Evening star., 1951-06-03
Commission
On Ethics SET
For Arlington
County Board Votes
Measure in Effort
To Ruise Standards

A Citizens Commission on
Ethics In Government was created
by the Arlington County Board
yesterday to consider practicable
ways of maintaining a high
standard of official conduct.
No appointments were made to
the five member commission,
which must conclude its work by
August Is, 1852.
The boards vote on the pro-
posal was 81. with The two Demo-
Gratis, F. Freeland Chew and AL
fred E. Frisbie. in opposition.
Mr.. Chew attacked the plan as
absurd and said he would vote for
1t only if he were feeble minded.
"You cannot teach ethics to a
man in public Office" Mr.. Chew
told Robert w. Cox. who proposed
the resolution. "You, nor COM
mission I shall vote against
this absurd proposal"
Declares Public Sets Standards.
Ethics begin with the people,
Mr.. Chew said, and he added he
believes there is no better jury
than the people Of Arlington. Mr..
Chew thus indicated he will be a
candidate to succeed himself on
the County Board this fall.
Mr.. Frisbie termed Mr.. Cox'S
proposal impractical.
Each man and each woman
knows what's right and what's
wrong" Mr.. Frisbie said. 'There
is no salvation in a commission
that salvation rests with the
women who teach the children"
He then quoted Shakespeare
"To thine own self be true "
MIR. Chew completed the quota
ton speech: F...
And it must follow as the night
the day. thou shalt not then be
false to any man."
Dugan Recalls Prayers.
Board Member Daniel A. Dugan
said he had high regard for Mr..
FriSbie's point of view. He re-
called, with feeling, that when he
was in the hospital in March, re-
covering from a elf-inf1icted bull
let wound, Mr.. Frisbie's Bible class
prayed for him. Both he and Mr..
Chew were cleared last month of
charges of malfeasance.
Mr.. Dugan said, however, he
would vote for Mr.. Cox's proposal
because he believed it would work
if the proper persons were ap-
pointed
Mrs. Florence Cannon, board
chairman. joined the two other
independents. Mr.. Dugan and Mr..
Cox, in forming a majority for
the proposal. Mrs. Cannon said
she was hopeful that a code of
ethics to be prepared by the COM
mission would have a widespread
effect.
Criticism Noted.
Mr.. Cox said he had noted criti-
ciSm of his suggestion in several
newspaper editorials but insisted
that most of the complaints had
been met by eliminating authority
to conduct investigations.
"It has been suggested" Mr..
Cox said, "that an aroused and
watchful electorate which would
throw the rascals out is the real
need and only solution. I agree
but feel that my proposal
would help in this respect, too, in
that it would provide basic stand
ards which the citizen could use
in measuring some aspects of the
performance of the public official. 4"
The commission would be au-
thorized, in the revised version of
the resolution, ito seek action by
appropriate authorities should
such action be deemed desirable. !"
A full report would be prepared
by the commission and released
to the public.
Mr.. Chew and Mr.. Frisbie sug-
gested, without success, that the
resolution be referred to the
Arlington Ministerial Association.
MIR. Cox said, however. that he
hoped at least one member of
the commission would be a min
lister.
Mr.. Chew also was critical of
part OF Mr.. Cox's original pro-
posal, that the commission should
be requested to prepare a recon-
mended reading list for public Of
ficials, including the works of
Washington, Theodore Roosevelt
and Saint Thomas AnIlinas