Evening star., 1949-11-02
5 Who Quit PUG
Charged With
Move
De Loshmutt, Chew
Score Scheme to
Emburross' Them

designations by five of the six
members of the Arlington Pub
lie Utilities Commission today
were branded as a political move
to embarrass the County Board on
the eve of an election.
These charges came from Basil
De LaShmutt, chairman of the
County Board who seeks re-elec-
ton Tuesday, and F. Creeland
Chew, senior member of the board.
Mr.. Chew had this to say of
the designations:
1T is nothing short of a we'll
designed scheme to embarrass the
County Board on the eve of a po-
litical election when one of it's
members is seeking reelection.
The first order of business at Sat-
urday's' board meeting, as far as
I am concerned, will be to accept
the designations. Any group that
will place a political maneuver
above the good of the community
should not be retained"
De Lashmutt's Comment.
Mr.. De Lashmutt said: Perhaps
these gentlemen - have be-
come SO intensely interested in
the current political campaign
that they are attempting to en-
barrass the County Board for po-
litical purposes rather than carry
out their duties for the protection
of the public. Why else did they
wait until only one week before an
election to resign?"
All but Clifton G. Stoneburner,
who is the county engineer, re-
signed from the Public Utilities
Commission Monday. They are
Chairman Neil Foss, William G.
Watt, Gustave Moe. Lawrence
Knappen and Albert A. Carretta.
They signed a letter charging
the board had failed to supply the
PUG with a policy statement COW
ering the commission RESPONSE
bility and authority, failed to en-
ploy a part-time investigator Of
utilities and reduced the commits
sion's budget from requested
81 900 to 5000 in the current fiscal
year.
Dugan Supports Action.
Yesterday Daniel A. Dugan,
member of the County Board, who
is supporting the candidacy of
Robert w. Cox. independent,
against Mr.. De Lashmutt, said the
designations were justified.
Supporters of Mr.. Cox have
criticized the retention of Lester
r. Conley as counsel to assist
Commemorative Attorney Dem
man T. Rucker on bus fare hear
ings in 4Richmond an. Conley
resigned from the PUC to take
the counsels post. and had de-
Tended Mr.. De Lashmutt against
a political charge during the cur
rent campaign. i
Mr.. De Lashmutt said that
presumably" it was Mr.. Con-
ley's retentiorl as utilities coun-
sci that motivated the resigna-
tions.
Both Mr.. De Lashmutt and Mr..
Chew asserted that the PUG had
requested the County Board to
direct Mr.. Rucker to employ
counsel ut the bus fare hearings.
The board carried out the COM
missions request. they added.
Cooperation Claimed.
This political move on the
part Of the Public Utilities Com
mission" Mr.. Chew said, has
been spearheaded by one of it's
more politically ambitious men,
bers who has been twice defeated
for political Office and whose re-
tention as attorney for the Public
Utilities Commission in the gas
rate case while serving as a mem
Der of that body was severely
criticized at the time
Mr.. Chew said the board always
has worked in close cooperation
with the commission. He recalled
that Mr.. Foss stated in his pres
ence before the Westover Citizens
Association that the board had
given the commission 100 per
cent cooperation at all times and
the best any previous commission
had enjoyed"
ION the other hand" Mr.. Chew
added. "since the reorganization
Of the commission. it was never
intended that it should degenerate
into a small political clique, to
grab the ball at every chance and
run wild, first on one tangent and
then another"