Evening star., 1934-03-12
DR.. Johnson and S. F. TaIia-
ferr0 Launch Attack in
Resigning Posts.
PSYCHIATRIST DECLARES
PAROLE WORK USELESS
Relief Chairman Criticizes Recent
Expenditures as "Unreason-
able and Prodigal."

The biggest shake-up in the Dis
tr1ct'S public welfare institutions in
years appeared to be in progress to-
day when 1t became known that a
member Of the Parole Board and a
member Of the Board of Public We'll
fare had rendered their designations
both Of them taking occasion to level
sharply critical attacks at the present
administration.
DR.. Loren B. Johnson, a distin-
guiShed pSychiatrist. who was one of
the first members of the Parole Board
to be appointed on its recent creation.
condemned the type of work the board
is now doing as perfectly useless and
perhaps harmful"
Sidney F. Taliaferro, chairman of
the Relief Committee Of the Board of
Public Welfare. roundly criticized re-
cent relief expenditures as "unreason-
able and prod;gal, notably the opera
tions in behalf of transients."
designations Of Long Standing.
1t developed that both of the
designations were of long standing
although news OF their receipt had
not been disclosed by the Commits
sioners- Taliaferro's resignation was
dated February 20. DR.. Johnson S
resignation was received March 2.
No action has been taken on DR.
Johnson's resignation. but in connec-
tion with that of Taliaferro, Com
missioner George E. Allen today issued
the following statement:
Mr.. Taliaferro sent in his resigna-
ton on the goth of February. How
ever, the Commissioners felt that Mr.
Taliaferro's services were entirely too
valuable If he could be prevailed upon
not to resign at this time
We may disagree as to politics,
but no one can disagree as to Mr.
Taliaferro's sincerity, ability and un-
selfish service to his community. /
hope he will choose to remain. as it
Will never be the intention of the
Board Of Commissioners to have yes
men as members of their boards"
Only One Member Remains.
DR.. Johnsons resignation leaves the
Parole Board with but single men,
Der as Isaac Cans. another member.
had previously resigned in order to
take a position as member Of the
Alcohol Beverage Control Board.
Other coming departures include
those OF George S. Wilson, who is
about to retire as director of public
welfare. and Capt. M. M. Barnard as
superintendent of penal institutions.
The latter two cases are not di.
rectly concerned in the present well
fare shake-up. as both of these Of
flcials have been contemplating re.
tirement after long years of service.
In his letter rendering his resigna-
ton. DR.. johnson pointed out that
he had been importuning the Boarc
OF Commissioners to secure appro-
priations to enable the parole board
to develop a modern probation and
parole system here for 18 months
but that the Commissioners had
finally written him that it would be
'impracticable" to add to the budget
estimates at this time He pointed
out that President Roosevelt had re-
quested the director of the budget to
confer with the Commissioners on the
setting up of the el probation
system here. and that Commits
sioners' refusal to proceed after that
could only be interpreted to mean
that DR.. johnson has overestimated
the importance of the whole matter
Chance to Study Crime.
His letter said:
In August, 1882, when I was aSkec
by DR.. Reichelderfer to serve on the
newly created Parole Board, I accepted
with enthusiasm. since I saw poten.
tialities for developing in Washing.
ton a modern parole and probation
system and, more important than this
that through such set-up there wa.
opportunity to study over consider.
able period of time all the factors en-
tering the development of crime ano
mental illness.
We very shortly after our organi.
cation forwarded to the Commission.
ers and the Board of Public Welfare
recommendation as to what we would
need to carry out the above plans anc
the act of Congress creating the
board. We were amazed to discover
that no appropriations were available
for such purpose. We had impressed
the necessities upon the Commission.
ers perhaps dozen times by letter
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