Evening star., 1934-10-19
FUS|ON|STS FLAy
DEMOCRATIC RULE
Montgomery Candidates
Charge Financial Manip-
uIations and Waste.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
TAKOMA PARK, Md, october
ls--Facing q crowd which jammed
the auditorium Of the fire house.
group of Fusion party candidates last
night launched q bitter attack against
the Democratic organization in its
administration of Montgomery County
affairs.
The candidates, led by Joseph A.
Cantrel of Chevy Chase, House of
Delegates nominee, accused members
of the organization of financial
manipulations," of "wasteful extrava-
gance" and of autocratic control over
the county.
During his talk, Cantrel challenged
the organization to explain the reason
why the county commissioners sold
$3.50, 1000 worth of certificates of credit
to the Takoma Park Bank at per
cent interest on April Z, 1888. ac-
cepting in return instead of cash, a
credit entry for the same amount at
per cent interest.
The speaker told his audience that
the county taxpayers suffered a loss
Of $500 on the transaction. In tax
ing over the certificates, he said, the
bank demanded that the certificates
be entered on the books of the COM
missioners as State Roads Commis-
sion certificates.
Lee Director Of Bank.
Mai. E. Brooke Lee was a director
of the bank and chairman of the
Roads Commission at the time, Can
trel pointed out.
First to speak was Wilson Town.
send, the presiding officer. Mont
gomery County, he declared, has been
dominated during the last Is years
by a machine as insidious and vicious
as those of New York and Philadel-
phia.
He was especially bitter against the
cost of operating the liquor d1spensary
system, pointing out that while WI
comico County spends only S0,OO0,
Worcester County, $4,000, and the
whole State of Ohio, $500. 900. Mont
ROtDSTy SO0ilty oPCAioo ~SSSf~0of
more than 81 per capita, annually to
maintain liquor dispensaries.
Land Deal Mentioned.
The speaker accused the commits
sioners OF having purchased large
tract of land at SITS per foot. al
| though its assessed valuation was onfy
8 cents. The 100000 being spent
to erect a mammoth liquor warehouse
there, might better be spent. he de-
clared. for construction of badly need
ed school buildings.
James C. Rogers Of Chevy Chase
| also a candidate for the House OF
| Delegates, was another speaker. He
confined his remarks to discussion
OF the county's financial condition
The county has an actual deficit OF
| s270, 900 and a budget of 81, ,488 900
necessitating the borrowing OF ap-
proximately $27c,0 900, he claimed.
steam Roller" Tactics.
The next speaker, Walter w. Daw.
son of Rockville. fusion candidate
for States attorney, accused Demo.
Gratis of using "steam-roller" tactics
and such strategy as is usually con-
| fined 20 a foot ball field.
| John E Oxley of Rockville. fusion
candidate for the State Senate
launched new attack on the organi.
zation and declared county police are
| forced to drive automobiles on election
day for the convenience Of Democratic
voters.
Paul Coughlan of Silver Spring
candidate for county commissioner
was the next speaker. In a very briei
address be promised citizens would b
given a say in the choice of school
sites and declared himself bitterly
opposed to secret" meetings Of tht
commissioners.
Ira c. whitacre of Silver Spring