Evening star., 1946-01-23
Charter Group Plans
10 Circulate Petition
In Montgomery

The Montgomery County Charter
Committee announced last night it
will begin soon the circulation of a
petition asking that a charter board
be created in the county.
More than 200 who attended the
meeting, at the Liquor Control
Board hearing room in Silver
Spring, were told by Allen Gardner,
president Of the association, that
the same procedure of four years
ago would have to be followed.
. A petition asking that the charter
question be placed on the ballots
in the November election must be
signed by 20 per cent of the reg
istered voters or 10000, whichever is
the least number. The petition,
filed with the election officials of
the county, would make 1t manda-
tory to place on the ballot a uues-
ton, shall charter board be
created?"
At the same election, it was
pointed out, citizens would vote on
candidates for membership on the
charter board, these candidates
being chosen by the charter COM
mittee's board Of directors. If
elected, the charter board would
draw up a charter within 6 months
for submission to the voters at the
l948 elections.
Wants Home Rule.
The organization said recent re-
forms in the county government
would not affect their plans. Mr..
Gardner announced a budget of
$11 900 and a program of home rule,
modernized government and nom
partisan elections. He declared that
the recent changes in government
are step in the right direction but
they go only small way and that
unless desired governmental changes
are guaranteed through. a basic
charter they may be swept away
overnight by action of the State
Legislature.
In the meantime the Charter
Committee will center its fight on
the administrative chaos" which
they allege exists in the county un-
der the present form of government
Julian Duncan, a member of the
Research Committee, exhibited a
chart showing how the political ma
chine had steadily increased the
powers of the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission during the 10 years of its
existence. At the same time. he
said, 1t has decreased its RESPONSE
bility to the electorate.
The Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission is in the same
category as the Planning Commits
sion, Mr.. Duncan charged. He said.
however, he had not had an oppor-
tunity to make a thorough study of
its operations. It's handling of the
trash and garbage collection, he
said, has convinced the people of
Montgomery County that this serv-
ice should be brought back under
county control.
Day Given Praise.
Mrs. John H. Werner, executive
secretary, praised the progressive
ideas Of County Supervisor willard
F. Day, but stated that there is too
much confusion over his admins
trative policy-making powers. Mrs.
Werner said the present commits
sioners are trying to do good lob
but are failing because they are not
trained administrators and are not
willing to relinquish that job to Mr..
Day.
Washington I. Cleveland, finance
chairman, appealed for funds and
said that nearly half the proposed
$11 900 budget would be used to hire
a permanent research worker to pro-
vide ammunition for fighting the
next battle.
The following new members of the
Board of Directors were elected to
serve for . term OF three years: