Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-01
SENATE 0. KS CITY
OF ARLINGTON BILL.
Regular Procedure Suspend
ed TO . Rush Measure
Through Unanimously.
BY REX COLLIER.
STAFF Correspondent of The Star

mously this afternoon by the state
/ Senate
The trio of bills was rushed through
that body several days ahead of the
calendar in difference to an urgent
request of Senator Frank l.. Ball, au-
thor of the measures. The bills were
reported this morning by the COM
mittee on counties, cities and towns
and on motion Of Senator Ball the
Senate suspended the regular pro-
| cedure in order to vote on them at
| once.
Ball Issues Statement.
Senator Ball issued the following
statement Immediately upon passage
Of the city bill:
1.-THE referendum bill submitting to
the people Of Arlington County the
question of incorporation rs q recog.
! milton of the right of self determine
| ton of local governmental and politi-
cal affairs which has long been ac-
corded the thickly settled portions of
the State. 1t gives to the people Of
the county the right to determine
their own political destiny in affairs
strictly and provides a means of ex-
| preston at the polls.
THE bill, as passed by the Senate,
| is a carefully prepared measure,
y
each locality. While it is we'll known
that / am opposed to immediate in
corporation and have so argued be-
fore the Better Government Commits
sion, | am nevertheless in favor OF
providing a means by which the SEN
| timent Of the people Of the county can
be fairly obtained and am willing to
| rest the case in the sound judgment Of
the voters; a forum where all argu-
| ments, pro and con. can be fairly and
| completely aired ands considered.
Proposes Time for Election.
THE election on this question
should come at a time when the per-
| sonalities of candidates for Office will
| not be fntermingled. 1t should be SUBJ
mitted after the county election has
! been held, entirely divorced from all
collateral issues. and fought out
strictly on it's merits. 1t would be
| nothing short Of disastrous to make
| it a political foot ball to be banded
| about in the campaign as a vote
getter or vote destroyer in accordance
with the whims of the respective
ca ndidates.
Il have not introduced this bill and
piloted it through the Senate either to
make or destroy any issue for any
candidate and hold in contempt any
effort on the part of any one to
prostitute it's real intent to any
such use.
"As to the reported move on the
part of Alexandria to annex a part OF
the county. it would be exceedingly
unfortunate at this time. ] do not
share the thought possessed by some,
that the two communities should
stand guard at their borders with
| drawn swords ready for mortal COM
bat at the slightest signal.
BrotherIy Feeling Urged.
THE county is not concerned with
| the internal affairs of the City oi
Alexandria, except to have a brotherly
interest in it's progress and fraternal
pride in it's accomplishments. Neither
should the city have any particular
concern as to the internal affairs of
the county except on the same basis.
1.-The two communities can continue
to grow as two big brothers, each
boosting the progress of the other
and cultivating cordial feeling and
understa nding. and any party who
attempts to break or injure the
warmth of sympathy and cooperation
which should exist is not friend to
either the county or the city. and
! merits the condemnation of both.
Let the boundary line between the
two stand as the handclasp of friend
ship between kindly neighbors. Let
each work to it's ultimate destiny in
its own way and eventually we will
have two great municipalities which
will be credit to Virginia and an
honor to the National Capital"
The loan bills acted on today au-
. thoriZe the board of supervisors to
borrow $4,000 with which to avoid
a shutdown in the county school sys-
TEN on May /, and 100000 for in
stailation of fire hydrants and pay
ment of interest on the water bond
issue.
School Loan Called Vital.
The school loan was urged as a
vital necessity by a committee of
| civic and school officials who came
here Tuesday to present the situa-
| ton TO Senator Ball and Delegate
Jesse. The legislators agreed to in
| troduce a bill to take care of what
they termed "a very serious prob
lem" The measure permits the
school board to negotiate loan for
| mot exceeding $85,000," with the ad-
vice and consent of the supervisors,
| and provides that the supervisors
| may levy annually tax sufficient to
| meet the interest and principal on
| the notes as they come due.
The water loan of 100000 will be
| divided equally and applied to pay
| nent of expenses of installing fire
| hydrants in the new county water
system and TO meeting interest
! charges on the bonds outstanding
under the bond issue vot ID last June.
| Three other measures affecting
| Arlington County were approved
unanimously by the Senate yesterday
| afternoon. One, a constitutional
amendment giving Arlington County
| the right to assess abutting property
owners for sidewalks and sewers.
already had passed the House and is
now in the hands of the governor
| by the voters of the State before it
! becomes effective, however.
Affect Fire Regulations.
! The other pair of bills were of
| particular interest to the volunteer
| fire departments of Arlington. Prince
| William and Fairfax Counties and the
| city of Alexandria. One makes 1t a
misdemeanor for motorists to drive
| over fire hose, and the other gives
| fire officials police authority in time
| of emergency TO cope with violators
| OF fire laws. The fire bills have not
yet been considered by the House.
Delegate Wilbur Hall of Loudoun
| County made an unsuccessful effort
Yesterday to have the House approve
an amendment to the State constitu-
ton apportioning school funds on the
basis OF enrolment instead Of school
i population.
lie declared that this amendment
| would have been Of much benefit to
| Arlington County and other jurisdic-
tions where the percentage OF enroll
ment to school population is high. He
argued that the counties making the
most of the schools should receive a
greater share Of the educational ap.