The Washington times., 1925-07-18
DAMAGING
CHARGES
MADE BY
TEXAN
Favoritisn and Inordinate
Craving for Power Alleged
Against Director of Parks

Charging favoritism and inordi-
nate craving for power on the
part of Lieutenant Colonel G. 0.
Sheriff., director of public build
ings and parks, Congressman
Thomas L. Blanton today agair
became the center of a flaming
controversy.
mo car has ever been in more
complete control than you are
over one-seventh of the District
Of Columbia" Blanton tells
Colonel Sheriff., in lengthy doc
ument replete with detailed
charges against the latter's con-
.4uct of his office.
Wide Variety Of Charges.
congressman Blanton's alIega-
tons range from the picturesque to
the damaging and include the fol-
lowing:
That the cOncessionaire of the
East Potomac Golf course, Loef-
fIer, is not paying cent TO the
Federal Government for his pFivil-
eye and is waxing rich off the
business.
That the tourist camp in East
Potomac Park is being run in a
slip-shOd way, that permits graft
ing on the part of employees.
That Captain w. l.. McMOrrts,
captain Of park police, was
caught" by a policeman with
an unIighted automobile behind
park shrubbery, and that the
police had been prohibited from
stealing up" ON automobiles
since that time.
That army and navy officers
and their wives have been per-
mitted to violate persistently au-
tOmobile regulations.
That park policemen, making
$85 monthly salary and furnishing
their own uniform, are often
dealt with arbitrarily and I'M
Justly by their superiOrs.
To Fight for Headley.
CONGRESSMAN Blanton also declares
he intends to make a fight for In
spector Headley, recently denoted
makes this statement:
II am not Ku Klux. and never
have been one But for a quarter
of a century l have been a Shriner,
a Knight TempIar Mason and a
thirtlsecond degree Scottish Rite
Mason. l wouldn't stand for perse-
cutting a Catholic out of his job
because he was a Catholic. and |
am dead sure that l am not going
to stand by silently and see a Ma
son prosecuted out of his job simply
because he is a Mason"
I have implicit confidence in our
Commissioners and in Traffic Direc-
tor Eldridge, and am backing
them up with all there is in me IN
their worthy efforts to bring order
out of chaos. But when the time
comes, I intend to fight for legis-
lation that will pay Inspector Head
ley of the Metropolitan Force, his
pay, both now and in
retirement. And Inspector Head
lev is a Catholic.
Through an affidavit presented by
Park Policeman Thomas j. Osborne,
Congressman Blanton says that re-
igious issues have been injected
INTO the management of the police
force and broken down its morale.
Sees Graft in Bridge.
A prediction that the construc-
ion of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge will be characterized by
graft and waste is made by the
Texan, who calls attention to the
act that the original estimate OF
he cost of the Francis Scott Key
Bridge was $1,000.OOO and that it
,ost $2,300,00O before 1t was fin
shed.
The new Tea House in Potomac
Park. conducted by Girl Scouts,
8 characterized as a waste or the
ak payers money by Congressman
3lanton.
Joker In Traffic Law.
A Joker" in the new traffic law
tlso is found by the Texan. He
,ays:
Il find an innocent looking little
,Iause which provides that nothing
contained in the act shall be con-
,trued to interfere with the ex-
.lusive charge and control hereto
ore committed TO you, and that
,ou are authorized and empowered
O make and enforce all regulations
or the control of vehicles and
rattle, and limiting the speed there
4 on the public grounds in the Dis
riot How that provision EoE MO