Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-02
HAZARD IN CONTROL
OF PLANNING ZONE
Continued from First Page.)

1 -
from within the metropolitan district.
Speaker Lee, when directly ques-
| toned about this provision in the
| measure, said that it was a purely
optional affair, and was put in to
make it possible to appoint some one
outside of the metropolitan district IL
| it became desirable. but did not neces-
sarily mean that the member had to
be taken from the area outside the
metropolitan district.
Made Too Late to Change.
Mr.. Ford said that the amendment
in this respect was not brought TO the
attention of the Prince Georges Coun-
ty delegate in the House, and II IL
had been there would have been OBJ
lection to it. as he believed that the
park and planning area should be
controlled by men who live in that
district. as that is where the taxes are
to be paid and where the improve
ments are to take place. It would be
unwise, he said. to have this pro-
vision, but he said he realized that 1t
was so late in the session that moth
ing could be done. When the meas
ure comes back to the House with the
amendments, he said, in order to AS
sure the measure going through, II
would be necessary at this late GATE
to simply concur in the amendments,
and make the best of the matter+ he
made it plain that he had nothing TO
say as to what Montgomery County
wanted, but he made it quite certain
that the amendment was clearly OBJ
iectionable to Prince Georges County.
Under the system in vogue at TINS
LEGISLATURE it is possible to put
through amendments important In
their bearing, and particularly at the
end of the session, without being
caught UP until it Is too late. They
must be accepted, or the measure will
be lost through recommittal or a
motion not to concur.
Provision Slipped Through.
The park and planning bill was
sent to the desk of the president OF
the Senate. with more than score
of amendments, at nearly midnight.
when everybody was tired and anxious
to get away. Only the first two
amendments were read. and the others
slipped through, the whole block be-
ing approved and no one asking that
the entire lot be read. The Legisla-
ture, of course, has a printed journal,
but it is from five days to a week be-
fore the report for a certain day
Games back from the printer.
Speaker Lee, under whose express
direction the amendments were pre-
pared, said that all the amendments
were merely to put the bill within the
Maryland constitution. The purport
of the amendment changing the resi-
Dental location of the personnel of
the commission was subsequently dis
covered and 1t was then that the pro-
tests were raised, but in vain because
Of the approaching end Of the Legis-
lature.
1t was well known that 1t was the
desire of the people within the pro-
posed metropolitan district, particu-
larly in Montgomery County, where
the measure was discussed before the
Montgomery County Civic Federation
and 1t was so promised there and else
where that the commission's person
mel should be entirely drawn from the
planning district The measure was
allowed to pass the House of Dele
gates as it was originally introduced,
and 1t was subsequent to this pro-
longed conferences were held between
Speaker Lee, Former Secretary of
State Perlman, said to be one of the
leading constitutional Lawyers of the
State, and others. The amendments
were born of these conferences and
sent to Senator Jones to submit to
the Senate with the favorable report
on the measure. Wide circulation was
given the copies of the bill as it orig.
inaily passed the House of Delegates.
May BE Political Patronage.
Under the amended bill the job may
be political patronage from any part
OF the county, and is particularly
serious from the standpoint of Prince
Georges County. Before a levy may
be made for park and planning pur.
poses In Prince Georges County, it
win require the affirmative vote of
all the members of the commission.
Should the members of the Prince
Georges commission appointed from
within the district desire that the levy
be made. and even on request of the
people in that area, who desire the
development, 1t could he successfully
blocked by member appointed from
without the confines of the district
refusing to vote for it, although the
matter would be OF no concern to him
and people outside the district could
not be taxed for it.
Membership on the commission of
two county at large appointees makes
ii possible TO affect the progress OF
the commission, as to make it's actions
legal an affirmative vote of four mem.
bers of the commission is required.
Were the two county at large men
able TO move one member their way
In anything they objected to IL would
successfully block the commission's
efforts in Improvement.
Reports already received here con.
tain rumblings of protest against the
measure from people vitality interested
I'm the law and in the Improvement