Evening star., 1941-07-05
Welfare Board
Explains Stand
In Naming Huff
Letter to City Heads
Cites His Merits,
Rejects Edwards

Holding out for the selection Of
Ray L. Huff. penal director, as direc-
tor of public welfare, Frederick w.
McReynolds. welfare board chair
man, made public today letter to
the Commissioners in which he cited
the morale of the department, Mr..
Huff's merits and the practice of
promoting from within the depart
ment as reasons for renominating
Mr. Huff after he had been rejected
for the post by the Commissioners.
The letter of denomination, which
also refuses the Commissioners oral
request for the appointment of Paul
Edwards. District w. P. A. director,
follows:
The Board of Public Welfare has
carefully considered your oral mes
sage requesting that the nominal
ton of Mr.. Ray l.. Huff to be di-
rector of public welfare be with
drawn and that of Mr.. Paul Ed
wards substituted Since then the
recommendation of the appointment
of Mr.. Huff has been returned to
this board with the simple request
that some other name be substitute
ed therefor.
THE board much regrets that
you did not give it an opportunity
to be heard in the matter before
taking such drastic action. 1t is
only by cooperation that the best
interests of public welfare in the
District of Columbia may be Sc
cured. In order that you may have
fuller understanding of the situa-
ton, the following facts are called
to your attention:
81. Before recommending the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Huff the Board
of Public Welfare made a thorough
survey of the field of possible nomi-
nees, and interviewed personally
nine men who were suggested, in
cluding Mr.. Paul Edwards. There
after full discussion was held of
the merits of the various men and
the unanimous conclusion reached
that Mr.. Huff was outstanding for
the position above all others sug-
gested, from the standpoints of ex-
perience, ability and personality.
-. The report of the committee
OF 100 who drafted the public well
fare legislation of 1926, the report
Of the committees of Congress, and
the law itself, indicate clearly that
1t is the intention that the Board
OF Public Welfare shall select its
own director, and that the indi-
vidual selected shall be appointed
by the Commissioners unless there
is some valid objection to the per-
son chosen. No objection has been
made by the Commissioners to Mr..
Huff.
"3. The board believes that wher-
ever possible promotions in the pub
lie welfare service should be made
within its organization. Mr.. Huff
has earned promotion by his splen-
did conduct of the Office of general
superintendent of penal institu-
tlons, and his promotion will add to
the esprit de corps and the morale
OF the entire organization. The pro-
motion would indicate to each en-
ploye of the Public Welfare Depart
ment that promotion may be ex-
pected when vacancies exist and
advancement has been earned.
a. The Board of Public Welfare
has very many important RESPONSE
bllities and is painstaking and con-
sclentiouS in its handling of the
problems which come before it. 1t
Is absolutely necessary that this
board should have as its director a
man IN whom it has the very great
est confidence and with whom its
personal relations are peculiarly
close. 1t is necessary to leave to the
director many important matters in
which his discretion is needed. The
Board of Public Welfare feels there
lore that 1t is entitled to chose its
own director, always, of course, with
the right of the Commissioners to
confirm the appointment, or to re-
Ject 1t If the appointment appears
70 them to be unwise or improper.
IS. For these reasons the board
regretfully finds itself unable to
accede to your oral request of the
nomination of Mr.. Paul Edwards.
and is returning to you herewith the
nomination of Mr.. Ray L. Huff, with
the request that we be given an
early opportunity to appear before
the commissioners to discuss the
matter"