Evening star., 1953-02-03
Willard Wins
Council Vote 10
Plan Changes
City Manager and
Mayor Shake Hands
After Controversy

Alexandria City Manager Ira
F. Willard today went ahead
with his plans to spruce up the
city government, and Mayor
Marshall j. Beverley took tc
studying the city charter.
The manager was given q
unanimous vote of confidence
and told to proceed with his i'm
provement program at a special
Council session yesterday. Mayor
Beverley was bluntly reminded
not to usurp the managers au-
thority.
For the past week the Mayor
and the manager have been at
odds over the latter'S contro-
versial report criticizing organ
ization of the city government.
Yesterday was the showdown.
Mayor Beverley came to the
meeting equipped with a two
page statement of praise for the
city government.
Calls on Chief Hawes.
Mr.. Willard also came
equipped. He called on Mai.
Russell HaweS, chief of police,
to tell if he knew of any occa-
Sions when members of the
Council gave direct orders to his
department. Mr.. Willard's re-
port complained of councilmen
going over his head.
II recall a number of instances
where I have had contact with
members of the council" Mai.
Hawes said. II don't know if
you would call them directives.
Mayor Beverley figures in all of
them"
The police chief said he had
numerous calls from the mayor
about low-1ying planes.
I'm chairman of the North
ern Virginia Committee on Low
flying Airplanes," interrupted
Mayor Beverley.
Maj. Hawes listed several oc-
caSions when the mayor request
ed police escorts or police
cruiser transportation. He said
Mayor Beverley sent a police
cruiser to the Office of Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia, to
pick up tickets for the Inaugu-
ration. On two other occasions,
he said, Mayor Beverley had po-
lice cruisers pick up Senator
Byrd for ceremonies in the
city
Escort for Battle, Too.
Don't forget, I got police
escort for Gov. Battle when he
was in the city recently" re-
minded Mayor Beverley.
Maj. HaWeS nodded agreement.
He added that Mayor Beverly
used a police escort to meet Gov.
Stevenson when the latter made
a presidential campaign visit in
the city.
You picked up Mr.. Willard,
too," recalled Mayor Beverly.
The Mayor defended his ac-
tions: 81 say these are pretty
things. do not call this inter-
fering. AS Mayor of the city,
I feel I should be able to use
such facilities when the occasion
demands. Do you think these re-
quests have interfered with your
Department."
Several members of the coun-
Gil chorused that Maj. Hawes
need not reply. He didn't.
Then Mr.. Willard called on DR..
Thomas F. McGough, health Of
ficer. DR.. McGough said he could
recall no instances of interfer-
ence in the past four months and
asked if he should 60 beyond
that.
Invited to Go Back.
II don't care how far you go
back" said Mayor Beverley.
Everything I've done has been
with the city at heart. All these
things are petty. AS Mayor, do
think I have some right to do
something, as long as I am not
interfering with the operation OF
any Office"
1T isn't a question of your
motives" said Councilman Frank
Mann. "It'S just a question of
procedure" He quoted from the
charter:
Except for the purpose of in
quiry, the council and it's men,
bers shall deal with the admin
istrative services solely through
the city manager, and neither
the council nor any member
thereof shall give orders pub
licly or privately to any subordi-
nate of the city manager. Any
councilman violating the provi-
sions of this section or voting
for a motion, resolution or ordi-
nance in violation of this section
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction, thereof
shall cease to be a council
man.
Vice Mayor Leroy S. Bendheim
provided the peace formula:
81 feel it is somewhat useless
to proceed further. I doubt that
a single councilman has not
talked with some department
head at one time or another
I think what we're here to do
is determine the contents of the
report, and if there have been
any violations Of the charter
to correct them"
By unanimous vote, the council
adopted, 'in spirit" 10-page
statement hv Mr. Rendheinn ar