oyster, and suggesting
that Seator Ball, because of "busi-
ness association" with and warm
personal feeling for the Commits :
sioners not conduct the hearings on
the nominations and not vote on the
nominations.
Senator Ball said that he had no
intention of abdicating the chair
manship of the committee tempo
rarily, as suggested, and that he had
no business relations with the Com
missioners which could embarrass
him in handling the nominations.
Text of Protest Letter.
The letter received by Senator Ball
from Mr.. Lawson follows:
'1t has come to our attention that
the District Commissioners in giving
their names and influence to stock
promotion schemes have failed to
maintain that high standard of per-
sonal conduct becoming their official
position.
Cases in point are their associa-
tion with the Walker Hotel Company
promotion plan, Commissioner Oys-
ter'S affiliation with many concerns
such as the American Coal Company
a mortgage and investment company
the Hazen Oil Company and the Grand
Central Garage Company, of which
cause of your own close connection
with the last three. In view of these
and such other matters as Commits
sioner Rudolph's illegal granting OF
contracts to the firm of Rudolph &
West, Commissioner Oysters use OF
police force for private purposes, his
failure to enforce the health and nuis-
auce laws, his general unfitness for
public service, and the failure of both
Commissioners to enforce the build
ing regulations, we do hereby protest
against their reappointment
Because of your warm personal
friendship for the Commissioners, and
your business association with them
we also ask that some other person
than yourself conduct the hearings
and that you be spared the embarass-
ment of voting in the matter A list
of persons who can substantiate these
stat tements will be placed in your
hands. i am for the Central Labor
Union and it's executive board, very
sincerely yours.
"A. NJ. LAWSON, President"