The Washington times., 1930-02-08
UNION LABOR JOINS IN FIGHT ON GEN. CROSBY
HITS.
PRINCIPLE OF
ARMY RULE

''The Trades Unionist" official
organ of the Central Labor
Union of washington, today
TONED forces with civic and
business leaders. in opposing the
appointment Of Mai. Gen. Her.
bert B. Crosby to succeed Dis
trict Commissioner Proctor L.
Dougherty.
In q front page editorial the
publication characteriZeS the
"civilian status Of a retired army
officer" as splitting hairs and
calls upon labor generally to join
with others in opposing the ap-
pointment of another military
man to the board Of commits
Gioners.
Policy Is Questioned
While not questioning the abil.
ity Of General Crosby to fill the
position the Trades Unionist"
does question the adviSability Of
the military and civil branches
Of the Government being mingled.
The editorial reads:
The report in the public press
that President Hoover has de-
cided to appoint Mai. Gen. Her
bert B. Crosby as one Of the Com
missioners Of this city comes with
shocking surprise to those Of us
who suffer the humiliation Of the
deprivation Of citizenship as resi-
dents Of the District Of Columbia.
when one considers the anoma.
lollS situation of the government
of the District Of Columbia as the
capital city of a country, whose
citizens can so proudly and with
such justifiable pride point to the
Declaration Of Independence and
our constitutional form of govern
nent, it makes US residents hang
our heads in shame ut the
thought Of being such political
serfs. that. after a period Of more
than so years, the slight veStige
which we have in our government
Is to be destroyed and the intent
of the act of 1878 is to be nuli-
fled.
Precedent Is Feared
'It also heralds to the balance
OF the country an erroneous i'm
preston of our lack of man
power capable of creditably fill
ing with distinction these strictly
local government positions.
I'VE have no criticism of the
fitness Of Major General Crosby
for this important position, but
the principle involved tranScends
person. It is splitting hairs to
say that a man retiring from the
military branch of Government
becomes in the true sense of the,
term a civilian and qualified to
come within the purview of the
Act Of 1878.
"The military branch Of our
Government should be kept sepa-
rate and distinct from that of our
civilian, and the barrier between
should not be relaxed for a sin
gle instant. The confirmation
Of Major General Crosby would
be the establishment Of a prece-
dent that might lead to extreme
danger even though it presun1-
ably affects only us voteless
Washingtonians. Militarism con-
veys thoughts Of war and all it's
abhorrent features and when in
jected into civilian life takes on
the spirit of the martial.
ut is not with contumelious
thought that we thus criticise
this appointment, but eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty
and organized labor of the Dis
trict Of Columbia with all its
power vehemently joins with all
other opponents against the con
fi1mation Of Maj. Gen. Herbert
3. Crosby as one Of the Commis-
Sloners Of the District of Colum-
bia."
Darr Writes Hoover
Charles w. Darr, president of
the Chamber of Commerce, in a
letter to President Hoover. asked
CnaG further consideration be
given to the appointment of Gen.
eral Crosby. His letter reads:
:. AT their regular meeting, the
board OF directors of the Wash.
mgton Chamber of Commerce ex-
pressed hope that the news
papers were incorrect in repre-
Senting you as considering the
appointment of a gentleman at
present an officer in the regular
Army to the position of Commis-
sioner of the District of Colun.
bia.
Their sentiment on the board
Is based upon profound feeling
that the last remnant of local
representation in the government
Of the District of Columbian
the form of two appointive civilian
Commissioners should be pre-
served and that such officers
should be civilian in the Gus
tomary sense and as in the case,
Tyler VS.. United States, in which
it was held that a retired mill
tary officer must be regarded as
retaining a military status.
Crime Charges Questioned
''It is their belief further that
aspersions recently cast upon the
city of Washington with refer
ence in particular to crime con-
ditions lack any substantial basis
Of fact and that the abandon
ment now on the time-honored
custom in the appointment of
civilian Commissioners would tend
to clothe those aspersions with
an appearance of truth which
they In reality do not possess.
M WiRm Af this Salatinaaak ~