Evening star., 1925-07-10
Commissioners, Replying to
Resolution, Assert Action
Was Justified.
REFUSAL TO MAKE PUBLIC
CASE DATA REITERATED
Good Administration REQUIRES
Silence on Many Points,
Board Says.

Reiterating the statement that the
demotion of Capt. Albert j. Headley
from inspector in charge of the Traf-
nc Bureau to captain of the fourth pre-
cinct was in the interest of good police
administration. the Board Of Commits
sioners today replied to the letter OF
the Chamber of Commerce and told
the chamber there were good reasons
why the change should have been
made
The Commissioners also stated in
their letter TO the chamber that in d.
recting the affairs of the District of
Columbia it sometimes becomes neces-
sary to take action without making
public all of the facts in connection
with it. They stated that it would not
be in the public interest to depart
from this we'll established policy.
Text of City Heads Reply.
The complete text of the letter, writ
ten by Daniel f. Garges, secretary to
the Board of Commissioners, to A. E.
Seymour, secretary of the Chamber of
Commerce, follows:
| MY Dear Mr.. Seymour:
The Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia are in receipt of your
letter of June 8. forwarding copy OF
a resolution of the board of directors
of the chamber, reading as follows:
" Resolved, that the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia be
requested to rescind the order of June
10, 1925, demoting Inspector Headley,
and that the inspector be not denoted
unless charges publicly made be so
clearly established as TO justify such
punishment with request that the
resolution be given careful considera-
ton.
I'm reply, am directed by the Com
missioners of the District of Columbia
to state that it is their feeling that
they are charged with the administra-
tion and control of District govern
ment affairs, and in doing so. it some
times becomes necessary TO take ac-
ton in matters without making pub
lie all the facts that were considered
by them before taking such action.
To depart from this we'll established
policy and make public all facts con-
corning matters presented to them, on
which their administrative acts are
based, would not, in their opinion, be
in the public interest.
Was "Good Administration"
I'm the matter of the demotion of
Inspector Headley to captain and his
rea ssignment, the facts and circuna-
stances of the case were given more
than usual attention. AS you well
recently passed with the object of
improving traffic conditions, and it
was the earnest desire of the Commits
sioners to have traffic law carried out
in the most effective manner, as they
felt it was the desire of Congress that
this should be done. In carrying out
this purpose, the Commissioners felt
that the interest of good police admin
istration required a change in the
head of the Police Traffic Bureau.
There were good reasons why this
change should have been made, and
the Commissioners weel that the action
taken by them in making the change
was in the public interest and that
1t would have been detrimental to
public interest to have trial pro-
ceeding in the matter.
The Commissioners hope that you
will appreciate their position in the
matter.
The letter was made public this
afternoon following the regular Fri
day board session of the Board of
Commissioners.