Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-11
. HAVENNER REFUSES
TO OPPOSE CROSBY
AS DISTRICT HEAD
Declines to Discuss Appoint
ment of General at Trade
Board Meeting.
AGREES ONLY TO FIGHT
JONES DISTRICT BILL
President Murphy of Board of
Trade Plans United Fight on
Military Appointment.

The first break in the plans for a COM
certed city-wide protest against the
substitution of a military man for a
civilian on the Board of District Com
missioners developed today when DR..
George c. Havenner, president of the
Federation of Citizens Associations, de-
clined to participate in the conclave
tomorrow of civic, commercial and labor
leaders if the selection Of Maj. Gen.
Herbert B. Crosby as successor to Com
missioner Dougherty is to be discussed.
DR.. Havenner'S position was made
known in letter replying to the formal
invitation of President E. ]. Murphy Of
the Board of Trade to represent organ
lied citizenship of the District at the
. conference. The federation head said
he was willing to discuss the Jones bill
liberalizing the residential requirements
of Commissioner, which his organiza-
ton opposes, but not the issue involved
in Presidents HooverS announced in
tention of appointing Gen. Crosby to a
commiSsionShip. He gave as his reason
the present uncertainty Of the fedora
tions attribute on this question.
The Jones bill, 1t was pointed out at
is one Of the topics for discussion at the
conference, although Murphys primary
purpose in calling the conference was
to consider the appointment OF mill
tary man as Commissioner. It was
Murphy'S idea, it was explained, to lay
the foundation at this meeting for q
united and effective citizens protest
against what he declares is a violation
of the organic act of the District, which
three Commissioners shall be chosen
from civilian ranks.
Federation Attitude Doubtful.
Aside from the surprise created by
DR.. Havenner'S action, 1t made doubtful
the attitude of the federation with re-
spect to Gen. CroSbys selection for
Commissioner Dougherty's post. While
the federation opposed the Jones bill,
it has not considered yet the question
raised as to eligibility Of retired Army
officer to serve as civilian Commissioner.
The federation will meet Saturday
night, and the subject will probably be
debated. A partial poll Of the most &C
tive delegates to the federation tndi-
Gated that there is a decided division
of opinion. The administration leaders,
however. are reported planning TO adj
vocate either a "hands-off" policy or
one that viii not be critical OF Presi-
The administration leaders, It was
eaid. take the position that the PreSi-
dent turned to Gen. Crosby, after
group of Washington's most prominent
men eligible for the appointment had
turned It down, and inasmuch as the
Attorney General has ruled that the
officer will be eligible to serve after ne
retires from the Army the Federation
Nrk anYONtnfn0nf.
decides to take a definite stand.
Moreover, the Federation leaders are
of the opinion, it was said, that Presi-
dent Hoover Is determined 70 appolnC
Gen. Crosby, despite any public protest.
and that it might prove to be empar-
RAISING to organized citizenship to OPP
pose the appointment.
Crosby Endorsed Once.
Tn the meantime, however, neighbor-
hood citizens associations continue TO
register protest against what they con-
tend is a violation Of the spirit, II not
the letter, of the Districts organic act.
only one of these organizations which
has met this week Endorsed Gen. eros
by's selection, and that was the Con-
greSs Heights Citizens Association. A
number OF other associations Will meet
tonight.
Robert ]. Cottrell, executive secretary
of the Board of Trade, who is assisting
president Murphy with arrangements
for the conference of the civic, COM
mercial and labor leaders, again reiter-
ated that the organizations opposition
to Gen. Crosby Is not personal.
He said: 1.-THE organic act OF the Dis
trict specifically declares that two Of
the Commissioners shall be civilians.
The substitution of an Army off1cer in
these posts removes another Of the last
remaining remnants of local represen-
tation in the government of the Dis
fricf -