Evening star., 1951-02-08
|ChaprlanForced
Parks Director
Out, FriendsS Say
Appeals to Trumon
To Retuin DruY
Fuiled, They Report
BY the Associated Press


Leading conservationists accused
Secretary of the Interior Chapman
today of forcing Newton B. Drury
to resign as director of the Ma
tional Park Service.
They also said they appealed
unsuccessfully to President Tru-
man three weeks ago in an attempt
to prevent Mr.. Drury's dismissal
DR.. Waldo j. Leland of Washing
ton, former chairman of the In
terror Departments National Parks
Advisory Board, told a reporter
he protested to President Truman
in mid-January and received a
noncommittal reply.
DR.. Leland said he also wrote to
Mr.. Chapman this week, after the
Secretary announced that Mr.
Drury will resign April / and will
be succeeded by the associate di-
rector, Arthur E. Demaray.
DR.. Leland said Charles Wood
bury. a member of the present
advisory board, was told by Mr.
Chapman that the motive for the
change was a sentimental one
that of honoring Mr.. Demaray
for 48 years of Government serv-
ice by making him director for
short period.
"Demaray is near retirement
age-he is 81 this month";" DR.
Leland said.
Last June he requested that
he be retired in November, 1850
"Demaray has been a fine CHIEF
Of staff. but that does not mean
he is the best man to succeed
Drury. His age is against him
The intent to honor him is toe
f1imsy pretext for Drury's dis
missal to be taken seriously"
Chapman Avoids Argument.
Neither Mr.. Chapman nor Mr.
Drury would comment.
An Interior Department spokes-
man said Secretary Chapman did
not wish to get involved in ar
argument over his action.
Howard Zahniser, also of Wash
ington and editor of the magazine
of the Wilderness Society, said
Mr.. Drury's resignation was forced
over the protest of conservation
lists. He said he, too, had written
President Truman. He emphasized
that he had no criticism of Mr..
Demaray, who has given long and
devoted service to the parks"
Richard Westwood, another
Washington man and president
OF the American Nature Associa-
ton, said Mr.. Chapman originally
offered Mr.. Drury the choice of
taking lower position as special
assistant to the Secretary or re-
signing January Is. He said he
and others decided to start a
backfire" by writing to the Presi-
dent, and managed to have the
resignation deferred to April l.
Other writer's to the President
were reported to have been Fred
M. Packard, executive secretary of
the National Parks Association
here, and William Voigt, jr., of
Chicago, executive director of the
Izaak Walton League.
DR.. Leland said Mr.. Drury had
taken a strong stand during his
10 years as director to protect
the parks from all forms of en-
croacfment.
Mr.. Drury strongly opposed a
proposal of the Reclamation Bu-
reau to build dams which he con-
tended would destroy many scenic
attractions of Dinosaur National
Monument in Utah and Colorado.
Mr.. Chapman ruled after a
hearing last year that the project
was justified and should be pre-
sented to Congress for authoriza-
ton.
when Chapman was made Sec
retary. we expected great things
from him in the way of conserva-
tion," DR.. Leland said.
There will be widespread dis
appointment over his action
against Drury. nevertheless,
cannot believe that the differences
over the Dinosaur Monument are
the reason behind the dismissal"