The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-08-23
DURELY
i OFFICIAL
By BALLOT BOX


1t looks very much as if Wash
ington County politics have sudden
~ developed into a series of endur-
ance contests.
First Contest
Several months ago the Washing
ton County Democratic Central State
Committee submitted a list of names
to Governor O'Conor for appoint
ment to the Washington County
Liquor Board, with only one mem
Der of the old board being renomin-
ated.
Although the term of office of the
old board expired in June, the
Governor has taken no action on
the list submitted, nor has he, as
far as I have been able to find out,
requested the Committee to submit
a new one. Under the law, the old
board continues to serve until a new
one is sworn in, so, in this contest,
the Governor is winning at present
and it may, in fact, be declared mo
contest" unless the Committee sud
denly comes to life and demands a
showdown with the Governor.
Second Contest
The second contest is little more
exciting, since one of the contestants
is reported to have accused the
other of unfair tactics" and to have
threatened to protest the decision"
in court if the opponent is declared
the winner"
This contest concerns the salary of
the Democratic Register of the
Washington County Permanent
Board of Registry and the contest
ants are the Board of County Com
missioners and the Board of Elec-
ton Supervisors.
As the endurance contest drags
along, the Commissioners have TAX
en- commanding lead, on the claim
that, after providing for the increase
in salary for the Republican Regis
ter - an increase that was authoriz-
ed by a Bill passed at the recent
session of the State Legislature -
they have no funds with which to
grant the increase which the Elec-
ton Supervisors have asked for the
Democratic Register. The Commits
sioners increased their lead consid-
erably by pointing out that the law
states specifically that funds for the
Board of Election Supervisors can
not exceed the amount levied for
the year.
While the Election Supervisors are
running poor second in this con-
test, the Democratic Register is away
out in front in a little endurance con-
test of his own, by consistently re-
fusing to accept his salary checks
drawn at the old rate). He has
turned back the June and July
checks and now it remains to be
seen what he does when the August
check arrives, together with the
June and July checks which will be
remailed along with it.
Third Contest
The third contest involves the
Washington County Republican
Central State Committee and Gov
ernor O'Conor.
This contest (rather tame after the
other two) evolves round the re-
quest of Governor O'Conor that the
Republican Committee submit a
list of names for the appointment of
a Republican member of the Wash
ington County Permanent Board of
Registry (the term of the present
member having expired in June).
So far, the chairman of the COM
mittee hasn't even called meeting,
let alone submit a list of names.
This gives the Central Commit
tee a slight lead in the contest, since
the present Register remains in
Office in the meantime, and it may
be that they will hold off submitting
new list (unless the Governor de-
cides to get back into the contest
by making second request) at
least until the winner of the other
two contests are announced.