Evening star., 1941-08-20
Leaders Split
On Manager
Plan in County
Brookines Survey
Divides Citizens
In Montgomery

! In Montgomery
Mixed reaction was voiced today
by Montgomery County civic leaders
to the action of the county COM
missioners in adopting resolution
criticising the Brookings Institution
proposal for a change in the basic
form of the county's government
and calling for appointment of a
committee to work out the best
features of the report for incorpora-
ton into the county's present sys-
tenn of government.
The resolution as presented for
adoption yesterday by Thomas E.
Hampton, board chairman, declared
that replacement of the county
commissioners with a board of nine
councilmen and county manager
would scrap the two-party system
In the election of county admins
trative officials and would preclude
voters of the districts from voting
for any councilman but their own,
thus reducing "the representative
value of the vote of every citizen of
Montgomery County to one-ninth Of
Its present value in county affairs"
Not Revolutionary.
While Joseph B. Mattre, president
of the county's Civic Federation, de-
clined comment on the commits
sioners' action, O. M. Kile, past fed
Grafton president, said the Brook
ings report does not strike me as
particularly revolutionary"
"It proposes what essentially is a
county manager form of government
which has been tried out successfully
in a number of counties and cities,
and there is a good deal to be said
for a partisan county governing
board" Mr.. Kile said.
Insofar as elimination of the two
party system is concerned, it would
concern only the selection OF the
members of the county administra-
tive board, but you will still be able
to elect State officers and members
of the Legislature on the basis of
party afiliation."
Backs Commissioners.
On the other hand, general agree
ment with the resolution adopted by
the commissioners was voiced by
Carey Quinn, member of the Execu-
tive Committee of the Civic Fedora
tion, who declared that, from a per-
sonal point of view, he did not feel
that residents of the county should
be limited to the election of only the
councilmen from their particular
districts, as proposed by the Brook
ings' report.
Mr.. Quinn also said he did not
believe in attempting to eliminate
political parties because it Is impos-
sible and, despite any attempt in
this direction, various factions will
get together and try to put over
what they want done
Lewis Merriam, in charge of a
survey of Montgomery County for
the Brookings Institution, said:
The Brookings Institution has
made it's report on Montgomery
County available for study by the
people of the county. My hope that
they will study it is apparently be-
ing realized. The people of the
county are the ones to determine
what changes they wish to make in
their local government. The issues
are now in their hands to be de-
cided by them in the American DEM
ocratic way
Plans Complete Study.
Allan H. Gardner, chairman of a
Joint committee of 10 county wide
educational, civic and agricultural
organizations which is studying the
report, declined to comment on the
resolution signed by the commits
sioners. He said the report deserves
a careful study and that his COM
mittee will sponsor detailed study
of its various phases and will hold
q meeting designed to inform the
public of its study and to secure
the views of all groups on the report.
Public officials, including the
county commissioners. will be in
vited to participate in the meeting,
Mr.. Gardner said. He said, how
ever, that his committee would pre-
fer to reserve its opinion until it
had had sufficient time to make a
thorough study of the report.
1t was believed by some observers
that chief opposition to the pro-
posal for the change in the basic
form of government in the county
would be centered in the county'S
rural areas which, they said, are
growing more and more appre-
hensive of losing influence in county
affairs to the Metropolitan Area.
1t was also felt that chief sup
port for the proposal. would come
from the urban area, which was
described as actually a city" and
where there is realization of a need
for closer and more centralized
corporate type of government.
The resolution in connection with
the Brookings report was adopted
by the County Board. Commis-
ssoner John E. Oxley said he did
not agree with parts of the recital
In the resolution, but would back
the appointment of committee as
proposed.
Sees Safeguards Removed.
The recital" in the resolution
0ontended that the recommended
changes in the basic form OF county
government would be reversal OF
fundamental American government
al principles, strike down represen-
tation by direct elections, and re-
move the bulwarks that have safe
guarded the democratic principles
of our local republican form OF gov
ernment."
4LAf