Evening star., 1942-01-16
Fairfax Citizens Ask
Hatch Act Changes
Affecting Utility Board
Two Members Of County
Commission Unable to
Serve Under Law
Special Dispatch to The Star.

DUNN LORING. Va. Jan. 16-
With two members of the Fairfax
County Public Utilities Commission
unable to qualify because they are
Federal employees. the Federation of
Citizens Associations of the county
last night directed DR.. Thomas P.
Martin, president, to write to Presi-
dent Roosevelt asking for an amend
ment to the Hatch Act that will
allow them to serve.
The Board Of Supervisors named
three-member commission several
months ago and when 1t developed
two Of the appointees, both ex-
perienced in utility matters, could
not qualify, no further appoint.
ments were made until it was found
whether or not the Hatch Act could
b modified.
Meanwhile. should the act pre-
vent the two from serving, the fed
GRAFTON asked the Public Utilities
Committee to recommend several
other eligibles. The two affected
are E. P. Roll and Edward M. Jones.
Representatives who had attended
a meeting at Vienna earlier in the
evening to study the possibility of
having passenger service resumed by
the Washington g. Old Dominion
Railroad reported and the Fedora
tion offered its full support in what
ever action may be decided upon.
Commuter Figures Sought.
c. Reed Thomas reported a COM
mittee of six was named at the
Vienna meeting to form organiza-
tioEs in the communities that would
be served by the w. e. o. D. and find
out the number of prospective COM
muters.
This committee, besides Mr.
Thomas, will include Mayor Joseph
T. ]. Davis of Vienna: Mayor John
H. Rust of Fairfax; A. Smith Bow
man, jr.; John Brooks and Thomas
Reed.
Mr.. Brooks declared that within
six months the situation will be
critical for many persons employed
in Washington. who use private cars
for transportation and will be af-
fected by the tire shortage
However, it was emphasized. actual
figures on the need for resumption
OF passenger service by the railroad
must be shown before the State
Corporation Commission can be ex-
pected to act.
w. AlvOrd Sherman. member of
the County School Board, spoke on
the shortage of funds facing school
officials as a result of the heavy
increase in pupil enrolment. He
declared citizens should study the
problem and offer recommendation
to the Board of Supervisors on how
the additional money might be
raised.
School Tax Plans Suggested.
Among other things, he suggested
the possibility of legislation that
would allow a part of the State in
come tax to be used for the support
of local schools, a 81 tax on adults
for schools, or tax on trailer resi-
dents, many of whom send children
to public schools but pay no county
taxes.
c. c. Wall, chairman of the
County Planning Commission, gave
an illustrated lecture on roads and
road signs in the county. In order
to control highway signs more effec-
lively, DR.. r. A. Osborn suggested
that besides the tax imposed by
the State on sucn signs, there might
also be legislation allowing the
county to impose a tax.
A resolution was adopted express
ing the sympathy of the federation
to the family Of Col. Richard r.
Farr, delegate-elect to the General
Assembly, who died Wednesday.
In discussing the work of the
federation, DR.. Martin asserted there
Is . greater need than ever before
for the organization Of local civic
groups throughout the county to
study local problems, and transmit
their findings to the proper officials
as a guide In directing county affairs.