Evening star., 1934-09-02

CONTINUED From First PageJ
when Ma. Paul A. Hodgson, now As
sistant District Engineer Commits
sioner. was q member Of the squad.
Mrs. Sultan, the former Miss Flor
ence Braden, saw her future HUSBAND
for the first time on the foot bal
field at West Point. The game wa
played on q wet field and she carriet
away the impression he was "the mos
mud besplattered individual she has
ever seen. She met him several year
later when he was at the Academy ai
instructor.
Native Of Mississippi.
Col. Sultan Is a native of Missis-
sippi, as Is Commissioner Allen. Tht
two long have been friends. Senate
Pat Harrison Of Mississippi, among
others, it Is said, lent his influence *
the selection Of Col. Sultan. Senator
Harrison also was Aliens sponsor.
Col. Sultan's most conspicuous duty
was performed while he was in charge
of a Nicaragua canal survey from
1929 to 1891, for which he received
the Oak Leaf Cluster of the Army
When he assumed duties there the
feeling toward this Nation was not 81
friendly and there was talk Of Yam
kee imperialism" Yet when he left
he carried with him the cordial re-
spect of the people among whom he
had worked.
The Army citation reads: For ex-
ceptionally meritorious and distin-
guished services. While serving "a
commanding officer Of United States
troops In Nicaragua, Col. Sultan con-
Quoted an investigation Of the inter-
oceanic canal route with efficiency
and maintained high morale among
his troops under conditions of unusual
hardship and difnculty. By his tact
and diplomacy in handling intricate
problems, he maintained cordial rela-
tions with the people Of Nicaragua.
Following the disastrous earthquake
In Nicaragua in 1881, Col. Sultan, by
his prompt and effective relief work,
evoked the appreciation and gratitude
of the afflicted people. In the per-
Torrance of these duties he demon
strated marked ability, sound judg-
ment and untiring zeal in a position
of great responsibility, thereby render
ing services Of great value to his Gov
ernment."
On General Stan.
During the war, Col. Sultan was q
member of the War Department Gen.
eral STAFF. He was awarded the Dis
tinguished Service Medal for his &C
tivitdes as chief of the personnel Sec
ton in the office Of the executive as
sistant to the Chief of Staff of the
Army. The official citation praised
''the conspicuous breadth of vision
and keen foresight" which character
lied his work. "His splendid judg-
ment and the sound policies initiated
by him contributed in q large measure
to the successful handling Of the COM
missioned personnel OF the Army" the
citation continues.
One Of the most recent Of his many
experiences as an Army engineer was
as head Of the Army Engineer Once
in Illinois while serving also as civil
works administrator in Cook County
He had the job there, in the midst
OF q very complicated political and
financial setup, of getting to the bot
tom Of suspicious of graft and cor
recttng many difficulties. He was con-
fronted at once with designations OF
civil works executives, but promptly
built q new organization and insti-
tuted q new system for purchasing
materials.
Col. Sultan already has an init
mate knowledge Of District affairs be-.
cause Of tours of duty he has spent
here. He is a graduate of the Army
War College, served as a member of the
Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors, Office of Chief If Engineers:
and in recent months was detailed at
headquarters Of the Engineer Corps.
Following his Nicaraguan service, also,
he was assigned to duty with the
Inter- Oceanic Canal Board in WASH
ington.
Allen a "Scrapper."
Allen brings to the city one OF the
most eolorful of its line of oficials
certainly. He boasts that he loves 9
scrap" and he has started q few. He
has demonstrated he can "take it,
when the going gets rough. He de.
lights in telling Jokes on himself. He
Is an inexorable optimist. He has
been the head "ax man" of the polit-
ical job fray.
He dotes on public welfare. wher
the civil works program was launched
nationally, Allen sought to make Il
the biggest thing ever done here tc
put the unemployed to work. He sue.
ceeded so well Federal officials had K
call halt.
When Federal officials found thou.
sands on relief here were not eligible
Allen was called on the carpet anc
given q tongue-laShing, but got add.
tional Federal aid of different char.
acter and hired more case workers
new executives, and turned the Dis,
trio relief administration upside down
Outlays were drastically slashed fol
lowing these changes.
Allen found his Board of Publ,
Welfare not responsible to the Com
missioners" in operation of welfare