Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02
FEDERATION HITS
ANY BOND ISSUE
Reappointment of Bell Urged
After Commissioner Is
Praised and Opposed.

Vigorous opposition to the floating
of bond issues for any purpose at this
time was voiced by the Federation
of Citizens Associations in resolu-
ton unanimously adopted at a regular
meeting in the boardroom of the Dis
trict Building last night. Under the
terms of the resolution. which was in
troduced by Delegate Charles I.
Stengle. the body voted to use all
legitimate means ito prevent the
further burdening of our taxpayers
with costs for the carrying out OF
projects of a national scope at local
expense
BY yea and nay vote taken after
prolonged and acrimonious discus
sion among several of the delegates,
the federation also adopted reso-
luton submitted by the Takoma Park
Citizens Association urging upon
President Coolidge the reappointment
OF Col. j, Franklin Bell as Engineer
Commissioner. The vote was 81 to 4.
Opposition Draws Praise.
Opposition to the adoption of the
resolution urging the continuance in
ONCE of Engineer Commissioner Bell
was led by G. w. Ayers and Snowden
Ashford. but the opposition caused
nearly a dozen of the delegates to
laud Col. Bell as the most efficient
Engineer Commissioner the District
has ever had. Mr.. Ayers told the
federation he thought "a bigger man"
could be found for the job, while
Mr.. Ashford said he was opposed to
the federatfon's indorsing any one for
a commissionership or other office at
any time.
A statement by Mr.. Ayers that he
had endeavored to place before Presi.
dent Coolidge the name of Col, George
X. Spaulding, now In the Louisville
district, as a desirable army officer to
replace Col. Bell provoked the ire of
Harry n. Stull, who, in the course
of a reply. stamped Mr.. Ayres as "a
character assassinator. Upon the OBJ
lection OF the delegates, this reference
was stricken from the record Mr..
Stull, then charged that Mr.. Ayres
would not dare to go and tell Col.
Bell to his face some Of the remarks
he made before the Gibson subcom-
mittee."
At the first opportunity Mr.. Ayres
replied to Mr.. Stull by reminding him
that he had not attacked the charac-
ter of Col. Bell, saying, on the con-
trary, that he had found him a cour-
teous and obliging man with whom
to DEAL
Claims Council Attacked.
Mr.. Stull then asked Mr.. Ayers
If he did not think he had attacked
the character of members of the
Citizens Advisory Council when he
told the Gibson committee this body
was dominated by Theodore w.
Noyes."
Mr.. Ayers said he did not.
The vote on the Bell resolution fol-
lows: Mayo. W. Ayers, Snowden
Ashford, Lemuel Fugit and John A.
Saul
Yea-David Babp, E. J. Brennan,
William Brady, c. A. Barker, A. w.
Barnes, Charles W. G.. Brett, Charles
w. Campbell, John S. Driggers, Hugh
NJ. Frampton, NJ. J. Gleason, A. H.
Gregory, Lewis Gelbman, George c.
Havenner, J. G. Hefty, Edwin S.
ney, DR.. w. P. Kenealy, William v.
Lewis, Thomas Lodge, George F.
Mitchell. E. c. Purdy, d. n. Shoe
maker, Harry N. Stull, w. /. Swan
ton, Mrs. Frank Hiram Smell, Charles
I. Stengle, Robert L. Strobel, Fred
Walker, James G. Yaden and George
M. Yeatman.
In introducing the resolution oppos.
ing the bond issue. Mr.. Stengle ad.
monished the delegates to act at
once to defeat the movement afoot to
float bonds, declaring that IL they
did not act at the meeting last night
they might as well not act at all.
Text Of Resolution.
The resolution, which was unani.
mously adopted after some effort to
forestall the issue, follows
Whereas, 1t appears that efforts
are being made to secure the floating
of bonds. for the purpose of procuring
funds with which to purchase pro-
spective park sites, with a strong DOS
sibility that the cost OF such pro-
ceeding Is to be 'saddled' upon the
taxpayers of this city, and the pay
ment sof such bonded indebtedness is
to be- levied as municipal charge;
and,
Whereas 1t is our belief that the
city'sS present fiscal policy Of pay m
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