Evening star., 1947-03-16
Lee Defends Defeat
0fLindsay Act Repeal,
UphoIds 2-Parfy Plan

DetSfIQlIlg QelcdL Ol tIle NULL
gomery County Lindsay law re-
pealer, e. Brooke Lee, county Demo-
cratic leader, last night again up
held the two-party system and pri-
mary election of all county Offices
under the proposed county charter.
The repeater would have exempted
Montgomery County from provision
of State law which prohibits non
partisan elections of county coun-
ell in any county having q charter
form of government.
Although supported by the all
Republican delegation at Annapolis,
it was defeated in the House of
Delegates Thursday by So to Al
vote
Following the defeat, the County
Charter Committee said in state
ment the Houses action proved
Montgomery docs not have any real
home rule"
Defeat A Slap in the Face
This defeat is a slap in the face
for Montgomery County voters gen.
orally and in particular for the
many Government employees who
are barred by the Hatch Act from
participation in partisan elections, +"
the Charter statement said.
In reply, Mr.. Lee asserted the
defeat has revived the acrimonious
local debate on this subject. His
statement charged:
Leaders of the charter movement
seek to harness and keep tied to
their political charter chariot the
proper and laudable desire Of the
Federal workers to participate fully
in local politics and as candidates
for county Office.
"The charter leaders fight for non
partisan elections and are willing
to take whatever risk is included in
the primary election system for all
county offices within the jurisdic-
ton of charter.
Asks Removal of Restrictions.
II believe that much wiser
course would be to free the Federal
workers from all Federal restrictions
on their political activities and par
ticipation in the counties and cities
near Washington. Senators Hatch
and Tydings, and Representatives
Sasscer and Beall of Maryland and
Smith of Virginia have all expressed
approval of such changes in law for
communities near Washington.
1.-THE local Democrats have been
working in this direction for the last
three years. If the charter leaders
would participate in this plan =
I believe that such cooperation
would result in the realization Of
what they say is their objective.
1.-THE election last November again
proved the effectiveness and the
value of the two-party system.
Changes were voted in the party re-
sponsibility Of the Congress and in
many of the States, cities and coun-
ties, including Montgomery.
Sees Pressure Group Tickets.
"The charter leaders in Mont
gomery County also sought through
the repeal OF the Lindsay Law to
outlaw the direct primary system
and to substitute for the right Of
every citizen to vote in a primary
election a plan to make nominations
for all county offices within the jur-
isdiction of charter through petit
tions Of 500 signers from among 4o,-
900 voters.
This would mean that groups OF
voters in any two or more Of Mont
gomery County's 81 precincts could
nominate a complete ticket for the
general election ballot. This would
result in a number Of pressure group
and block and factional and section
al tickets. This would dilute the
governmental effectiveness Of all
political effort and would eliminate
all continuing political or party re-
sponsibility.
Nominations by such petitions,
coupled with the outlawing of the
two-party system and the elimina-
ton of the direct primary, will GER
tainly bring about these undesirable,
unjustifled and chaotic conditions.