Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-21
PROBE OF HIGHWAY
BODY SUGGESTED
Former Maryland Official
Would Have Critical Ex-
animation" Made.
Special Dispatch to- The Star.

Special Dispatch to- The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, May 21.-Sugges-
ton was made to Gov. Ritchie last
night by Howard Bruce and John X.
Shaw, former members of the State
Roads Commission, that critical ex-
animation" be made of the commission.
This move was an outcome of the
recent friction which developed between
the State Roads Commission and Mont
gomery County regarding the payment
of the county'S debt to the commission
accrutng since 1924.
Bruce Issues Statement.
The suggestion was made in a 10-page
statement, issued by Mr.. Bruce, in an
swer to the criticisms of the commission
resulting from the Montgomery County
affair. Mr.. Shaw concurred in Mr..
Bruce'S statement, which contained
detailed exposition of how Montgomery
was allowed to accumulate a $4,000
debt against the roads body.
Gov. Richie made no definite answer
to Mr.. Bruce's proposal, saying he
would like several days to consider the
matter. Apparently the very thorough
statement of Mr. Bruce clears up the
facts of the situation" he declared. Il
would like, however, to have the OPP
portunity to go further into the subject
matter Of the statement"
MT. Bruce and Mr.. Shaw retired
from Office May IL, when they were
succeeded by Maj E. Brooke Lee, Mont
gomery County Democratic leader, and
Robert Lacy. They we're appointed fol-
lowing the State Roads Commission
scandal OF 1923 for the expressed pur-
pose of cleaning up the commission
and Transforming 1t into an efficient
organization.
System Declared Not Perfect.
Mr.. Bruce stated last night that 1.-The
system we have installed is not perfect,
but 1t does represent a busineSslike
method Of administering affairs of this
character. 1t Is subject to many i'm
provementS not only in accounting and
financial divisions, but also in the or
ganization of the physical end of the
work. Unless continuous pressure is
kept upon the organization to improve
its efficiency, I think eventually the
entire organization will drop back into
a nut. A realization of this condition
Is one Of the principal reasons why
felt it was necessary for me to resign,
as it was physically impossible for me
to give to the States work the amount
Reiterating his belief that Mont
gomery County should be charged in
terest on its recently settled debt, Mr..
Bruce suggested that the State Roads
Commission arrange to collect interest
in the future from counties "on any
expenditures in excess Of actual ac-
cruals in the hands of the State"
He said It had been impossible until
this year to determine the exact amount
of Montgomery Countys debt to the
commission.
Denies Discrimination.
Denial was made in the statement
that there had been any discrimination
against Montgomery County as was
charged by Mai. Lee. Mr.. Bruce said
that had not he and Mr. Shaw been
retiring from the commission, Mont
gomery would have been permitted
to settle its account as the new COM
mission allowed 1t to do by cash pay
ment and crediting 1t with its 1881 al
location Of State road construction
funds.
After examining the Montgomery
County transaction over the past six