Evening star., 1947-10-01
S Salary
CutbYCountyto
ForceHim0 Out
Civil Service Head
To Keep Montgomery
Post Anyway, He Says

~ NSSF
Post Anyway, He Says
In a move to oust Jo v. Morgan,
Montgomery County civil service
commissioner, by causing him to re-
sign, the county commissioners yes
terday ordered his $4,000 annual SAL
ary cut to 81 200, effective October IS.
The action was taken in q closed
session with the four Republican
commissioners voting for the salary
slash. The fifth member sof the
board, Charles H. Jamison, Demo-
crat, was absent.
F. Barnard Welsh, attorney to the
board, explained that the law setting
up the Office authorizes the COM
missioners to fix the salary.
In their resolution. the commits
sioners said the cut was ordered ito
make civil service in Montgomery
County more effective and because
the incumbent civil service commits
sioner has, in the opinion of
the county commissioners, not ade-
quately performed the duties of his
office in that he has failed to keep
regular Office hours.
Intends to Stay in Office.
Charging that the commissioners
action is clumsy attempt to COM
pei me to resign" Mr. Morgan today
emphasized his intention to remain
in Office.
Regardless of the salary" he said,
II consider it my duty to protect
county employees. The financial sac
rif1ce in the position already has
been so great that a few thousand
dollars will not make much differ
ence."
In denying the commissioners ac-
cusation that he has failed to keep
regular Office hours. Mr.. Morgan
pointed out that when he was ap-
pointed, it was with the express pro-
vision that the job be part-time,
since he could not afford to accept
it otherwise.
"This is but a continuation of the
petty acts and annoyances to which
I have been subjected since I took
Office because of my insistence that
provisions of the merit system be
strictly followed" Mr.. Morgan de-
clared.
Cites Removal of Office.
He said the "annoyances" started
with the removal of his Office from
the Bethesda County Building to q
rear room in the old Rockville
Courthouse"
Next, according to Mr.. Morgan,
the commissioners abolished the
position of administrative assistant
in his Office after he had insisted
that the merit system law be fol-
lowed in emergency appointments.
This last action" Mr.. Morgan
asserted, sis, no doubt, a reflection
of the impatience, publicly ex-
pressed by the attorney to the
county commissioners because of a
full and complete hearing recently
afforded an employe on removal
charges filed against him."
Mr.. Morgan, Bethesda attorney
and one-time county Democratic
worker, was appointed for a four
year term by the former Democratic
Board of County Commissioners.
Custer Bill Defeated.
An attempt was made to oust him
through a bill introduced at the last
session of the General Assembly by
the all-Republican Montgomery del
egation. The measure failed, how
ever, after it received an unfavorable
committee report.
Commenting on the salary cut for
Mr.. Morgan, j. Bond Smith, chair
man of the Democratic State Gen.
trail Committee, said today:
THE boards action is a fragrant
attack on the merit system and an
affront to all genuine friends of
county civil service. 1t far exceeds
the bounds of partisan political
action.
"Its objective, of course, is to force
Mr.. Morgan to resign and thus
enable the board to appoint sue
cessor who will submit to political
dictation by the board.
"The whole merit system Is built
on the independence of the civil
service commissioner. The boards
action is an attempt to destroy that
independence.
'Mr. Morgan's fair and impartial
administration of the Office has
brought recognition from the Civil
Service Assembly of the United
States and Canada.
"The boards action should be
challenged by those interested in the
preservation of the merit system for
all county employees
In other business, the board pro-
hibited parking in front of all
theaters except those in incorporated
towns, where town regulations gov
ern parking, and it authorized Coun-
ty Purchasing Agent Wilfred Nerlich
to buy snow plow for $3.50 and q
chain saw for $466.
Mr.. Nerlich also was instructed to
convert the coal furnace at the
county aims house to oil. Mr.. Ner-
Itch estimated the cost of the
change-over at about $500.
The new snow pillow will be the
fourth owned by the county. Last
year, when the county's snow re-
moval equipment practically broke
down as result of heavy snowfalls,
the county had only two snow plows.
Letter Praises Detectives.
In a letter to the board, James H.
Malone, director of the Philadelphia
Public Safety Department, praised
Detective Sergt. James M. Anderson
and Detective Frank Griggs, sta
toned at Silver Spring, for their
actions in connection with the arrest
September % Of George A. Neill,
23-year -old Philadelphia staying
suspect.
Neill, who was arrested at Olney,
admitted to police that he killed bis
1t.year-old niece, Isabelle Mallon.
He waived extradition and was re-
moved to Philadelphia.
Taken under consideration was q
request by william L. Taylor, presi-
dent of the Pinecrest Citizens Asso-
citation, for the removal Of trees and
underbrush along Old Bladensburg