A. S. Douglass
Ousted By County
Commissioners
Conflict between the county
board of commissioners and the
Yakima social security office was
given as the reason for the recent
announcement by A. H. McPhee.
board chairman, that Arthur S.'
Douglass will next month be relieved
of his position as head of the Yakima county social security and welfare departments.
Present indications are that he
will be succeeded either by George
Hollenbeck, social security director
in Chelan county. A. C. Davis,
Yakima county charity commiss
cr, also has been mentioned.
Douglass became SDPW admi
trator for the central Washington
district in 1935. When the legislative act granting the county limited
jurisdiction over the social security
personnel became effective in April
of this year, he was placed at the
head of the combined state and
county welfare program which has
direction of all relief work in Yakima county. Since then, county commissioners indicate there have been
several differences of opinion
welfare policies between ~
and the board.
Charles F. Ernst, state director,
conferred with Douglass shortly after his arrival, and authoritative
sources say he will be transferred
to another office in the social security organization. No permanent
appointments can be made until the
last of July,'When the state will
certify the names of those who
passed the administrative examinations and qualified for positions.
Commenting upon the summary
action of the board, Douglass remarked yesterday evening that he
had nothing to say in regard to
the "differences of opinion" that
commissioners indicated were responsible for the ouster.
I have conscientiously tried to
conduct the work of this department to the best of my ability, and
I have also tried to co-operate with
the board," he said. "Beyond that.
I have no statement to make. I want
to make things as eas
for the man who will succeed
this office."