Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-10
Montgomery County
Civic Federation
Approves Charter
Residents Urged to Vote
For Plan in November;
Need for Chonee Stressed
BY MRS. J. REED BRADLEY.

BY MRS. J. REED BRADLEY.
The Montgomery County Civic
Federation last night Endorsed tn,
proposed charter by a vote of rs
to 4. and urged all voters of the
county to vote for 1t November Z.
A report by o. M. Kile, chairman
of the special Charter Committee
recalled that the Federation took thu
initiative in 1888 in urging a surve,
of the county government and hae
consistently worked for the further.
ance of the charter movement.
After the meeting, Richard B
Barker, president, issued the follow.
ing statement regarding the action
The Montgomery County Civic
Federation is composed of delegates
from IS member organizations rep.
resenting the citizenry of Montgom.
cry County. BY an overwhelming
vote the Federation has Endorsed the
charter. For over q year the dele.
gates have been carefully 4tudyin1
the proposed charter and their con.
sidered opinion is a clear mandate
that those citizens who are not pro.
fessional politicians, or who have ne
selfish interests in the defeat of thu
charter. are backing this nonparti.
san movement for home rule In
government.
Challenge to Politicians.
1.-THE vote. of the federation is .
challenge to the politicians that the
citizens are determined to eliminate
the 'spoils system from county gov.
eminent and institute in its place
a businesslike and efficient form OF
government under the councilman
ager system"
Opposition to the charter was
crystallized in a resolution intro.
duced by Royal H. Carlock, Delegate
to the Maryland Assembly, WHIT
asked reputation of the charter
alleging that it is unconstitutiona
and would not be able to function
without remedial legislation, which
cannot be anticipated from a Gen
eral Assembly known to be preju.
diced. Mr.. Carlock's resolution lost
by vote of IS to S.
The Importance of completing thu
master plan Of land use in suburban
Montgomery County before the wal
ends and building activity resume.
was stressed in a report by Mr.
Barker, who Is also chairman OF {
special committee on master plan!
and zoning in relation to postwar
planning.
Moratorium on Z0ning.
A suggestion was made that thu
county commissioners, acting as {
district council, grant moratorium
on zoning petitions pending tn.
adoption of a master plan in case.
where there is expressed public op.
position to the petition, except il
cases of emergency.
Mr.. Barker's report was tablee
until the November meeting in ordel
that delegates may carry it bacl
to their associations.
The subject of garbage collection
and disposal, on which Dr.. Herber
Eaton was scheduled to make a re
port, will be delayed until after tn
November election. In the past. tn
Federation has favored the collec
ton of trash and garbage by tn
county government, as opposed t.
the Washington Suburban Sanitar,
Commission which now looks ate
the matter.
DR.. Eaton expressed the opinion
that it would be preferable to wal
until after the election to make tn
report so that in case the Federation
recommends the withdrawal of tn
business from the Sanitary Commits
sion 1t may be referred to tn
proper county authority