Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
GROUP TO SELECT
CANDIDATES is HIT
Clarendon Man Says Person
mel Not Apportioned by
Voting Strength.
BY JACK ALLEN,
stan Correspondent OF Tire Star.

ARLINGTON COUNTY SOCASA
HOUSE, Va, August 29--Reapportion-
ment Of the numerical strength OF the
committee named by tie Arlington
County Better Government League to
select the four candidates it VIII sup
port in the election of the new county
board and the elimination Of the mem
bers who were delegates at the Re
publican convention was suggested To-
dsv by Albert H. Cohen Of Clarendon
independent candidate for that ONCE.
Cohen challenged, in his reply TO
q QUESTIONABLE mailed recsntly by the
committee to these seeking p!ac%S on
the board the rights and qualincaUlIhs
of the group to choose, under It's pEess SEW
form of organization, & slate Isl tle
purpose of requesting the voters 10 t ,!
h-rstamp the selections on election
day"
Claims Voting Strength Ignored.
The Clarendon man based his chal-
lenge, he said, on the ground thaV Ille
committee, which Is composed o. seven
persons from each OF the II Votnig
precincts In the county, was plcKea
the membership in proportion to the
voting strength of the various precincts.
He further questioned the propriety
of the leagues action in appointing 10
the committee seven delegates to the
recent Republican convention, at WIlich
a full ticket Of FIVE candidates for the
board was nominated a fact brought
out Yesterday when William E. Wolff
another independent candidate wrote
the league asking that his name pc
ignored when the leagues slate
picked.
.Bv the code of political ethics
recognized and adopted by all hcnor-
able men" Cohen declared. those seven
delegates to the Republican convention
are duty bound to support the candi-
dates of that convention and they can
net. with honor participate IN any
movement to select slate when, by
any possibility, may be different IN Its
makeup from that of the Republican
party. to which they owe their al
kgiancs."
Anderson Issues Statement.
simultaneously with Cohen's an
nouncement of his reply to the ques-
ticnnaire. Robert N Anderson. presi-
dent of the Better Government League,
issued a statement regarding the CUES
ton of naming Republican convention
delegates to the committee. asserting
that 'as far as l know no inquiry was
made as to the political connections OF
various members at the time Of their
association with the league end none
has been made since Such inquiry
is unimportant in the face Of the
standards the league has adopted"
Cohen requested in his communica-
tion that the league supply candidates
for the board with a statement setting
forth the character Of the organization,
its rights and qualifications to name a
slate of candidates for which it will
seek the support Of other voters in the
county.
Cohen in his letter, made three sug-
geEtions which, he claims. would help
overcome the thingsshe outlined.
They are:
/. Reconstruction Of the Central
Committee SO that representation from
the various precincts thereon will be
reasonably in proportion to the respee-
tive voting strength OF each.
:. In Teconstituting the committee.
omit all persons who have previously
participated in the selection Of candi-
dates for the board by any political
party.
OCHDCEGAiOhS f1SACNs
;. Let all of the leagues deliberations
be of a public character, and let the
final selection of candidates be by a
separate and secret ballot on the part
of each member OF the committee. at
meeting TO which the general public is
admitted, preference in admission to
such meeting being extended to all an
nounced candidates for the board.
Anderson's statement regarding the
presence of delegates TO the Republican
convention on the Better Government
Leagues Central Committee was con-
tanned in a public reply to VOLTS re-
quest yesterday that the league not
consider him for its indorgement.
The Better Government League.
Anderson said. "has arisen as a result
OF the recent change in the form Of
Our county government The almost
universal desire throughout the county
that the new government get the best
start possible.
Believes Object Misunderstood.
we feel that Mr.. Wolf misunder-
stood the object, purpose and effect Of
the operations Of the league. Its object
and purpose is not to dictate slate Of
candidates or 10 place any candidate
under obligation TO IL, but merely TO
insure unity Of action among the people
OF the county In support Of the best
qualified candidates, irrespective Of
party lines or personal friendships
we have in mind the achievement
OF something constructive for the
county and the extent 10 which We
succeed viii depend upon the support
the people Of the county give The prof.
eet Since the league will go cut of
existence Immediately after the election,
November 3. no candidate could possibly
be under obligation 10 it or any group
IL