The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-25
NOTHING SAID
TO ROAD CAR
At SHOWDOWN
Expected Clash at Meeting
Today Results Only in
Faint 'PIop.'
'0THER BUSINESS FIRST
Commissioners Go Out to
Lunch With Williams
After Iona Confab.
'0THER BUSINESS FIRST

The showdown" meeting at
which the state highway commits
sion was scheduled to tell Director
John L. Williams his service as a
state official is at an end appeared
10 be anything but decisive this aft
ernoon.
The commission locked itself up
with Williams in Williams private
office at l1:25 a. m. Word was
passed around that Williams was
going to be given his walking papers.
Rt lis the commissioners and
Williams walked out, announcing
they were going to lunch.
Talk Routine Business"
Commissioner Albert j. Wedeking
confessed to beseiging reporters that
they had not even mentioned resig-
nation to Williams, but had talked
about routine business"
Asked if the resignation was to
be broached this afternoon Wede-
king said: 1--WE might if we get
through with our other business"
Commissioner Jess L. Murden
Rep., Peru, spokesman for the
commission in the custer move
ment, had changed front somewhat
just before the meeting opened.
Last week Murden emerged from
three-hour conference with Will
lians to announce that he had con-
veyed the word that Governor Har-
ry G. Leslie wanted Williams to re-
sign and give the dictatorship to
John ]. Brown, Rockport, now serv-
ing as the Governors secretary.
Today he declared that the resig-
nation request was entirely COM
mission matter and the Governor
} had nothing to do with it.
Hearing Required
Formal custer action was set for
today with indications that Will
liarns will fight on the grounds that
he cannot be removed except for
''lnalfeasance, ineff1ciency or fail
ure to perform his duty under the
law.
The law requires notice and hear
ing before the commission.
Saturday conference was ar
ranged between Williams and Gov
ernor Leslie and the result was
said to have been assurance by the
chief executive that he would as
sumo a hands off, policy today.
Those close to Leslie, however,
feel that should the commission fail
to carry out the custer program he
will take a whip hand.
up to Commission"
The commission had before it a
letter written by Luke w. Duffey,
former member of the legislature
and one of the trainers of the high
way law.
"As Joint author of both the half
baked act of 1917 and the. complete
result-getting modern act of 1919,
1 assure you, after fully recalling
all legislative deliberations over the
road bills subject matter, of no in
tention on the part of the law
making body sitting i'll Judgment on
the merits of the law to provide
for a directors services beyond the
will of the commission, wrote
DufTey.
'The director was to be notM g
more than the eye, arm, or dire :
working agency of your board. tt
nuch-quoted cause for removal
reciting "inefficiency, malfeasance
or neglect Of duty was inserted N
the law to cover any blunder or
official hardness of the director and
does not suggest any great right OF
tax x-spending heritage nor does It
propose or contemplate on the part
of this mere hireling of your body
a lifetime patronage at the public
trough.
Demand for Relief
Plainly there is a statewide de-
nand for relief from the Williams
policy of free lancing in road build
ing. There is a pronounced senti-
ment directing your body to assume
more responsibility in the spending
of these vast millions of hard
earned tax funds.
The pTport and the spirit of the
law charges you severally with
strict accountability to the peoples
chosen high officer. the accredited
constitutional fountain head of au-
thority-the Governor of the state.