Evening star., 1927-04-04
APPEALS TO HOUSE. .
Arlington Asks Passage of Referen-
rum Bill.
1ecial Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CLARENDON, Va, April 4.-Fail-
ing to move Delegate Charles T. Jesse
from his determination TO oppose the
Arlington City, referendum bill,
which has passed the Senate and goes
to the House today, leaders of civic
organizations of the county today sent
an open letter to Richmond, appealing
to the House of Delegates to disre-
gard custom and Mr.. Jesse's opposi-
tion and pass the bill giving the
people of the county the right to de.
termine their own political destiny"
The letter is addressed to Delegate
Jesse. but copies also are being sent
TO Chairman Sinclair of the House
committee on cities, counties and
towns, and to Gov. Byrd. The letter
is signed by William j. Ingram. men,
Der of the County Board of Super
visors of Arlington District; Walter u.
Varney, corporation counsel, town of
Potomac; Robert +. Plymale, presi-
dent of the Arlington County Civic
Federation; Clarence r. Ahalt, presi-
dent of the Arlington County Chamber
Of Connmerce; Mrs. Catherine M.
Rogers, president of the Organized
Women Voters of Arlington County;
Robert E. Janson. president of the Ar
iington- Fairfax Volunteer Firemen's
Association; James r. Williams, presi-
dent of the Arlington District Council
of Citizens Associations; J.. G. Meme.
mar. chairman of the Better Local
Government Commission. and Harry
C. Saffell. chairman OF the Arlington
County Water Supply Commission.
Jesse's Support Demanded.
The letter follows:
sIt sometimes transpires, even III
a liberty loving country such as the
United States of America. that a
people must assert themselves and
anneal over the head of the lawfully
constituted authority whom they
elected to office as their representa-
tive. The qualified voters of Airing
ton County elected you, sir, to rep
resent them in the House OF Dele
gates of the Commonwealth or var
ginia, the native State of Washing
ton, Jefferson and John Marshall, and
now appeal to you, sir, TO execute
the trust imposed upon you as their
representative in that body by sup
porting Senate bill No. 50, authoriz-
ing the qualified voters of this county
to exercise the right conferred upon
them by the Declaration of lnde-
pendence and the constitution of the
state of Virginia to determine by a
majority vote the form of local gov
ernment which they believe to be
best suited to their governmental
needs.
''In the words of Senator Frank L.
! Ball. the representative of Arlington
and other counties in our State Sen
ate, who introduced and fathered the
| bill under consideration through the
Senate, where it was passed without
dissenting voice:
"'The referendum bill submitting
| to the people of Arlington County the
| question of Incorporation is q rec
| ognition of the right of self deter
mination of local government and
| political affairs which has long been
| accorded 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 their own and provides a
| means of expression at the polls.
1.-The bill as passed by the Senate
! is q carefully prepared measure, car
rying safeguards of the rights ot
| each locality. While it is well known
that / am opposed to immediate in
corporation and have so argued be-
fore the Better Government Commits
sion, / am, nevertheless, in favor ot
providing a means by which senti-
| ment of the people of the county car
be fairly obtained and am willing t.
rest the case in the sound judgment
of the voters--a forum where all ar
guments,. pro and con, can be fairly
and completely aired and considered.
1T has come to the attention of the
| undersigned voters and representa-
| tives Of civic organizations in Airing
| ton County that you, sir, are opposed
| to the principle embodied in this bill
and that you now refuse TO assist it
proponentns to secure Its passage
through the House of Delegates, II
which body you are their duly accred
tied representative, and in whom ha:
been imposed the trust of executing
their wishes before that honorable
body. This, sir, must be admitted Il
be an extraordinary peryersion OF th'
principles OF representative govern
ment as pronounced by the immorta
Thomas jefferson through the Decla
ration Of Independence and establish
ed, preserved and perpetuated for u
i'm the bill of rights as set forth II
1.-THE constitution of the Commonwealth
Of Virginia.
If it be true. as alleged, sir, tina
YOU refuse to lend your support t
bill which, in the words Of our rep
resentative in the Senate, the Hon
Frank l.. Ball, gives to the peopl'
of the county the right to determine
their own political destiny in affairs
strictly their own and provides {
means OF expression az the polls,
then, sir. never in the history Of thi'
\