Evening star., 1936-07-25
.LAND0N CHARGES
OF 0FPOL|T|CS DENIED
Williams Defies Nominee to
Prove Coercion of Relief
Workers.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
Deputy w. p. A. Administrator
Aubrey Williams sailed into Col. All
M Landoa late yesterday and de
fed" the Republican nominee for
President, or anybody else" to show
him single instance Of any man OH
relief work being "coerced" politically.
In almost the next breath, Williams
announced he had fired" seven
prominent Oklahoma State admins
trative officials for improper political
activities" including the solicitation
Of campaign funds. These activities,
Williams said, had occurred in con-
nection with the Democratic State
primary on July T.
From the evidence obtained by
our investigation" Williams said, "it
would appear that these w. P A.
employees were active in soliciting
political support, and in several in
stances exerting pressure upon W. P.
A. project workers and others in be-
half of candidates during the recent
Democratic primary in Oklahoma"
Such activities, he declared, would
not be tolerated an hour"
Landons charge of excessive ad-
ministrative costs in handling relief
Williams fatty denied, and he accused
the Republican nominee Of playing
politics.
Asked If he would comment on
Landon's charge Of politics in relief,
Williams said: II defy hun or any
body else to show me a single in
stance of a man on relief work being
coerced."
Il have instructions from President
Roosevelt to keep this thing out OF
politics" Williams added, ard MI.
Hopkins and I are going to keep it
out of politics as far as i: is numan!y
possible"
Williams admitted that It 'Sas not
always possible to control dctiWti.s
in State organization.
The w. P. A. deputy next declared
he could not reveal the sources of
evidence that brought about the ord2r
dismissing the seven w. P. A. officials
in Oklahoma. Nothing would be
gained by it, he said, and added:
1T might jeapardize the jobs Of sew
eral hundred administrative employees
to disclose the source of evidence"
Says Administrative Costs Cut.
Referring again to Gov. Landon'S
criticism of administrative costs n the
handling of relief, William asserted
that he doubted if any one, going
through the W. P A. with a fine comb,
could reduce its cost
The total average cost of relief ad-
ministration is about SO per cent"
Williams said. For the old job under
F. E. R. A. he claimed the cost was
between and 10 per cent.
Williams said he was proud of the
present figure.
The only way to reduce 1t TO any
starve-put them out Of JOBS" he said.
Williams made public telegram he
had just sent to w. S. Key, Oklahoma
w. P. A. administrator, ordering him
to discharge the seven officials immedi-
ately, the order being based upon "un-
controvertible evidence" finding them
guilty of political activities"
Vote Pressure Involved.
The activities, he explained, involved
the solicitation of campaign funds,
distribution of literature and pressure
brought to bear on employees of the
administrative staff to vote for certain
candidates.
Some cases showed that the person
charged had sought to influence the
support of relief workers in the Demo-
cratic primary" williams explained.
The dismissed officials are of the
sixth and seventh districts in Enid and
McAllister. They included:
Walter Berry, district director:
Merwin T. Buxton, administrative as
sistant, and George T. Fox. director Of
employment, all of Enid; Granville
Norris, administrative assistant: W. D.
Hudson, director of compensation; w.
Clyde Curtis, supervisor, all of Nc
Allister, and Jesse c. James of Ant
lers, supervisor of historical projects.
Some of the mer, it was said, had
worked for" Josh Lee, Democratic
senatorial candidate.
Williams has ordered the investiga-
ton to be carried on to finish. 1t is
the third investigation Of State poll
tics in work relief, former inquiries
having been conduced in West Vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania.
The investigations are being con-
Quoted by Richard Thompson, in the
field, under orders from the Washing
ton division of investigation, Dallas
bort in charge.
PROBE OF PROBE THREATENED.