Evening star., 1952-05-30
Group S
Directors Blast
Letter
Executive Secretary
Seen Due for Custer
From All Duties
By J. L. Michoel

Good Government today replied
to a resigning officials attack.
calling it the desperate blast Of q
"fuehrer" acting in a silly tan
trum" to gain personal attention
and power.
The biting criticism was leveled
at William T. Turner, a direct T.
of the committee, who offered his
resignation Wednesday night. The
retortS were hurled by three pres
ent and one past director of the
warning unit, after Mr.. Truman
had assailed them in a letter.
AS result, showdown battle
for control of the civic spearhead
for home rule government in the
county appeared likely when the
organization holds its annual
meeting tomorrow.
Faces Stiff Struggle.
Counter-accusations and ampli.
flying remarks indicated that Mr..
Turner, who also is the groups
executive-secretary. will face a
stiff struggle if he attempts to
retain the post. His opponents
are in custer mood and have said
they will seek to relieve Mr..
Turner of all official duties.
The session is slated to begin
at $3.50 pm. in the Scout Cabin
Of the First Methodist Church,
Hyattsville.
Meanwhile, officers and some
400 members of the strife-torn
unit are trying to gauge public
reaction to revelations of internal
friction. The committee is driv-
ing for 10000 signatures to petit
tions which would place a home.
rule, charter county manager pro-
posal on November ballots. They
fear the squabble will make the
task more difficult.
Announces Resignation.
Long continued and carefully.
concealed quarreling among com.
mittee leaders f1ared yesterday
for all to see when Mr.. Turner
publicly announced his resigna.
ton as a director. He accom-.
panied his declaration with a
three-page blast to the member
ship. He termed the letter "a
report from the executive sec
retary."
The report" charged that the
directors have ignored most mem
bers while inviting favored in
dividuals to private meetings at
which sugar-coated information
was concocted for distribution to
the general membership.
The letter also charged that
the speakers bureau of the COM
mittee, headed by Mrs. Zella p.
Saylor. a director, has attempted
to take over policy-making func-
Itions.
II deeply regret" Mrs. Saylor
replied, that Mr.. Turner is
launching such a desperate attack
upon his teammates. It is
unfortunate that he should smear
his good record with a silly tan
trum. Mr.. Turner has handled
many problems with effectiveness
and has won wide approval for
his scholarly work. Now. when
Prince Georgeans are engulfed
during their spare hours in OBJ
tanning signatures on a charter
petition, it is a shame that they
should be distracted by a clamor
for personal attention and power"
Say Report Isn't Authorized.
. Two other directors, who said
they voiced their views as mem
bers and not as officials. asserted
that Mr.. Turner's report was not
authorized by the directors and
5 that it represented "a grave
breach of trust"
1T is destructive in nature.
Incorporate. full of distortions
and designed for one objective
rule or ruin" Walter F. Mulligan
and Brendan ODwyer declared.
, They praised Mr.. Turner's capa-
bilitieS and lauded him for the
services he has rendered, but
insisted that "the principle Of
, majority rule rather than the
fuehrer concept should guide US"
+ They said Mr.. Turner has twice
! resigned as executive secretary
I within a period of a little more
than a year because Of tiffs with
other officials. Referring to his
r resignation as a director, their
n statement said: "In view OF his
$ past services. we wish him well"
Challenges Allegations.
= The other rejoinder came from
o Mrs. Irma Bogdanoff, a former
n director, who resigned a year ago.
n Her letter was addressed to Byron
S Allen, chairman Of the Citizens
!. Committee.
I Directly challenging portions of
i Mr.. Turner's allegations. Mrs.
: Bogdanoff said:
From my personal knowledge
e of Mr.. Turner's activities when
was on the board. 1t was Mr..
Turner who attempted to domi-
nate and to have the board operate
as an echo of Mr.. Turner's views.
And it was Mr.. Turner who. for
the most part, operated without
= the knowledge and consent Of
E board members, often to the detri-
: ment of the home rule movement. "
Mrs. Bogdanoff credited Mr..
Turner with genuine ability for
' research" but declared he would
not or could not function as part
of a team. She resigned for that
S reason, she said.
Calling for a thorough airing Of
, the dispute, Mrs. Bogdanoff de-
clared that "the disruptive quality
S of the report sent to members Of
: this organization seems to stem
from a childish pique to wish to
destroy that which he cannot con-
: troll"
! John TYLER to Retire