Evening star., 1933-11-27
NEW CHARGES SPUR
|PLEA FOR INQUIRY
INTO WATSON ACTS
Fire Chief Accused of Being
deficiency Fanatic" in
Jameson Letter.
HAZEN REMAINS SILENT
PENDING FURTHER STUDY
Accusations Also Include Battalion
Chief Pierce-Mrs. Jenckes
Pushes Probe.

With written charges against Fire
Chief George S. Watson, filed by Paul
E. Jameson, attorney for the City Fire
Fighters Association, Representative
Virginia E. Jenckes, Democrat of In
diana, today renewed her request for
a congressional investigation of the ad-
ministration of the District Fire De-
partment.
Mrs. Jenckes revealed that Jameson
specifically accused Watson of being an
efficiency fanatic" whose "czarist
tyrannical and oppressive customs
constitute maIfeasance in Office
In the meantime Commissioner Mel
vim C. Hazen, who has supervision over
the Fire Department, awaited copy
of the formal charges and declined tc
comment until he has had an oppor-
tunity to study them. When jamie
sons general complaints against the
fire chief were made last week Com
missioner Hazen ordered an indepen-
dent investigation by District officials
for his guidance.
Calls Watson a The0rist.
Jameson, in his written charges, de-
never fought fire in his life" and de-
spite poor health he remains on the
District pay roll He further charges
that Watson's chief aide. Battalion
Chief E r. Pierce, never fought fire
in his life,' and that his title is sub
terfuge
Charges also are made by Jamiesor
that Watson dominates the fire depart.
ment trial board, that rules of evidence
are not adhered to during trials. ane
that the fire chiefs pets" are the ones
who enjoy promotions in the depart
ment.
Mrs. Jenckes submitted copies o.
Jamieson's charges to Chairman King
of the Senate District Committee. anc
Chairman Norton of the House Dtstric
Committee, with suggestion that tint
investigation BE- conducted by the lat
ter committee or the joint committees
Retirement Is Secuted.
Friends of Watson said he would not
apply for voluntary retirement while
under charges, and Commissioner Hazer
indicated ne would not ask him to do so
Watson is Ct years old and could re-
tire voluntarily or be retired. by order
of the Commissioners. A member OF the
Fire Department is subject to retirement
after 25 years of service upon reaching
the age of SIS if he suffers physical dis
abilities incurred in line of duty. He
also may be retired after 25 years OF
service upon reaching the age OF 90.
The age for automatic retirement In
the Fire Department is "a, but this
rule has been set aside by the Com
missioners as an economy move. leaving
~
determining factor.
Denies Any Prejudice.
Mrs. Jenckes pointed out that hel
interest in the case is not based or
prejudice" but a desire to serve the
fire department and the residents o.
the District She is member OF the
House District Committee.
, Mrs. Jenckes declared the fire de.
partment is an important branch o
public service, and that Congress shoult
provide every possible facility to make
it a model for the Nation. She sale
this motivated her request for an in
vestigation of the charges.
Jameson, in the detailed charges, de.
clared that because of the fire depart
ment trial board set up, and its domina
ton by Watson. "it is next to impossible
for defendant to get an unbiased i'm
partial trial" To his personal knowl
edge. he said. men have been charged
with one thing and tried for another.
Says Regulations Impossible.
Watson also issued a bulletin, ia
miescn charged, containing hundred
of regulations which go into ever.
| phase of fireman'S official and pri
vate life. These. he said, are so stric
that no human being can live and no
break some Of them every day of hi
life. Notwithstanding this, he said, fo
breach of any one Of these regula
tions a fireman. on complaint, can b.
brought before the Trial Board ant
given punishment without limitation 81
| long as the punishment Is confined t.
| extra hours of duty or fine to be de
Quoted from his pay.
Charges Favoritism.
Jameson cited one alleged instance
| of discrimination. He declared mar
was charged, tried and dismissed fol
failure to pay a small admitted debt
whereas in another case charges wer'
| never preferred :gainst one of watson
pets" against whom civil judgment!
were rendered by the local courts ant
the facts made known to him.
'As a matter of fact" Jameson said
this pet has been consistently pro
noted
"Firemen, as well as policemen" HI
added. "are at present 'nominally' un
der civil service protection, and thei
appointments and promotions ar,
presumably controlled by the result o
competitive examinations, nevertheless
it is a known fact throughout the Fir
Department that the chief engineer
| pets are the ones who get ahead"