Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-02-13
Right TO Appoint
ToBePut Before
Arlington Court
Question Is Whether
Authority Lies With
| Manager or Board

Arlington Circuit Court will be
asked today to rule whether the
County Board or the manager has
the power to appoint department
heads.
Three nonpartisan members Of
the board think they have the
power and have so voted. Lined
up against them are the two DEM
ocratic minority members and
County Treasurer John Locke
Green, Republican.
commemorative Attorney Dem
man T. Rucker, a Democrat, had
ruled on January 81 that the
board did not have the right to
take away the appointive powers
of County Manager A. T. Lund-
berg, but last Saturday he re-
versed his position and said the
board had the right to name all
heads except police chief.
Ruling Sought by Rucker.
Nevertheless, Mr.. Rucker is the
one who will seek a ruling from
the court. He said the boards
transfer of appointive power "has
erased all semblance Of. county
manager form of government" and
sis fraught with the danger of
rewards given for political favors."
The county manager has held
the appointive power since 1887
until the board took it away from
him January 81. In an effort to
set the record straight last Satur-
day, the three-member majority
voted to confirm all of the man
ayers previous appointments, then
fired them and at the same time
reappointed them.
The county treasurer, mean
while. wrote the three non-parti-
san members saying he will not
pay salaries of any new depart
ment heads appointed by the
county board. He said he under
stands the board plans to name
two heads of departments-as-
sessment and civil defense.
Green Refuses Pay.
you can take whatever action
that you deem fit and proper in
connection with the matter" Mr..
Green wrote.
Earlier, Mr.. Green had declared
that he would not pay any de-
partment heads appointed by the
board, in view of Mr.. Fuckers
written opinion of January 81.
Yesterday he wrote the three
board members:
Nov, with respect to your
asinine and silly action of firing
and rehiring already existing de-
partment heads, to put me on the
spot or as a challenge to me, let
me say this to you:
Whom you had no right to hire
under the present (January 80
opinion of the Commemorative
attorney, you have no right to fire.
Therefore, it follows that all Of
these existing department heads
who happen to come within your
juvenile resolution will be paid
as though no action had been
taken by you three members Of
the board"
Gibes at Defense Office.
1t was then that Mr.. Green
made clear he would not pay any
new department heads appointed
by the board. He said there are
no provision of funds for expenses
of the two proposed departments.
Concerning the head of a new
department of civil defense at
salary Of $4,000 to $4,000 a year,
Mr.. Green wrote:
Certainly you are not unmind-
full that in the last war all of this
work was done for nothing by
patriotic citizens. :"
Mr.. Rucker said the nom
partisan board majority-Mrs.
Florence Cannon, chairman; Rob-
ert w. Cox and Daniel A. Dugan-
ARE most eager to control the
appointment of chief of police"
The incumbent, Maj. Harry L.
woodward, will retire March /.
Sees Political Danger.
THE heads of the departments
must now transfer their allegiance
from the county manager and be
subject to the dictates of Mrs,
Cannon, Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Dugan,"
Mr.. Rucker observed. "This sys-
tenn is fraught with the danger Of
rewards given for political favors."
The move to abolish the man
ayers appointment power was OPP
posed by Board Members F. Free
land Chew and Alfred E. Frisbie.
Mr.. Rucker continued, 1.-The ap-
pointment of the chief of police is
fraught with greater danger. Po-
litical utilization and friendship
should not have any influence in
the making of this appointment.
If a poor selection is made, gang
sterS, hoodlums and racketeers
might walk unhindered within our
boundaries.
Too much power is now among
Cannon, Cox and Dugan, I am
therefore compelled, for the bene-
fit of the people, to ask the court
Immediately to rule in this mat
ter. Furthermore. the heads Of
the departments previously ap-
pointed by the county manager
are entitled to know if their en-
ployment has been Illegal"