Evening star., 1933-04-06
PCOMM|TTEE ROW
\. ON PLEAFOR BRIDE
Representatives Norton and
Y Patman Stir District Com
mittee Session.

There was a lively row between
Chairman Norton of the House District
of Columbia Committee and Represent
ative Patman, Democrat, of Texas, after
the House District Committee meeting
today which continued after the session
adjourned, an outgrowth OF Mrs. Nor
tons circulation of petition urging the
reappointment of w. w. Bride as cor
poration counsel.
Patman sought to address the COM
mittee, saying there had been an hon
est difference of opinion between the
chairman and himself on this subject
and that by circulating the petition
among committee membership she had
made it a committee matter. Mrs.
Norton insisted that it was more OF a
personal than a committee matter. She
said she had since learned that the ap-
pointment is not made by the Presi-
dent but by the District Commissioners,
and that the circulation of the petition
has been held up.
Mrs. Norton objected to Mr.. Pat
mans speaking in regard to Mr. >Brloe
when Mr.. Bride was not present. and
said that If the subject was discussed 1t
should be In executive session. Mr.. Pat
man refused to be bound by an execu-'
tive session. Mrs. Norton insisted that
Mr.. Patman, bringing up the matter, was
entirely unfair to Mr.. Bride" and said
her efforts for the reappointment of Mr..
Bride had not been intended for news
paper publicity,
Members Asked to Stay.
When Mrs. Norton adjourned the
nofv ho
members stay and listen to him tnfor-
mally. Most of the members did stay in
the committee room, but Mr.. Patman
had difficulty In making the statement
he wanted to because Of Interruptions
by Mrs Norton, who continued insisting
that "it is most unfair to Mr.. Bride"
Mrs. Norton said that she had the
record and proof that Mr.. Bride Is a
Democrat and so voted in Maryland;
and that while he contributed 500 to
the Republican campaign fund he had
contributed $1,000 to the Democratic
campaign fund. She declared that Mr..
Bride "has always considered the best
interests of the people of the District.
Mrs. Norton also said she did not be-
lieve Mr.. Bride should be Inundated by
being called before the committee.
Representative Stalker, Republican,
New York, said he did not know Brides
politics, but had always found him an
efficient official.
Mrs. Jenckes Of Indiana said one
of her constituents who had been in
law school with Mr.. Bride had told her
he was considered good Democrat.
Patman Presents Record.
At one stage Of the discussion Repre-
sentative Patnian asked Mrs. Norton II
she would either keep still and let him
make his statement or leave the room.
Mr.. Patman presented Mr.. Brides
record as he had found it IN who's
Who" which he said had been ap-
proved by Mr.. Bride himself. He
showed that Bride was there listed as
a Republican In politics and that previ-
Gus to becoming corporation counsel
the biographical sketch had stated he
was delegate to the Democratic ma
tional convention and had been on
woodrow wilson's Inaugural Commit
tee; that this was later changed and
leaving out the Democratic national
convention and stating that he had
been on Mr.. Hardings Inaugural Com
mittee.
Mr.. Patman explained that the proof
of Mrs. Norton has Of Mr. Brides being
registered as d Democrat IN Maryland
means little, because in that territory
many Republicans register as Demo
Gratis.