Evening star., 1946-02-10
Charter Chance
To Be Asked by
Arlington Group
Referendum, Recall
And Nonportison
Elections Sought

Recommendations that provisions
for nonpartisan primary elections
and initiative, referendum and re-
call be included in the proposed
charter for the Incorporation of
Arlington County into a CITY will
be made to the County's representa-
tives In the General Assembly by a
committee representing the member
organizations of the County Civic
Federation.
Federation representatives last
night voted to send a delegation
to confer with Delegates j. Maynard
Magruder and George Damn, and
Senator William D. Medley to seek
the inclusion of these two points.
Commenting on the revised char
ter. which was sent to Richmond
last week, Harley Williams of the
New Arlington Citizens Association
crltlclzed the measure as a "hypo-
critical pretense at recording the
wishes of the people"
Suited Themselves
The commission, Mr.. Williams
SAID, pretended to conduct hearings
IN which they recorded the views
OF county citizens and then pre-
pared charter to suit themselves.
the statement of the countys rep
reSentative in the Legislature that
they would not change the charter,
ne continued, was clearly an at
tempt to discourage the citizens
from seeking any revisions.
The charter fight must be carried
to the General Assembly because
the members of the LEGISLATURE are
the only officials, under Virginia s
indirect and centralized control sys-
tenn, who can be called to account
by the voters"
County citizens, he said, will have
to establish a public record of their
wishes so the Legislature cannot
dodge ultimate accountability by
stating they believed the commits
slon's charter proposals represented
the peoples wishes.
Harold E. Schilz, also from the
New Arlington Associa ton, said the
commission in leaving out the non
PARTISAN election provision. has
created the hottest political issue
in years"
Creditable Piece of Work.
Paul A. Hill, secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce, said men,
bers of the charter commission had
done a "creditable piece of work,
we're conscientious in performing
their duty. and voted their con-
victions."
Asserting the chamber did not
make recommendations concerning
nonpartiSan elections or referendum
and recall, Mr. Hill said he thought
the council as set up by the proposed
charter had the necessary borrow
ing power to bring much needed
county improvement.
A. A. Carretta, speaking as an
individual, said the strongest argu-
ment against the charter was that
it had been drawn by circuit
judge-appointed, commission and
that the citizens have no recourse.
He asserted the commission
failed in it's duty" because it did
not express the views of the ma
jority.
Not Constitutional.
Lawrence w. Douglas, commission
chairman, told Mr.. Carretta that
nonpartisan elections are not con-
stitutional, citing paragraph II of
section %, which specifies that spe-
cial legislation with respect to elec-
tions shall not be adopted for any
community.
I'm not convinced it's unconsti-
tutional," Mr.. Carretta said He
added he based his opinion on the
fact that although paragraph IL
of that particular section ruled on
elections, paragraph 13 of the same
section prohibits the establishment
of pension and retirement system
A bill for such system to benefit
Arlington firemen and policemen
was introduced in the Legislature
this week. he said.
Other civic representatives who
approved sending the delegation to
Richmond included Mrs Beulah S
Goss, Business and Professional
Women's Club; DR.. Victor Meyers,
Fort Myer Heights Citizens Asso-
citation; o. w. Brittingham, Colum-
bia Pike Citizens Association;
Clement Johnston, Lyon Park Citi-
zens' Association: Mrs. Marjorie
Larson, League of Women Voters;
William G.. Watt, Civic Federation
and Mrs. Ruby Simpson, Cherrydale
Citizens Association.