Evening star., 1944-12-22
Charter backer,
See Gill Plan
As Inadequate
But Feel Proposal
For Study Is Sign
Of Progress

Asserting that proposal by James
w. Gill, chairman of the Montgom-
cry County delegation to the General
Assembly, for nonpartisan study of
a 10-point platform for county gov
ernment improvements is "sign of
progress" Allen H. Gardner, Charter
Committee chairman, said today
that the Charter Committee would
continue its fight for charter. The
Delegates suggestions, he said, do
not afford the same measure of
home rule as do the charter.
Mr.. Gardner said that Mr.. Gill,
who as leader of the county legisla-
tive delegation is a faithful lieu
tenant of E. Brooke Lee, head of the
county's powerful political machine, /"
has proposed that the Postwar Con-
struction and Planning Committee,
also headed by Mr.. Lee, make a nom
partisan study of certain changes in
the county government.
Several of the proposals." Mr..
Gardner said, bear some resem-
blance to provisions of the charter,
which was defeated by a narrow
margin last November 7.
Maneuver Anticipated.
Some persons may be surprised
that the political machine now sug-
gests serious study of certain pro-
posals, such as county manager
and a merit system, which it SO vio-
lentlv oDnosed last month
"A maneuver of this kind has
been anticipated, however, by those
familiar with charter movements.
When politicians barely defeat
citizens movement of this kind and
see the people determined to carry
on, they fear the vote at succeeding
elections. Under such circumstances
they frequently bring in a camou-
f1aged substitute, which involves as
few real concessions as possible.
1T is important to keep in mind
the history of the machines oppo-
sition to improvement in our county
government. When the Brookings
Institutions report was issued in
March, 1941, the machine ridiculed
the principal proposals.
when the citizens signed a petit
tion in 1912 to elect a charter board,
the machine ridiculed such proce-
dure, but said that if a charter board
were elected, it (the machine) could
supply the best candidates.
Then, in the recent campaign,
the machine opposed virtually all
the charter proposals. It told the
colored voters that charter was q
white mans scheme to take away
their vote, and told the voters gen.
orally that county manager would
be a dictator, that merit system
would mean life tenure and that the
government should not be changed
while the boys were in the service.
Having convicted the charter of
about everything bad, the machine
now suggests the study Of proposals
which it had previously condemned.
These proposals are still in out
line form and cannot be adequately
appraised at this time. They are.
in fact, simply offered as basis for
study. Nevertheless, certain limita-
tionS are apparent, it appears, for
example, that the proposed changes
would be brought about by legisla-
tion. This means that any changes
thus made could be swept away by
the commissioners or the State
Legislature, whereas, If the changes
were incorporated in a charter, they
could be overturned only by the
vote OF the people.
Lesser Degree Of Home Rule.
"The proposals to transfer certain
powers to the county commissioners
do not appear to give the same
measure Of home rule as would be
afforded by a charter. Nor do the
proposals, despite Mr.. Gills express
sion OF hope that the study win be
nonpartisan, include nonpartisan
county elections, as provided in the
charter, to permit the much-needed
participation of Federal employees
in the elections.
But the study by the committee
should certainly not be ridiculed. 1t
is sign of some progress when q
political machine which has long
dominated county government,
admits, however tardily, that it is
willing to study proposals for i'm
provement in that government.
1T Is hardly necessary to add that
the Charter Committee will continue
its educational program; that it
will work toward the election, on a
nonpartisan ticket, of a charter
board in 1916, and that such a char
ter board in drafting a charter will
doubtless weigh all proposals which
have, in the veantime, been re-
ceived from the Postwar Construc-
ton and Planning Committee and
from other sources"