Evening star., 1946-10-17
Charter Committee
Accused Of Smear; /;
Challenge Renewed

Alfred D. Noyes, chairman of the
Montgomery County Democratic
Congress, today defended the activ-
tiles of five men attacked by the
County Charter Committee and ac-
cused the committee of 'smearing'
them because they are Democrats
and oppose charter form of gov
eminent for the county.
Mr.. Noyes also renewed his chal-
lenge to the committee to prove its
charges of bad county government
practices" He said the committee
thus far has failed to give the date,
name or place of any such practice. u
In defending Roger ]. Whiteford,
Washington attorney, who had been
accused by the committee of accept
ing an excessive fee" of S., 900 from
the county for preparing legislation
for the State Legislature, Mr.. Noyes
declared:
"Mr. Whiteford prepared the orig
inal draft of SIS Montgomery County
bills for the 1899 session of the
Legislature. These bills as enacted
repaired some of the damage to the
county caused by the preceding Re-
publican-Fusion- independent Board
of County Commissioners.
Excessive Fee Denied.
"They included the present law
for continuous Board of Assessors
which also set up the present plan
of assessing one-flfth of the prop
erty of the county each year
Members of the State Tax Commits
sion have stated within the past
month that this law is the best
plan of assessment in the State
today"
Asserting that Mr.. Whiteford is
one of the foremost leaders" of the
Washington and Maryland bars, Mr..
Noyes said that when Mr.. White
ford prepared the draft of the SIS
proposed county laws at less than
500 each. sit was no excessive fee,
but rather a moderate fee"
The attack by the Charter Com
mittee ON 10 v. Morgan, county
civil service commissioner, described
by the committee as inexperienced" :"
was answered by Mr.. Noyes with a
review OF Mr.. Morgan's record.
He said Mr.. Morgan previously
served as one-man Board of Tax
Appeals for the District of Colum-
bia and wrote the current District
tax law and the regulations sup
porting it.
Civil Service Program.
"Mr. Morgan is apparently still
doing all right outside OF the
Charter Publicity Committee Office" !"
Mr.. Noyes said. "He has just been
invited by the American Society of
the Civil Service Association in the
United States and Canada to ap-
pear on its program in New York
next Monday to speak on civil
service.
His life, professional career ano
official career have been honorable
and respected until he ran afoul of
the character assassination squad OF
the Charter Committee. ="
The third man attacked by the
committee, Albert E. Brault, county
public utilities agent. = Mr.. Noyes
said, is "as able a young lawyer as
can be found in Montgomery
County or Washington.
Mr.. Noyes said Mr.. Brault, a
former county trial magistrate, has
aided in bringing bus transporta-
ton, gas service and other utility
services Ito more Montgomery
County communities in the last two
years than received extensions of
such services during the past eight
years"
Moxley Called Efficient.
He defended Alva E. Moxley
county inspector of weights and
measures, as "outstandingly thor
ough and efficient" The Charter
Committee had charged that Mr.
Monkeys duties occupy "only a
small fraction of his working hours. '
The Charter Committee had
stated that an insurance contract
covering county employees was
awarded to a company represented
by Mr. Mularkey "as reward fol
his political service
Mr.. Noyes emphasized that "the
standard insurance companies Of
the country sell their insurance at
standard or similar rates and the
local insurance brokers receive
standard commissions.
Apparently the Charter Com
mittee wants to award future insur.
ance contracts to its own politica
followers because any one who op.
poses charter is automatically dis
reputable and barred from any par
ticipation in the public affairs Of
the county"
Be Sure to Vote on Novem