Evening star., 1943-03-16
County Defense
Powers Bills
Merits Argued
Public Hearing Held
In Annapolis on
Montgomery Measure
BY MRS. J. REED BRADLEY.


sponsored by the Montgomery Coun-
ty delegation to the Maryland AS
sembly is purely defense measure
as its proponents claim, or legisla-
ton to give the county commits
sioners unlimited power of expendi-
ture for an unlimited time, as
charged by the Montgomery County
Civic Federation, was debated for
two hours yesterday at a public
hearing in Annapolis called by Gov
OConor.
The Governor took the matter
under advisement and will announce
his decision today, inasmuch as un-
der a new ruling the bill automat-
ically becomes law if it is not We
toed within six days from the time
1t was placed on his desk. He re-
ceived the bill March 10.
AS passed by the House on Febru-
AIRY 3, the bill empowered the COM
missioners to appropriate funds and
to take such other positive action
as they may deem necessary and
proper for purposes of public de-
fense in time of actual or impending
war, insurrection, riot or other
emergencies and for the defense
of Montgomery County or for
any other purpose necessary for
the preservation of the public
health. safety or welfare, and to
borrow upon the faith and credit
Of Montgomery County such sum or
sums as may be necessary to carry
out the provisions of the act"
Time Limit Dropped.
The House bill, however, con-
tained a clause limiting the powers
granted to "a period of six months
after the emergency shall cease to
exist. When passed by the Senate
on February IL and concurred in by
the House on February Is, this ter
mination clause had been dropped.
Delegate James w. Gill and
Joseph Cantrel, counsel to the
Board of County Commissioners,
explained that the reason for drop
ping 1t was that one of the county
commissioners thought the clause
might preclude giving help in cases
OF insurrection, riot or other emer-
gencies.
Speaking for the Civic Federation,
Joseph B. Matre, president, and
Richard B. Barker, chairman Of the
Legislative and Legal Action Com
mittee, expressed no opposition to
the bill as it originally passed the
House, since they considered it a
defense measure. In its amended
form, however, they had three spe-
cific objections:
Elimination OF the time limit
clause, as a result of which the
clause "or for any other purpose"
might be construed to give power
for an unlimited time:
The provision stating that bonds
might be sold at public or private
sale;
The bills lack of a reasonable
overall limit for expenditures.
Mr.. Barker suggested the sum of
$500, 900.
Object to Proposals.
F. E. Chase, president of the
Greater Kensington Civic League.
and Ralph B. Stewart, president of
the Citizens Association of Section 4.
Chevy Chase, also objected to the
proposals to laid the State of Mary
land or the United States in connec-
ton with national Defense" to fur
nlSh arms and ammunition to
county citizens or ito the Regular
Army or militia of the United States
and State of Maryland, and to the
ratlflcation of all acts done hereto
fore for public defense.
Other civic leaders who spoke in
opposition were Washington l. Cleve-
land, from the Greater Kensington
Civic League; George E. Muth, pres
ident of the Westmoreland Hills
Citizens Association; F. G. Schwoe-
rer,. president of the Chevy Chase
Terrace Community Association:
Charles N Squires. president of the
Chevy Chase Gardens Citizens Asso-
citation: William B Horne, represent
Ing the town of Somerset; Ralph D.
Boyd, president of the Park Hills
Citizens Association, and Sherman F.
Booth, president of the Chevy Chase
View Citizens Association.
Speaking in favor of the bill we're
the entire membership of the county
delegation in the House including
Mr.. Gill, Mrs. Genevieve Wells,
Ulysses S. Griffith, 5th; ROYAL H.
Carlock, Robert Hunter and Ben
c. Wilkinson and Judge Albert E.
Brault, director of civilian defense
for the county.
The delegation, they said, had no
ulterior motive in view the House
members said They secuted the
suggestion that the commissioners
might take undue advantage of the
emergency powers conferred by the
bill.
Minutes Open to Public.
County defense appropriation are
made at the recommendation of the
Executive Committee of the Civil
ian Defense Council, which is a
non partisan body, and the minutes
of their proceedings are open to the
public, Judge Brault pointed out
Mr.. Wilkinson decried the efforts
OF the Civic Federation to ids
credit the duly elected legislative
branch OF the county government"
and said he was getting tired of
having these so-called civic minded
people trying TO rum the good rep
utation of the county"
Gov. O'Conor pointed out that the
county had an enviable record for
its defense work and that it had CO.
operated with the State defense Or
ganization IN every particular.