Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-18
LEE MAKES REPLY
TO C. 0. ?. CHARGES
Gov. Ritchie Speaks at Raj
lies Yesterday in Mont
gomery.
BY WILLIAM S. TARVER,
star Correspondent Of The Star


stan Correspondent OF The Star
Mai. e. Brooke Lee, Democratic
Maryland State campaign manager, re-
piled yesterday and last night to charges
of vote buying, administrative corrup-
ton and arrogance made by Repub-
licans against himself and the Mont
Gomery County political organization OF
which he Is the head.
No cou1ter-charges were enunciated
Mai. Lee contenting himself with an
swering allegations made in the Mont
gomery Republican platform and at
mass meetings Wednesday night by
Representative Frederick N. zihlman
and r. Barnard Welsh, candidate for
States attorney
The Democratic leaders defense was
made yesterday afternoon at Kensing-
ton and last night at Silver Spring and
Bethesda, where rallies were held in
honor of Gov. Albert C. Richie, who
spent the day in Montgomery County
in the course of his campaign for re-
election.
Must Work Hard.
Although predicting an easy victory
for Gov. Richie, his campaign manager
told Montgomery Democrats that they
will have to work hard If they are TO
be successful in the county election
November 4. He predicted that the
Republican candidates would receive
1000 white and 3,500s colored votes of
their own party and in addition all the
members of the progressive faction of
the Democratic party which its leaders
can swing.
Mai. Lee took up the charges against
himself and the county government one
BY one. The first was the often
repeated allegation that he was arro-
CANT.
"A man who attempts to do anything
In politics and is arrogant is stupid,
Mai. Lee declared, land they don't ac-
cllse me yet of being stupid. For a
politician to be arrogant would be po-
ltical suicide. If am arrogant, what
are you? You must submit to my ar
rogance. If the charge is true, it is as
much against you as against me-"
Greeted With Applause.
As If to refute charges of a personal
nature made against the county leader,
the audiences in all three halls where
he spoke greeted Maj Lee with loud
and prolonged cheers when he entered
and when he commenced to speak.
Scarcely statement he made but was
greeted by some sign of appreciation.
Concerning charges of Representative
zihlnan that votes are bought in prt-
mary and general elections and that
property assessments are unfair, Maj.
Lee said:
Attempted vote buying is absurd In
Montgomery County because there is
no way to know how the voter votes
Ballots are marked in secret booths and
the paper used for ballots is so thick
that the cross marks cannot be seen
from the outside Of a folded ballot even
when it is being dropped in the box by
an election official. Consequently, any
attempt to buy votes in Montgomery
County in the recent primary would
have been simply throwing money away.
Vote Buying Untrue.
"zihlman states no specific instances
81 localities where votes were purchased,
although he said that there was no
limit to the expenditure for this pur-
pose.
His charge is untrue and just one of
the additional insults against the courts,
States attorney, grand jury, voters,
citizens and duly elected officials of
Montgomery County that are being used
In the 1880 campaign.
IAN the property in Montgomery
County was re-assessed in 1928 The
county assessments we're open to the
public and were examined by the
citizens and taxpayers in every COM
nnunity of the county. There we're
practically no objections to the rate of
assessment of the 10000 separate par
GELS of property IN Montgomery County
There was no objection to the assess
mentS In the Eastern Suburban District
containing Silver Spring and Takoma
Park, where over 200 citizens examined
the assessments carefully.
This Is known to Mr.. Zihlman and
TO the Republican county politicians, yet
at this time in order to get votes they
deliberately charge unfair and unequal
assessments"
Church Transaction Detailed.
The charge made by Mr.. Welsh We'd
nesday night that the Presbyterian
Church Of Rockville was deceived in
accepting price for Its property in
purchase of the new Court House site
by false representation of the price
which was to be paid to the Farmers
Banking g. Trust Co., and that the
payment to the bank represented gift
from the county commissioners and the
Court House Building Committee to
Robert @. Hilton, Democratic candidate
for the State Senate and president Of
the bank, was answered by a detailed
account of the transaction.
THE Court House Building Commit
tee told the pastor of the Presbyterian
Church what the county's offer to the
Farmers Banking & Trust Co. was
then and that 1t had not been accepted"
Mai Lee explained.
THE Presbyterian Church sold its
property, an inside lot, for $32, 900,
which enabled that parish to build a
modern and large stone church on a
good lot In the residential part of Rock
IA II I1N&
The old building was a much smaller
brick building Of Anticipated design and
plan.
Action Of Bank Directors.
''Dr. Eugene Jones of Kensington,
candidate against Hilton In the recent
Democratic primary election, and direc-
tors and large stockholders OF the
Farmers Banking & Trust Co. voted TO
ask $50 1000 for the bank site. Albert
M. Bouic voted to accept $4,000.
The majority Of the directors voted
to accept $4,000 for the bank property.
Hilton did not vote, as he was a
voting member of the Court House
Building Committee.
1.-THE county raised its offer from
$4,000 TO $4,000, which was Bouic's
figure, and was able to. purchase the
property at $4,000
Lack of an adequate condemnation
law, which passed the House of Dele
gates in 1929 and was killed in the
State Senate by Senator Jones. clearly
handicapped the county commissioners
in acquiring the property in the square
west Of the old court house as an en-
largement of the court house site.
Forced by Emergency.
"Such payments as might have beer
regarded as high by a condemnation
Jury were forced upon the county ad-
ininistration through the present rea
emergency demanding a fireproof new
court house to protect the land, tesla.