Evening star., 1935-04-10
BOARD REFLECTS
HOWARD j. HEAD
Dr.. Johnson Believed Given
Vote of Confidence in
w. A. Case.

In the absence of any definite state
ment by the Board of TRUSTEES of
Howard University, the results of yes
terday's annual elections were inter-
preted in some circles today as indi-
eating a vote of confidence in the ad-
ministration of President Mordecai w.
johnson.
DR.. johnson was reelected to serve
as trustee for a term of three years
and v. D. Johnston was reelected
treasurer.
This action was significant in view
of recent demands made for the resig-
nation or dismissal of both the presi-
dent and treasurer as a result of
long standing, factional fight within
the university which recently came to
head when Secretary of the In
terror Ickes charged irregularities on
the part of university officials in the
handling OF public works funds. No
official explanation of the vote was
given by the trustees after their meet
ing. but it was learned the recent P.
w. A. report had been discussed.
Exonerated by Ickes.
Secretary Ickes had exonerated the
two Howard officials of any wrong
doing in the misuse of S29 900 granted
the university by the Public Works
Administration for repairs on certain
| campus buildings. His chief investi-
gator, Louis CLAWS. had reported al
| legged violations of P w. A. regula-
tons and had recommended the dis
mlsSal OF both the president and
treasurer of the institution.
| While the Interior Department
handles appropriations for Howard
! University. it has no control over ad-
ministration of the colored university.
| Secretary Ickes, therefore. submitted
the report to the Howard trustees for
whatever action they might deem
| proper. In his own report, Ickes had
| criticized the treasurer for failure to
acquaint himself with P. w. A. regu-
lations which require funds to be ex-
pended solely for the purposes for
which they had been granted.
| A special meeting of the Howard
| trustees was neld in New York CITY
last month, at which action was taken
on report of its own Investigation of
the alleged P. w. A. violations. At
that time it was announced the action
would be reported at the annual meet
ing in Washington
Regret Publicity.
The action of the previous meeting,
however. was not disclosed yesterday.
| The only explanation given was that
the trustees had regretted publicity
given the P. w. A. report and wished
to say nothing further about it. They
did say, however, that President john
son had not been called before the
board to face any charges
The action taken in re-electing DR..
johnson as trustee and re-electing
Johnston as treasurer is believed to be
sufficient cause for the official drop
ping of the entire matter. 1t was re-
ported today that some of the trustees
had demanded the dismissal of the
| treasurer.
The trustees action yesterday also,
it was believed, will result in no action
being taken by the Senate on the
resolution introduced by Senator Hast
ings of Delaware inquiring into the
P. w. A. report.
Secretary Ickes disclosed in his re-
port to the Senate that the funds
allegedly misspent at Howard Univer-
sity had been returned. Some of the
money had been paid out in teachers
salaries instead of repairs.
Hungate Made Chairman.
r. L. Hungate, auditor of Columbia
University, was elected chairman of
the board of trustees to succeed DR..
Abram Flexner. also of Columbia, who
resigned over a month ago. George
w. Crawford. New Haven. Conn, at
torney, who has been acting chairman,
was reelected vice chairman of the
board and DIR. Emmett j. Scott was re-
elected secretary.
The following new trustees were
elected: c. c. Spaulding of Durham,
N. c.. president of the North Carolina
Mutual Life Insurance Co., to succeed
the late DR.. Marcus F. Wheatland;
DR.. George w. Coleman of Boston, to
fill the class of 1886 vacancy and DR..
Lloyd Garrison. dean of the School of
Law, University of Wisconsin, to fill
the vacancy caused by the resignation
of DR.. FleXner
Trustees reelected for a term Of
three years were DR.. Thomas Jesse
Jones. New York City; DR.. Mordecai
w. johnson. Washington: DR.. Jesse
e. Moorland, Brooklyn, N. Y; DR..
Peter Marshall Murrey, New York
City; j. c. Napier, Nashville, Tenn,
and DR.. Charming H. Tobias, New
York City. Dr. Sara w. Brown, New
York, was reelected alumni trustee.
Reports were submitted at the annual
meeting by the president. the secretary
and the treasurer, as well as by stand
inc and special committees OF the