The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1944-06-22
DURELY
i Official
BY BALLOT BOX


til after the conventions in Chicago,
but I've just run across the funniest
political story that's come down the
pike in years and l want to tell you
about it. Let's start it off with the
following quote from Drew Pear
sons Maryland Merry Go-Round,"
taken from the Towson County
Record, issue of June 8:
Chalk up another one for Con-
gresham Lansdale Sasscer he
was out arranging for a $4,000,000
federal project for Prince Georges
county And this project is not an
other war baby. It promises to be
a permanent business employing
around 700 persons.
"Sasscer has persuaded the Navy
department that instead of building
new proposed naval laboratory in
Washington to ease the strain on
facilities in the Navy Yard at An
costa, il should build the plant ov-
er in the county on old Bladensburg
road. The project has the approval
of the Secretary of the Navy and
of the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee of which the congressman is
a member"
But, as / get the story, here's
what really happened.
Reading through Naval bill that
was before the House Naval Affairs
Committee, Congressman Sasscer
noticed the four million dollar item
for naval laboratory to be built on
Bladensburg Road and Immediately
sent out press releases, which were
given wide publicity, drawing at
ten to the good fortune that was
coming to Prince Georges County,
through his efforts. Prince Georges,
of course, is in Sasscers district
Another Congressman, however,
one j. Glenn Beall, also read the
bill and noticed the same item, but
Congressman Beall discovered that,
while the proposed laboratory was
to be built ON the Bladensburg
Road, alright, it was to be erected
in the Montgomery County end of
the road and not in the Prince
Georges County end.
With this important fact estab-
lished, Beall, whose district includes
Montgomery County, hot-footed it
out to the Montgomery County
Commissioners, pointing out that he
had started the ball rolling for
big project for the county, The
Commissioners got busy, passed a
resolution endorsing the project,
and are now working night and day,
to insure getting the appropriation
through.
Not content with this, Congress
man Beall then proceeded to really
pull one out of the bag.
Realizing that E. Brookes Lee, his
erstwhile opponent in the Congress
sional race, was now chairman of
the Montgomery County Parks and
Planning Commission, he called
him on the phone, told him of the
proposed project, and, in effect said,
1--WE got this project started for
Montgomery County; if you want it,
how about really getting behind it,"
This master stroke on BealPs
part, really put Brookes Lee on the
spot. AR ardent New Dealer and
bitterly opposed to Congressman
Beall who gave him such shellack-
ing in 1912, he is literally forced in
to supporting Bealls efforts to get
the Navy project for his county
The net result is, that the strong,
New Deal, Montgomery County ma
chine is now working tooth and nail
in support of project that Republi-
can Congressman Beall must be Civ
en- credit for, while embarrassed,
ardent New Deal Congressman
Sasscer is trying desperately to re-
pair his broken fences by having
the project switched to Greenbelt.
But now comes the Sixty Four
Dollar Question!
Where does all this political ma
neuvering leave Senator Tydings?
The Senator, who, of course, repre-
sents both counties, happens to be
a member of the Senate Naval At
fairs Committed
p. S. Just when matters had
about reached the boiling point, a
compromise was effected, when, at
special meeting of the House Naval
Affairs Committee, held on Monday,
June 20, at which all interested par
ties were present, the Bladensburg
site for the project was abandoned
and an entirely new site selected.
The new site is 1000-acre tract
III