Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1918 — DEFENSE COUNCIL IN SESSION [ARTICLE]

DEFENSE COUNCIL IN SESSION

B. F. Fendig Tendered Resignation as Fuel Administrator. At the regular meeting of the County Council of Defense Wednesday afternoon, held in the commissioners’ court room, County Chairman Welsh presided and a majority of the members were present. A number of matters were discussed, and George A. Williams of the Rensselaer school board requested that the council take no action regardiing the leaching of German in’ the Rensselaer high school, that is, prohibiting the teaching of German during the present term. Mr. Williams said that quite a number of pupils were taking this study and <Ahat they could not be given credits 'for"the year if the study was shut off; that next year it was probable rVench and Spanish would be substituted. The county council had previously passed a resolution against this study. After Mr. Wiliams had left Secretary Hamilton said he thought the study should be discontinued at once, and that credits could be given or denied by the faculty as they chose, notwithstanding Mr. Williams’ statement to the contrary. Chairman Welsh said that he was opposed to teaching any language other than the English language in our public schools at the expense of the taxpayers; that if pupils desired to study other languages it should be done at their own private expense

or the expense of their parents. (The Democrat heartily agrees with Mr. Welsh in this position.) A tfew other members of the council including (Mrs. A. H. .Hopkins, J. M. Sauser and O. K. Rainier also spoke briefly on the question, and while all were opposed to teaching the language in our schools Mr. Rainier thought it better to defer any definite action for the time being, and his suggestion was acted upon. Complaint was made that one of the restaurants in Rensselaer had been serving meat sandwiches on meatless days, and one of the proprietors was brought before the council and admitted the charge, but said that it was not intentional to defy the 'meatless order; that he had forgotten about the day and he agreed to violate it no more in the future. He was instructed to post a notice in his place of business that no meats would be served on those days, and was allowed to go. County Fuel Administrator B. F. Fendig tendered his resignation because of some criticism that had been made regarding the prices charged by the Rensselaer dealers, such resignation to take effect as soon as his successor was appointed and qualified. Mr. Hamilton got up and said that he thought it would be a public calamity for Mr. Fendig to resign at this time; that the criticism of coal prices here was unjust; that under normal conditions the dealers were making too much profit and there was no question about it; but with the added expense of delivery in small lots (and the usual camouflage) there was little or no profit in the business. He told how one dealer had made a trip down, through the coal district at an expense of perhaps $25 to S3O, and that there were telephone and telegraph bills, etc. (He did not state that this dealer succeeded on this trip in securing seven or nine cars of coal and that —according to other reliable people—approximately SIOO per car has been made in the handling of this coal. So the expense of the trip was very nominal, indeed. ) Mr. (Hamilton also said that he had helped Mr. Fendig in his work all he could, but thought the council should provide a clerk for him. On motion of Mrs. Ross a vote of confidence in iMr. Fendig’s integrity was taken and every member voted in favor thereof, and no definite action was taken at this meeting on the resignation, Mr. Fendig insisting, however, that someone else be put in his place, and it was understood that Chairman Welsh would look about before the next meeting for a successor. As The Democrat understands the matter no one questions Mr. Fendig’s honesty of purpose or integrity, but many seem to think he has been camouflaged by some of the dealers; that the consumer has been paying considerably higher prices than those fixed by the fuel administrator and higher prices than’ conditions justified. ?>