Evening star., 1952-09-09
Dugan toSeek
Reelection if
|0usted byCourt
Filing DeodIine Bors
Race Until Next
Yeur, However


Year, However
Arlington County Board Mem
Der Daniel A. Dugan has an
bounced his intention to run for
reelection. if a State Supreme
Court decision expected tomorrow
ousts him from the board.
The appeals court is expected
TO hand down q decision at Staun-
ton on whether Federal employees
are eligible to hold local or State
offices.
Mr.. Dugan was q Government
worker at the time of his re-elec-
ton in 1850. but he is now in pri-
vate business in Arlington. The
deadline for filing in next Novem-
ber's election passed last Friday.
so Mr.. Dugan could not enter a
board race before next year.
At a meeting of the County
Board last night, Mr.. Dugan said
the people of Arlington, and not
the Court of Appeals, will make
the final decision as to whether
he serves on the board.
QUESTIONABLE Rejected.
Before making the announce
ment, Mr.. Dugan had tried un-
successfully to have the board
agree to send a questionnaire to
all county employees. The 80-item
questionnaire asks details of the
employees financial status, wheth-
er he has received any gifts, and
if he knows of any illegal or sus-
picious dealings by any other en-
ploye.
Chairman Robert w. Cox, a
Federal employe, said that if he
is still on the board by the time
of the next regular meeting, Sep
tember 20, he will propose recrea-
ton of a citizens crime commis-
sion. The commission, he said,
could study Mr.. Dugan's question:
naire and make a recommends
ton on its use.
Mr.. Cox made no other refer
ence to the court decision. The
third non-partisan member of the
board, Alan L. Dean, also a Gov
eminent worker, was not present
last night. He is recuperating
from a chest operation.
Cox Completes QUESTIONABLE.
MIR. Cox said he already had
filled out the QUESTIONABLE, pro-
posed last Saturday by Mr.. Du-
gan. The board chairman said
he personally felt no reluctance in
making the information available.
but he said, 81 believe a lot Of
employees would resent the intru-
sion into their private lives"
Information such as the amount
of a bank account of a Health
Department nurse, MIR. Cox said,
would not be particularly useful
in a crime probe.
Board Member Alfred E. Frisbie,
who has been on the board longer
than any other member, said he
would need two accountants and
a lawyer to help him fill out the
document.
Robert A. Peck, Republican, said
the number of answers from all
county workers would total more
than 100000. He said he believed
he could suggest questions that
would be more pertinent than
those proposed by Mr.. Dugan.
Suggests Method Is Slow.
The Commonwealth's Attorney.
William J. HaSsan, said the board
could ask only questions appli-
cable to the type Of work being
performed by the employe. He
questioned whether the method
might not be too slow.
If any one has doubts about
the honesty of an employe and
information he believes to be sus-
picious, a good investigator and q
grand jury could bring quick &C
ton, Mr.. HaSsan said.
Mr.. Dugan refused to withdraw
his motion that the questionnaire
be distributed, but there was no
second.
In other business, the board
agreed that representative Of
the County Firemen's Association
be included among groups making
a study of personnel action appeal
procedure. The Firemen's Trial
Board goes out Of existence today.
and the board said new one will
not be appointed. pending the
study.
Ethics Report Accepted.
The board, by a 2-to-0 vote,
finally accepted a report of the
Ethics Commission. Mr.. Dugan
voted for the motion, and Mr..
Peck Joined him, after making 1t
clear he was not indorsing the con-
troverSial document.
Mr.. Cox, who had previously
urged without success that the
report be accepted and the COM
mission thanked for its work, abb
stained from voting. He said he
thought the motion for mere
physical acceptance Of the report
was silly.
Mr.. Frisbie announced he wasn't
voting either. and for the same
reason.
Both Mr.. Peck and Mr.. Frisbie
previously had voted against ac-
ceptance, saying they could not
indorse the report. They objected
to some of the commissions con-
clusions on the relationship among
ethics, religion and government.
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