Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-01
KELLEY QUITS
GOV. ROLPH.
Minister On Athletic Commits
sion Disguised With Cover
nor's Attitude.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dac. 1. U.P)-
AS an aftermath of the San Jose
lynching case, Chaplain Leslie G
Kelley, rector of the st. Pauls Epis-
copal church, today resigned from
the state athletic commission and
issued statement condemning
Governor James Rolph, Jr.
"All my faith in Governor Rolph
was shattered by his un-Christian-
like attitude in the San Jose lynch
ings," Rev. Kelley said. II have
stood solidly behind Governor
Rolph for three years that have
served on the athletic commission
although did not approve of every
thing he did.
But it is too much for a decent
citizen to stand when the governor
upholds lynchings and engages in
an absurd controversy with the for
mer President of the United States.
Rev. Kelley said that Governor
Rolph's recent appointment of Har-
ry Sperb of San Francisco to the
commission "had a little but very
little to do with my resignation"
The chaplain said he thought
Sperb "a dandy fellow" but believed
the governor should not have named
another San Francisco man to the
commission, which controls WreSt-
ling and boxing in the state.
SACRAMENTO Dec. l. U.P) -
every strange said erno1
James Rolph today when informed
that Rev. Leslie c. Kelley had re-
signed from the state boxing COM
mission because of Rolph's "un-
Christianlike" attatude in the Sar
Jose lynching case.
"Kelley was here this week after
the lynching begging me to reap
point him to the commission,
Rolph said. "He came up last week
and again this week. In view OF
that, the expressed reason for his
resignation is very strange indeed.
Rolph said he gave the chaplain
no encouragement on his request
for reappointment, preferring Uc
wait until the time comes" to make
decision. Kelley's term was tc
have expired January /.
"He certainly had every oppor-
tunity to express his opinion con-
cerning the lynching when I was
talking to him this week." Rolpf
said.
Custer Demanded
Chaplain Kelley later struck a
Governor Rolph's quoted statement
from Sacramento in which the exc
cutive said the minister had visitee
him "this week after the lynchlns
begging me to reappoint him."
"I did not go to Sacramento beg
ging reappointment," said Rev
Kelley "I made two trips there. o.
November % 1 asked the governo
if he intended to reappoint me. HI
wouldn't answer yes or no, but tool
me to William j. Smith, his secre
tary.
"They both demanded that I re
move Joseph Genshelea as secre
tary of the commission. I coult
hardly believe my ears. told then
he couldn't be removed except TO
cause.
MAKE cause and get that fel
low OUT Mr.. Smith ordered me IL
the governors presence.
II went back November % to SCI
if they really wanted me to do
thing like that. They withdrew from
their position, however, Mr.. Smith
explaining it couldn't be done.
ION the second trip I said no
, thing about the commiSSionershir
1 knew my term was up. I resigned
to express my disapproval OF tn
governor. He knows I don't belon
in the official family
Kelley revealed himself as com
pletely out of sympathy with ad
ministration policies on matter
other than sports.
He charged Gov. Rolph "Wrecke,
the Whittier state school for boys.
When the governor removed Ken
meth Scudder as head of the Whit
tier school about two years age
Chaplain Kelly said, his enthusiast
for Rolph began to Wane.
On his last trip to Sacramento, n
continued, Rolph pointed to a
Oakland contractor in his office an
said there's the boss The con
Il Il