Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-12
EDUCATION BOARD
INQUIRY DEMANDED
AT HOUSE HEARING
Mr.. Hammer Cites Charges
That Some Members Were
Limited in Actions.
JUSTICE is ACCUSED
OF EXACTING PROMISES
Gasque Denounces Delay of Meas
ures Which Might Raise
Controversies.

Demand for an investigation Of
charges made before the Gibson sub
committee of the House District COM
mittee that certain candidates for the
Board of Education had been given
orders and bound regarding their
actions on the board to which they
were forced to agree before they re.
ceived appointment was made at the
meeting of the, House District commit.
| tee today by Representative William
| C.. Hammer, Democrat, of North Caro-
| lima.
The old school board row flared up
again today when Mrs. Norton, Demo
crat, of New Jersey, read to the COM
| mittee letter from j. G.. Yaden, pres
| ident of the Federation of Citizens As
| sociations, calling attention to pro-
/ spective vacancy on the Board of Edu-
cation and advising that Washington
| should know of this in order that they
might suggest candidates for the Of
| flee before the vacancy is filed. He
referred to the resignation of Edwin
c. Graham, not yet accepted, which
became known today.
Unnamed Jurist Accused.
Representative Ralph Gilbert,
Democrat, of Kentucky, then called
attention to testimony by Capt. julius
| I. Peyser, a former member of the
school board, and a former woman
member to the effect that candidates
| had been compelled to promise to do
certain things before receiving ap-
pointment. 1t was stated specifically
| that justice, unnamed, had par
| ticipated in these demands upon
, prospective members. Mr.. Hammer
! said he knew nothing about the truth
or falsity of the charge, but that the
officials concerned had every right TO
vindication, or, if guilty, both those
| who exacted and those who gave the
| promise should be prosecuted. he
said that failure of the committee to
act would be gross neglect and IN
| justice
REPRESENTATIVE Frank r. Reid. Re-
! publican, of Illinois, chairman OF the
subcommittee on education, agreed 10
! have the subcommittee investigate
/ these charges
When Chairman Zihlman was
questioned regarding spec1tlc meas
ures laid aside in Difference 10 the
| demands of the House leadership that
| controverted measures should not pe
called IN. he named the workmenS
compensation bill, the Gasque school
board bill and the incorporation or
non profit making organizations. he
stated also that Representative Blan-
ton has served notice he intends 10
6Ie a minority report on the park po-
lice pay bill.
Gasque Protests Delay.
Representative Gasque protested
that If the District committee gives
the neople of the District to under
stand that they need hope for no leg
isIation except that unanimously
agreed to by the committee, the cltl-
zens of Washington Will be IN very
had fix" Mr.. Gasque stated thaC eX-
tensive hearings at considerable eX-
nansa have been held on his measure
and that it has the support or apout
90 per cent of the organizations ana
citizens in Washington. He demanded
that forceful representation should %
made to the House leadership IN or
der that the House members might be
given an opportunity to vote upon
this measure.
The District committee ordered
favorable report on a bill sponsored
bv Minority Leader Garrett autholIz-
ing the sale by the director or puohG
buildings and parks of the Natlonal
CanitaI of a small tract of land at the
1,arein of Rock Creek and Potomac
parkway for the construction OF
church and provision for proper IN
gress and egress to and from sucn
building.
The land in question is on Twenty
second street between P and q streets,
where there is now a small temporary
structure of the Church of the PHI
e,rims. Mr.. Garrett and Rev. An
drew Reid Bird, the pastor, explain
ed that it is the intention or TINS con-
gregation to build new church. The
land formerly belonged to this con-
eregation. which purchased 1t about
three weeks before it was acquired
by the National Capital Park Commits
sion. and the congregation lost about
81 900 on the deal The bill provides
that the land shall be reacquired by
the church at the same price that it
was taken by the park commission.
Representative Gibson questioned
Chairman Zihlman regarding pros.
poets of other District days in the
House. Mr.. Zihlman said that House
Leader Tilson had expressed conf
dence that after the appropriation
be available for consideration of other
District legislation. Mr.. Zihlman said
that with the close of the session
drawing near all urgent District meas.
ures should be pressed for earliest pos
sible consideration.
Seek to Expedite Work.
Mr. Gibson asked particularly re-
garding the bill for reorganizing
work in the recorder of deeds Office,
and regarding the fugitive law asked
by Maj. Hesse, superintendent of the
Metropolitan Police. Chairman Nc.
Leod of the subcommittee will meet
said that the subcommittee will meet
Monday to consider these measures.
Mr.. Zihlman said that he had had con-
ferences with Chairman Madden of
the appropriations committee and the
recorder of deeds. with the result that
there is no disposition to prevent
action on that measure. but rather
that the recorder of deeds is anxious
for the new law. as he is going ahead,
as far as he can, under existing law
with the cooperation of the Bureau
of Efficiency to expidite work in his
office, which has been many months
in arrears.
The Reid home rule bill for the Dis
trict was referred to the judiciary SUBJ
Mr.. Gilbert insisted that an agree.
ment should be reached OF the PRO-