Evening star., 1938-09-07
It. COL. M'COACH
ASSUMES DUTIES
ASD|STR|CT HEAD
Engineer official Sworn In
as Successor to Col,
Dan |. Sultan.
NO POLICY CHANGES
PLANNED AT PRESENT
I Never Believe in Upsetting a
Going Concern Says Officer.
Refuses Comments.
BY DON S. WARREN.

1t. Col. David McCoach, jr., to-
day assumed his duties as Engineer
Commissioner Of the District and mem
Der OF the Public Utilities Commits
sion. He plunged Immediately into
his work, but announced he planned
10 make no changes in policies, at
least at present.
L never believe in upsetting a 60
ing concern" said the new Commis-
sloner, "and have been advised that
the municipal government here is one
OF the best in the country"
A mild-mannered, soft-spoken ARMY
engineer officer, Col McCoach took
his oaths of Office at a ceremony in
his office-vacated last Saturday by
Col. Dan I. Sultan-in the presencs
of a half hundred of his co-workers
and subordinates.
The oath as Commissioner was ad-
ministered by Geoffrey (Jen, Thor
nett, secretary to the Board of COM
missioners. The oath of office as a
member OF the Utilities Commission
was given by Charles B. Colin, chief
deputy clerk of District Court,
Withholds Comments.
Col. McCoach withheld comment on
pending major District problems, say
ing he wanted to get better acquainted
with details of the situation before
he committed himself
Asked about his views on the move
ments for national and local suffrage
Tor District residents, he said he did
not wish to make any statement now,
put that he was familiar with the
movement for giving the District yot-
ing representation in Congress and
with the petitions for local suffrage.
On the subject of District taxes,
now being studied by experts under
the direction of the Congressional
Joint Committee on Internal Revenue.
the new Commissioner said "All Of
us want lower taxes-when we can get
them. Whether we can is the oues.
ton"
Praises Personnel.
After the swearing-ih ceremony. Col
McCoach voiced praise for the District
personnel, in brief talk to the gather
ing. He said Col. Sultan had advised
him that the District government ma
chlnery was 'one of the best he knew
OF anywhere in the country"
I am very happy to come here" he
added "and shall seek to live up to
the record Of my predecessor. The
success OF an Engineer Commissioner,
OF course, depends on the personnel of
the departments. hope you will give
me the same support you gave Col.
Sultan"
Alter the ceremony he went immedi-
ately into conference with officials of
the engineer divisions to get acouaint-
ed with them and their problems. At.
tending the session were the three as
sistant engineer commissioners, Capt.
Patrick Henry Tansey, Capt. H. S.
Bishop and Capt Don G. Shingler.
One OF his first callers was Brig.
Gen. Albert L. Cox, the newly ap-
pointed commander of the District Ma
tional Guard. who asked for an ap-
pointment later to discuss ways and
means of constructing a new home for
the Guard.
To Work on P. w. A. Matters.
One of the first major problems to
command the attention of the new
commissioner will be the Districts P.
w. A. program, for which the P. w. A.
to date has announced loans and
grants totaling more than $4,000. 900.
Col. McCoach said he found that most
OF the preliminary work was already
at an advanced stage. All of the new
construction projects so financed.
however. will be started under Col
McCoach's direction.
me new Commissioner is stopping
1or the time being at the Army and
navy Club. but he expects to make
MS permanent residence at Wardman
Park Hotel, when his wife arrives from
New York within the next two weeks
COL McCoach has one son. David Al
lieutenant in the ARMY Engineer
corps, now assigned in California.
Col. McCoach came here from a
tour Of duty in New York CITY with
the Army Engineer Corps and pre-
vlously had had assignments in Phila-
delphia. the Lower Mississippi River
the Panama Canal and other inpor-
tant places over the United States.
he has had several previous assign.
ments IN the National Capital He
was attached to the Army Engineering
School here in 1911 and 1912 and was
with the War Plans Division of the
War Department in 1917 and 1919
with the Operations Division from
1919 to 1921 and was stationed At the
War College in 1927 and 1928.
Born in Philadelphia 81 years ago.
Col. McCoach was appointed to the
West Point Military Academy in 1905.
being a plebe there when Col. Sultan
was member of the graduating class.
Like Col. Sultan, he played at center
on the West Point football team.