Evening star., 1944-10-29
Six Citizens Call
Charter a Move
To Public Rule
Upper County Group
Supports Plan as New
Opposition Is Heard

The belief that the proposed char
ter for Montgomery County would
result in a more efficient government
and return Of the government to
the people was voiced yesterday by
six upper county residents.
In statement released by the
Montgomery County Charter Com
mittee, the group said:
Adoption of the charter will elm
mate the extravagant favoritism in
the administration of county affairs
which has so long been apparent to
those really familiar with the day
to-day operation of county govern
ment. The charter is the brightest
spot on the horizon of county affairs
that we have seen for long while" "
Signing the statement were Rob-
ert w. Allnut, Jacksonville farmer;
j. Sterling Bowman, Gaithersburg
miller; George r. Candy, Colesville
fruit grower; Joseph N. Darby,
Jamestown farmer; William H.
Fulks, Laytonsville farmer, and
Thomas c. Kelley, attorney, of
Rockville.
Citizens Group Issues Statement.
Concurrently the Citizens Com
mittee to Defeat Charter issued
statements by two attorneys oppos-
ing the proposal.
S. Jay McCathran, Washington
attorney and resident of Chevy
Chase. in a radio address recently
said that no opponent Of the pres
ent form Of county government has
been able to sustain one point or to
prove that the present government
has been guilty of dishonesty or has
been inadequate to meet the needs
OF the county.
my professional duties have
brought me in contact with county
ofacials in all departments. and
haze never found cause to challenge
their good faith, their sense of re-
sponsibility to the interests of the
county welfare and the protection
of their celebrates advantage" Mr..
McCathran said.
John Sumner Wood, an attorney
OF Seneca, also said in a radio ad-
dress that the county, as a whole,
rs functioning so smoothly that a
wise voter not familiar with the
proposed charter would do we'll to
read the charter prescription and
familiarize himself with the antidote
before he swallows the whole con-
tents of the bottle marked Charter" :"
Retired Onicers Voice Support.
Taking issue with a recent letter
to servicemen urging them to vote
against the charter, 10 retired Army
and Navy officers Of the county yes
terday denied there had been any
attempt by charter supporters Ito
take advantage of the absence from
the county OF our brothers in the
service" in order to direct their vote
The members of our armed forces
can rest assured that their fellow
officers and men of the military
services at home are supporting the
charter in the hope that on their
return they will be welcomed with a
more modern, businesslike, economi-
cal government free from the spoils
system, and based on democracy, the
very thing they are fighting to pre-
serve" the group said.
Those signing the statement in
cluded Maj. Gen. Charles D. Her
ron, Col. A. H. Hobley, Maj. Edward
A. Keyes. Capt. Charles E. Parsons,
USN: Navy 1t. John Reid, Rear
Admiral Adolphus Station, Col C. F..
Won dem Busche, Capt. Chester
Wells, USN, and Col. Lester G. Will
son.
Randolph G. Bishop, chairman of
the Charter Committees field divi-
sion, urged charter supporters to
volunteer the use of their automo-
biles to bring voters to the polls on
election day.
"The Charter Committee policy
forbids the payment of money for
transporting voters or for any 9TH
er purpose which could create even
a suspicion Of improper influence. :"
Mr.. Bishop said. Volunteers, he
added, are requested to write or tele-
phone the charter office.