Camden Courier-Post – June 3, 1933
‘Gave Too Much Milk to Poor Children’ Jobless Union Hears
Cramer Refuses Detailed Statement, but Intimate Ex-Director of Relief ‘Let His Heart Run Away With His Head’
Editorial: ‘-But the Greatest of These is Charity‘ appears on Page 10
Dr. Arthur L. Stone resigned as director of emergency relief in this city because of opposition to his humanness.
This was the inference drawn from both the city health bureau chief and Wayland P. Cramer, director of the Camden County Emergency Relief Administration, who requested Dr. Stone to quit.
According to Cramer a municipal relief director “must not let his heart rule his head.”
Dr. Stone, who is credited directly with having brought about extensive reduction in the infantile mortality rate of this; city, said:
“It is true that I took the human side, in the administration of city relief. So far as I know no charges have been made.”
May Name Logan
Appointment of a successor to Dr. Stone was a topic of gossip about the city and county buildings yesterday. It was rumored that William W. Logan at presently serving as manager in the county relief office, will be named as city director. Another report linked the name of William J. Strandwitz, who formerly was county director. A successor will be named by John Colt, of Princeton, who is state emergency relief administrator.
Dr. Stone’s comment regarding “the human side of city relief administration,” followed an expression by Clarence Moullette, executive secretary of the Unemployed Union of New Jersey, to the effect that the city physician’s ouster probably was motivated “because Dr. Stone was giving too much milk to babies.”
Further attempt to draw from Director Cramer his reason for requesting Dr. Stone to resign disclosed no specific charge. After first declining to comment Cramer did express his opinion as to the qualifications necessary for the city relief directorship.
“Primarily,’” said Cramer, “he must have executive and administrative ability. He must have a good heart, but mustn’t let his heart rule his head,”
Pressed further far a statement concerning what Dr. Stone lacked “in the administration of relief, Cramer said:
Thought Stone Best Man
“It is not only my aim,” he said,”to be considerate of all people receiving relief, but to be considerate of those within my organization. That is the reason I am not talking about details incident to Dr. Stone’s resignation. I drafted him into the Relief office, because I thought he was the best man for the job. Affairs were in fine shape in the city administrative office when he took it over.
“‘However, this is a matter for John Colt to discuss. He is my superior.”
Cramer admitted that he has someone in the offing whose appointment to the city relief directorship he will recommend to Colt.
“It would be unfair for me,” said Cramer, “to mention the name of the man I have in mind, before Mr. Colt had asked for my recommendation.”
Dr. Stone said that he was “just as well satisfied” to be relieved of the city relief directorship which carries no salary.
“There was no salary to the job,” said Dr. Stone, “and it meant many long hours of work in addition to the duties of the health department. I enjoyed building up the relief organization most for the human side of it. I sent in my resignation to become effective immediately. I tried to do a human job.
“When I went to Cramer’s office this week,” continued Dr. Stone, “he did not specifically tell me what the matter was. He told me only that he was not satisfied with the way things were going in my department.”
Director Colt called today on the telephone at Princeton,said that he had not received Dr. Stone’s letter of resignation. If he accepts the resignation, Colt stated that he will immediately appoint a successor to Dr. Stone on the recommendation of Cramer.
Join the discussion!