Evening star., 1927-03-28
Commissioners Quickly Act
After Acceptance of Report
on Inquiry Into Traffic
Signal irregularities.
DIRECTOR Is DECLARED
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL
Bureau of Efficiency Findings, Ap-
proved by District Heads; Say
No Evidence Was Found, How
ever, of ANY Personal Profit
to Officials in Contracts.

Inc District commissioners TODAY
closed the sensational traffic light
scandal by accepting the resignation
OF Col |. c. Moller, suspended traffic
engineer, and giving Traffic Director
Nj. o. Eldridge the option OF resign
ing or being denoted to assistant
trafhc director on April /. Mr..
Eldridge has not decided what he
will do.
The action OF the Commissioners
came swiftly, following the recent
OF a preliminary report from the
Bureau of Efficiency on the result
OF its investigation into the irregu-
larIties in the Traffic Department in
connection with the purchase of traf
nc signals from the Grouse Kinds
Co. OF Syracuse, N. Y.
Confer With Commissioners.
The report was given to the Com
missionerS at conference with the
bureau OF Efficiency officials at the
bureau this morning The Commits
sloners returned to the District
building and convened immediately
IN a special session, to which thev
invited Mr.. Eldridge and Col. Moller
A statement issued by the Commits.
sioners following the meeting explain.
ed their action as follows.
The Commissioners. with tho aid
Oh the Bureau of Efficiency, have conn
pieted a-eareful and thorough investi.
CATION of the Traffic Bureau. The
Pre- @pIellminary report of the Bureau of
Emcleney has been received TODAY
The findings of the Bureau of Efici.
ency are concurred in by the Commits.
sioners. Col. l. c. Moller has this dav
submitted his resignation. which has
Deeh accepted. and terminates his
connection with the District govern.
ment without reinstatement. foIlowine
ms suspension without nav. Mr.
Eidrldge has been advised that he
may. as of April 1. 1927, accept an
pointment as assistant traffic director
at salary of S4.400 per annuY,, or
that the Commissioners ,,non ,h,s
GATE VIII accept his resignation as
trame director effective 80 days there
after"
Eidridge Signed Letter.
The preliminary report of the
Elnclency Bureau, i'm which the Com.
mlssloners concurred. involved Direc.
tor Eidrldge in the Irregularities by
eApialnlng that he signed a letter.
oHectlng the substitution of certain
materials and approved q voucher
covering the substitutions. The re.
port added that Mr.. Eldr.d .dge is nor
quahned to be continued in his pres.
eht position as administrative head of
the department and that Col. Moller
snouid not be continued in the public
ssr Pc wee: Inc bureau. however, declar-
ed that it had found no evidence to
show that either of these officials
were animated by dishonest motives
OF pronted In any way from the ir-
reg SuiarltleS or that the Government
SuHered any loss as q result of s,,ch
irregularities. u sueh
Inc report bore the signature of
herbert ID. Brown, chief of the R,rea,,
OF EHlclency. 1t follows:
rms bureau has practically com.
irregularities in the operations oT fhe
office of the Director of Traffic and
VIII furnish you a complete report i'm
the near future. The conclusions
reached are set forth herein for yol,r
information.
Irregularities Are Cited.
The responsibilities of Mr.. NJ. o.
Eidrldge, Director of Traffic, and Col.
!. Z. Moller. his principal assistant.
for these Irregularities have been
SHOWN TO have been as follows:
Col Moller issued unauthorized in
structions to the Crouse-Hinds 60 fo
substitute materials other than those
called Tor under contract; certified to
a voucher covering receipt of mate.
rails which he knew to be false. and
distracted from the Office files official
papers dealing with these transac
tions.
|Mr. Eldridge participated i'm the
irregularities by signing a letter di-
rect1ng that SubStitutions be made
and approving the voucher covering
the substitutions. BY these acts. he
either participated knowingly or will
lngly in the Irregularities or else
showed woeful lack of appreciation
OF the responsibilities of the head of
a department to inform himself con-
corning matters pertaining to the ex-
penditure of Government funds.
Both Mr.. Eldridge and Col. Mol
Ter gave to the Grouse Kinds Com
pany information not furnished to
other prospective bidders for the
tAoihC AShL IOnlAdClS ana QlQ NOT
show proper interest and intent to
secure as full and as complete COM
petition as possible for these awards.
Held Not Qualified for Post.
ut is manifest that Col 1. C. Moller
should not be continued i'm the Gov
ernmene service, and that Mr.. M. o.
Eldridge is not qualified to be con-
tinued in his present position as adj
head of department.
There is no evidence to show that
either Col. Moller or Mr.. Eldridge
were animated by dishonest motives,
profited in any way from these irregu.
larities or that the Government suffer.
ed any loss as a result of such irreg.
ularities.''
Mr.. Eldridge announced after the
Commissioners had informed him of
their action that he would take under
the question of resigning
or accepting a post Of assistant traffic