Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-13
City Council Adopts Res
Olution at Meeting
Held Yesterday
BILL is EXPLAINED
State Delegate c. H.
Smith Tells of Plans
That Would Make Ar
lington County a City.

The city council, at a meeting
held yeserday afternoon, went
en- record as opposed to the pro-
posed Incorporation of Arlington
county into city and adopted a
resolution of Councilman Ticer
authorizing the Mayor to employ
counsel if need be and appoint a
committee of representative citi-
zens to oppose before any COM
mittee of the general assembly
to whom the bill has been refer
red and interpose the eity'S objec-
tions to the bill.
This action was taken by the
city council at a special meeting
which was attended by all of the
members and called expressly for
that purpose by Mayor William
A. Smoot.
Attending the meeting were
about twenty-five persons, among
whom were a number of represen
tative business men and dele
CATION from Arlington county.
Most of the county delegation
was composed of Potomac citi-
zens.
The aims and purposes of the
bill were outlined by State Dele
gate Charles Henry Smith. Ma
yor Smoot in his opening state
ment said that ne had called the
meeting 10 consider the bill be-
fore the legislature for the pro-
posed incorporation of Arlington
county. It might be said to the
best interests of the city to fol-
low it up closely.
Mr.. Smith told council that he
was pledged to the introduction
and passage of a bill which would
make the whole of Arlington
county as city. He, however,
said that he opposed the incorpo-
rating of any small part of it.
After a conference committee
from the civic federation of Ar
lington county called on him ne
said he certainly came to the con-
cluSion it was impossible to in
corporate all of Arlington coun-
ty and in his opinion it was IL
legal and probably unconstitu-
tional. He told of the people of
Potomac that county who in no
unmiStakable voice voted to re-
tain their charter and he said he
declared he would not support
any law which would repeal the
charter of that town.
As a general proposition ne
said he believed the provisions OF
the bill divides the county into
three zones. Falls Church he
said is given the privilege of re-
pealing its charter and coming in
to the town and next of retaining
its charter and going into Fair
fax county. The southern zone
takes in most of Jefferson dis
trict he said Each Of the zones
ne declared is given the right to
vote separately and about four
fifths Of the county is in the CEN
trail zone.
According to NJ. Smith if the
election is defeated the county
remains where, it is and if the
proposition carries In the central
\ zone that part will become Ar
lington city irrespective of the
other two zones.
If the majority OF the freehold
ers in Potomac refuse to rescind
their charter the charter he said
would stand and they will cede
- TO Fairfax county.
Continuing Mr.. Smith said: 81
am pledged 10 q certain policy il
Arlington county. l don't, how
ever, consider the bill presented
me is an expression of that polic,
There is he said considerable
contention over the provisions o
the bill and the residents of Poto
! mac he declared simply want :
be left alone.
If the bill passes and become
a law he said it is nothing NOR
than an enabling act and ne tol
of how it will effect the thre
zones. a part of Jefferson distric
going to Fairfax county.
Delegate Smith said he though
the bill would come before ioir
meeting of the committee on cou
ties. cities and towns, However
he said no definite date for heal
ing the bill had yet been fixe
upon but he expected to get tn
chairman of the house of dele
gats to fix upon date and nofi:
Continued on page six)