Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-24
WOODWARD in
UNIQUE PLACE
State Scion May Resign 30
Relatives Can Get APP
pointments

rrcrrN June 24-Reports OF
100 r q Woodward's selection as
! member Of the state pardon and
narole board, declared by Gov. Dan
Moody to be unauthorized" have
brought out a unique quirk in the
history OF the nepotism, or kinfolks,
law of Texas.
Three public offices are affected.
Reports have 1t that Sen. Walter
q. Woodward Of Coleman has found
a way to cut the Gordian knot
which closed the door of reappoint-
ment on the University Of Texas
board Of regents to his sister. Mrs.
Fl. j. O'Hair Of Coleman. and which
affects the holding by his father.
Judge Woodward, Of the place on
the pardon and parole board.
Reports have 1t Sen. Woodward
Is ready to resign his office after the
special sessions TO permit his father
TO qualify for an appointive state
post
Should he do so, it would remove
the issue on which Gov. Moody de-
clined to reappoint Mrs. O'Hair as
the only woman member ever on
the university board. Mrs. O'Hair
has been left on the board, though
she has declined to attend the past
+wo sessions, after Gov. Moody told
her in his opinion the nepotism
law barred her reappointment.
Sen. Woodward contends 1t does
not apply to her since she draws
no compensation for serving as a
regent.
But Judge Woodward, whose ap-
pointment TO the parole board at
one time was rumored as a fact,
would come under the nepotism law
as a salaried officer. and the only
solution whereby he could be named
would lie in Sen. Woodward's re-
tirement from the senate before his
appointment.
Sen. Woodward has not discussed
this report that he may quit his
own office after the summer Ses-
sions Of the legislature s. that one
or the other, Mrs. O,Hair or Judge
Woodward, could hold an important
administrative state post. The GUS
tom of office holders invariably is
to submit a resignation first before
disclosing 1t publicly; and II Sen.
Woodward is considering or plan
ming this step, he has followed this
custom. So far as known. nc has
not been asked. will you resign
from the senator"
Three corroborative features add
TO plausibility Of the reports:
Sen. Woodward is known to have
discussed the possible appointment
Of his father to a state office that
the father could hold only II the
senator were out Of his present Of
fetal position
Gov. Moody said reports Of Judge
Woodward's imminent appointment
were unauthorized" but refrained
from saying they were unfounded
He did not deny he may have dis
cussed appointing the senior Wood
ward, or even have rendered the
place to him.
Then Gov. Moody announced ne
will not take the third appointment
to the pardon and parole board un-
til late August, which would mean
after the present sessions have been
finished. Then Sen. Woodward's
resignation from the senate would
leave little work unfinished in the
present body; though he holds a
four-year term extending through
the And legislature as well.
Regardless of whether Sen. Wood
ward contemplates resigning in IA
vor Of permitting his father or his
sister-in-law to hold a public office
the triangular situation in which
the two others are affected by his
own public position Is admittedly the
only one Of its kind in the history
Of the state.