Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-04
Charter Board
Wins by 1900
In Montgomery
]. Bond Smith Hints
Democrats May Take
Issue to Courts
Pictures on Page A-6.)

BY ALEXANDER r. PRESTON.
For the first time in Maryland's
history a Charter Board to draft
a new plan of home rule govern
ment has been established as q
result of the votes of Montgomery
County citizens II referendum.
The unofficial vote was 1895 to
6,032, with one precinct unre-
ported.
A hint that the county Democratic
organization may take the issue to
the courts was contained in state
ment issued today by j. Bond Smith,
bitter opponent of a charter form of
government in the county and one
Of the losing nominees for the Char
ter Board.
At the same time, he reiterated
the claim that a charter form of
government would be unavoidable
under constitutional limitation
which provides that the local gov
erning body may not meet for more
than one month of each calendar
year.
Declaring the reaction against
charter was indicated in the returns
in which approximately 1900 fewer
voters voted for the creation of the
Charter Board than signed the char
ter petition. Mr.. Smith asserted:
I'VE await with confidence the
ultimate verdict two years hence.
within which time it may be possible
to obtain judicial determination of
the question by the Court Of APP
peals of Maryland"
No Organization Action.
Mr.. Smith emphasized that he was
speaking only for himself and not
for the Democratic organization.
No definite court action has been
planned by the organization on the
issue as yet, he added, pending q
meeting of Democratic leaders.
The. winning candidates elected
yesterday are Tarlton Brooke, 9,O97;
Thomas M. Anderson. 9056; Fred
eric P. Lee, 1895: Mrs. Alice w.
Hostetler, 1854, and Stephen James,
1886.
The losing candidates are o. w.
Anderson. $3.50: Joseph A. Cantrel,
1921; Albert E. Brault, 5,043; Roger
j. Whiteford, 4.817, and Mr.. Smith,
1891.
The five leaders were nominated
by petition and were sponsored by
the Charter Committee, while the
five who trailed had the active sup
port of or were prominent leaders
in the Montgomery County Con-
gress of United Democratic Organ
iZations.
Organization Meeting Planned.
The winners today made plans to
hold an organization meeting, elect
a chairman and then conduct se-
ries of meetings and public hear
ings on proposed charter form OF
government designed to bring about
home rule" by making 1t unneces-
sary for legislation applicable solely
to Montgomery County to be pre-
sented to the General Assembly at
Annapolis. Instead a county coun-
ell would be created and would
supplant the existing Board of
County Commissioners.
BY the size of the vote, Mont
gomery voters showed that they
want study undertaken of methods
of improving the county govern
ment. Whatever suggestions the
newly -created board may prepare
and it must report plan within
six months-the charter containing
the new plan must come before the
electorate again for final approval
in another referendum In the gen.
eral election of 1914.
Democratic organization workers
obviously were concerned about the
outcome Of the issue during the
campaign. They placed their most
lively spokesman on the air meny
times and Mr.. Cantrel and Mr.
Smith, besides speaking over the
radio more frequently than the
others, also directed publicity for
the organization.
The Charter Committee, which
raised funds through public SUBJ
scription, also bought considerable
time on the radio and during the
closing days of the campaign it was
represented by several speakers,