Evening star., 1961-08-06
Continued From First Page

candidates for the chiefs job
a month ago.
The spokesman would not
say whether the Interior De-
partment-parent unit of the
police force-would make form
al charges, or ask for Chief
Stewards resignation. He said,
however, There was never any
idea Of trying to circumvent
civil service regulations In max
ing changes in the department"
Oddly enough, the chief has
now received apparent support
from the agency which he has
many times criticized as the
major stumbling block to proper
discipline in his force-the
Civil Service Commission.
The chief has acknowledged
that morale in his force was low
and that he was the object OF
severe criticism by several
groups within the department.
Discipline Difficulty
He said the difficulty was
one Of discipline. Unlike other
local police agencies, the Ma
tional Park Police Is under
civilian Civil Service rules and
cannot discipline its own Of
ficers until the action is ap-
proved by higher civilian au-
thority.
Chief Stewart said that there
were some "built-in obstacles
in the park police organization.
He said that one Of these was
the right Of park policemen to
unionize.
At present there are two un-
ions representing groups within
the department, Local 1864 of
the American Federation OF
Government Employees. and Lo-
cal 1925 Of the National Fed
Grafton Of Federal Employees.
Many park policemen inter-
viewed by The Star, accused
their chief of extreme parti-
ality" in approving promotions
and favoritism in assigning
men to the better-and higher
higher paying jobs of motor
cycle, and mounted horse pa
troll.
But the charges and the
countercharges in the force are
not new. Veteran park police
men. whether they declared
themselves for or against Chief
Stewart, said that this type of
diSSenSion had been rampant in
the force for many years.
One lieutenant, who has been
on duty for Is years, said, I'VE
had this type Of problem when
I came here, and We'll have it
when I leave"
But when the Kennedy Ad-
ministration came into office
in January, 1t had other ideas
about the apparent impos-
sibility Of reorganizing the
force and reinstating discipline.
Told to Stop Fighting
John A. Carver, jr., Assist
ant Interior Secretary for pub
lie land management, assem-
bled the force and told them
to stop fighting among them
selves and start acting like a
disciplined police force or face
q major Shakeup.
Mr.. Carver, who is respon-
sible for all the country's ma
tional parks, complained that
many officers were going cover
the heads Of police officials" to
Congressman and Interior De-
partment leaders to settle COM
plants.
He said in March that there
would be a shakeup unless
someone straightens out the
park police morale problem. "
Chief Stewart enthusiastically
accepted Mr.. Carver's ultima =
tu1n as favoring his authority
over officers who had sought
to have him removed by politi-
cal or court action.
But two months after Mr..
Carver's speech, it was appar-
ent that Secretary Udall was
looking around for a new chief
to mold the officers into a
ooth-running unit.
Robert j. Mangrum, one of
New York City'S top Negro ad-
miniStrators and a former dep
uty commissioner of New York
police, was offered the job in
June. Mr.. Mangrum, who is
now deputy commissioner Of
hospitals in New York, turned
down the offer.
But Interior Department Of
ficials have given every indi-
cation that they want to solve
once and for all the problems
in a force which patrols one
fifth the area Of the District
Of Columbia, and 10000 acres
of scattered national park
property from Thurmont, Md,
to Quantico, Va.
Division Reported
Officers with long service on
the force say that the unit is
divided into two camps-those
on Chief Stewards team, and
those who oppose him.
Officers opposed to the chief
say that the morale problem
could be solved easily-get rid
OF Chief Stewart, who has been
chief for seven years.
The chiefs supporters, and
Chief Stewart himself, have an
equally simple Solution-Give