Evening star., 1942-09-13
Charter Board Plan
Called 'Triekery' by
CantreI and Smith
Sponsors Contend Bio
Majority Of Voters
Favor Proposed Change

The efforts to create a charter
board to study proposed change.
on local government are regarded
as "a piece of unparalleled political
trickery,''' Joseph A, Cantrel and ]
Bond Smith, publicity co-chairmen
of the United Democratic Organi-
ration for Montgomery County, have
informed Allen H. Gardner, chair
man of the County Charter Com
mittee.
simultaneously, Mrs. John H
Werner, the Charter Committee s
executive director. released partial
returns of canvassers indicating
that residents in MIR. Cantrels and
Mr.. Smiths home election precincts
to date have signed petitions for a
charter board representing 81 per
y cent and 60 per cent of qualified
voters available in those districts
respectively.
Reply to Gardner.
The Democratic organization Off
cials' letter was in response to a
letter from Mr.. Gardner earlier this
week asking them to obtain authori-
cation from the organization to an
nounce publicly that they favor the
right of the people, through petition
to vote in November on the election
OF a charter board, and that they
favor the election of a charter board
and will postpone "any opposition
until you know what kind of charter
Is drafted by the board"
In response to the first question,
Mr.. Cantrel and Mr.. Smith said ::
AS you very we'll know, this is a
right conferred under the Maryland
constitution, providing the sigma
tures of 20 per cent of the voters
are secured.
ut was not intended, however
that these should be obtained by
fraud or Misrepresentation, or with
out any disclosure whatever of the
specific objectives sought"
Political Trickery."
To the second question, they de-
clared they were unable to agree to
its suggestion.
"On the contrary" they said, I'VE
regard the proposal to create a
charter board under the circum-
stances =" piece of unparalleled
political trickery which the voters
of Montgomery County will en-
phatically reject in November if
they get the chance"
Referring to another portion of
Mr.. Gardner's letter, the publicity
co-chairmen said that under the cir
cumstanceS the suggestion that local
government programs should be at
tackled without partiSanship Or
malice "iS not only extremely late,
but surely not seriously intenoed."
Tncv reiterated chorpes that pro-
pon~n-e Of the charter hoard are
afflicted 18th Republica Independ-
en+-Tleion groups and are conse-
oucntly engaging in partisan activi-
tie.
The charter committee reports
were made from four precinct work
RIS 1. ! biIt vi SltSNy StldSCr
cinct captain for District 7. Precinct
6, in which Mr.. Cantrel resides, re-
ported 81 per cent of qualified vot-
ers available already have sgined
petitions for the election of a char
ter board.
270 Sign Petition.
The total registration there is 426,
of which 279 are Democrats, 127 Re-
publicans and 20 declines" not af-
flliated with either party. Can
vasscrs reported 90 voters were away
from the precinct with $50 available
and SIGNATURES we're obtained from
270 Of these
Walter Prichard, precinct captain
for District l3, 4th precinct of Ia
kon2a Fark in which Mr.. Smith lives,
reported 80 psi cent of qualified
voters available have signed. There
are sos qualified voters officially
listed of which 351 are Democrats.
128 are Republicans and Is declines.
Canvassers report about los have
moved away or are temporarily alb
~t leaving 395 available and 239
ahatures were obtained. Mr.. Prich-