Evening star., 1946-06-05
Resigns
.UtiIitiesPost
In Arlington
County Board Head
Names Stoneburne,
As Successor

Milton E. Diehl today announced
his resignation as chairman of the
Arlington Public Utilities Commits
sion as requested by County Board
Chairman Edmund D. Campbell,
who Immediately appointed Clifton
G.. Stoneburner to fill the vacancy
on the commission. The new chair
man will be chosen by commission
members.
Mr.. Stoneburner Is county high
way engineer and serves as director
Of the Arlington Safety Council.
He headed the county civilian de-
tense organization during the war.
In his statement of resignation
today, Mr.. Diehl charged that Mr..
Campbell quite obviously wants to
turn the PUG into puppet of the
board" essss< -
Prefers Abolisment of PUG.
Mr.. Diehl, said Mr.. Campbell
had complained that Il had acted
at variance with the views of mem
bers of the County Board, which
I had previously conveyed to you,"
in the Arnold bus fare case.
my position is, and always has
been. that the PUG, to be of any
real value to the people of Arlington
County, must be an independent
body, whose functions go beyond
saying yes or no when Mr.. Camp
bell so directs. It would be far
better to abolish the PUG outright
than to keep it around as window
dressing for Mr. Campbell
Without quite saying so, Mr..
Campbell gives the impression that
there was something sinister in the
PUC's recommendation to the ICC.
The concluding paragraph of that
recommendation to the ICC reads
as follows:
Under the circumstances We rec
ommend that the proposed tariff
(fare) be allowed to become effec-
tive as published. We further rec
ommend careful investigation by
your commission and public hear
ing at which time the company
should be required to justify in
detail the increased fare.
Disclaims Amy Secret Act.
The first paragraph, incidentally,
set out that the public of our county
appeared and expressed opposition
to the proposed increase.
There was nothing SINISTER
about it. AL members of the PUG
agreed on the action; it was not
done by me in any back handed,
secret manner"
Mr.. Diehl also asserted he had
talked with members of the county
PUG after they had repudiated his
statement to the ICC with regard
to an alleged unauthorized state
ment on my part
He said the members admitted
they issued their charges before
reading his letter to the ICC. Since
reading it, however, Mr.. Diehl said.
they have supported my conclu-
slons and declare that these con.
cluslons, as contained in the letter
to the 1CC, are correct and reflect
the action of the PUC."
Federation Attacks PUG.
Last night the County Civic Fed.
GRAFTON, censured the entire Util-
tiles Commission, commended Mr..
Campbell for his action in re-
questipg the resignation of Mr..
Diehl and authorized its Public
Utilities Committee to oppose the
proposed Arnold-operated bus lines
rate increase.
Mrs. Beulah S. Goss. chairman
OF the Public Utilities Committee.
IN a report adopted by the organi-
zatlon, declared the county PUG has
failed to exercise an acceptable
standard of initiative and iudg-
ment" and that "its conduct was
prejudicial to the interest of county
citizens"
The federation voted to recon-
mend to the County Board that the
commissions record be reviewed
with a view of taking appropriate
action to assure that the public in
terest will be more adequately safe
guarded in the future.