Evening star., 1941-08-24
Welfare Post
Expected 10 Go
10 Van. Hyning
Selection Slotted
To End Imposse on
Successor to Bondy
BY DON S. WARREN.

Solution of the impaSse between
the Commissioners and the Board
of Public Welfare over selection of a
new welfare director, to succeed
Robert E. Bondy, who has returned
to work with the American Red
Cross, appeared nea yesterday. 1t
is probable that Conrad Van Hyning,
acting welfare director for nearly
three months, will be the new di-
rector.
District officials indicated yes
terday there was as yet no final
commitment, but action in some di-
rection is expected in the near fu-
ture.
If the suggested solution is adopt
ed, both the Commissioners and the
Board Of Public Welfare would be
permitted to save face" on the
issue. Belief that this might be
the answer to the weeks of the i'm
passe was buttressed by reports in
dicating that the city heads as well
as the welfare board members have
learned to place increased conf
dence in Mr.. Van Hyning, although
he has been with the District gov
ernment only about year.
After Mr.. Bondy resigned from
the post, which carries a salary be-
ginning at $4,000 year, the welfare
board submitted the name of Ray l..
HUFF, now general superintendent of
penal institutions. Under the Dis
trict's basic welfare act the selection
of a welfare director must be made
by the Board of Commissioners upon
nomination by the welfare board.
Huff's Name Resubmitted.
The Huff nomination, however,
was rejected by the Commissioners,
with statements to the press indi-
eating that they preferred him to
be kept in the penal position, where
he has an acknowledged good rec
ord. They asked the Welfare Board
to submit new nomination"
In response, the Welfare Board
ignored the request for different
nomination and resubmitted the
name of Mr.. Huff. definitely making
an issue. The Commissioners had
suggested they would like to re-
ceive the nomination of Paul Ed
wards, now District w. P. A. ad-
ministrator, although spokesmen for
the city heads insisted they were
not demanding" the Edwards NOM
| ination.
To date, the Commissioners have
not rejected the second nomina-
ton of Mr.. Huff, although all indi-i
cations are that they intend to re-
ject it ofIlcially for the second time.
/ -: -: .fhree "A Alternatives =. g., =
1t was said yesterday tifis situa-
ton would leave three alternatives
to the Welfare Board: First. that
it might for a third time insist on
the nomination of Mr.. Huff; second,
that it might submit the name OF
Acting Welfare Director Van Hyn-
ing, and third, that it might search
the field and submit the name Of
some third person, If it could find
an official available who was as well
or better qualified for. the post as
Mr.. Van Hyning or Md. Edwards,
assuming as some do, that the We'll
fare Board will not choose to NOM
mate Mr.. Edwards.
Assuming, therefore, that the
Commissioners will not appoint Mr..
HUFF to tho welfare post, although
they admire his work as penal di-
rector, and that the Welfare Board
will not accede to the suggestion
that it nominate Mr.. Edwards, 1t
appeared yesterday to some observ-
ers that instead of continuing Mr.
Van Hyning indefinitely as acting
director. he would be given the post
on a normal, permanent basis.
Mr.. Van Hyning, Al, married and
the father of three children, who
resides in Falls Church, Va, has
been engaged in social work for two
decades. From 1880 to 1884 he was
assistant director of temporary
emergency relief for New York
State, and for the following three
years was commissioner of public
welfare for the State of Florida.
Later he reorganized childrens
welfare institutions at Wilkes
Barre, Pa.