Evening star., 1947-03-22
Merit System Change
Virtually Killed by
Unfayorab|e Report
BY q stoff Correspondent Of The Star

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 22.-The bill
to amend the Montgomery County
merit system law appeared dead to-
day as a result of an unfavorable
report by the House Civil Service
and Pension Committee.
The action was taken yesterday
after a hearing on the measure,
which would substitute three
member bipartisan civil service
commission for the present single
commissioner. The bill already has
passed the Senate.
Members of the Montgomery
County delegation said they planned
to substitute the bill for the unfa-
vorable report at today's session.
Lofstrand Hits Tactics.
Delegation Chairman Anders r.
Lofstrand jr., attacking the commit
tees action, charged it came as
result of "the lowest form of po-
litical maneuvering by the Demo-
cratic machine in the county, which
has been repudiated by the voters" :"
Those opposing the bill at
hearing yesterday charged it was
intended to throw the incumbent
commissioner, J. D. Morgan, out
of Office
Supporters of the measure, in
denying the charge, said the aim
of the legislation was to improve
the operation of the county merit
system and take it out of politics
Heading the opposition was
Joseph A. Cantrel, a former men,
Der of the House of Delegates from
Montgomery County and active in
the county Democratic Party.
Declaring that Mr.. Morgan has
administered the present law In a
highly satisfactory manner" Mr..
Cantrel pointed out there was no
opposition two years ago when the
bill creating the merit system was
passed by the legislature.
Gill Defines System.
James w. Gill, also a former
Democratic delegate from Mont
gonery County, emphasized there
have been no complaints concern
ing the operation of the merit
system, which has worked in "all
respects in satisfactory manner" :"
THE entire purpose of this bill"
he asserted" is to create group
with authority to throw every
county employe out of a job"
Others appearing against the bill
were Mr.. Morgan, Mrs. Genevieve
H. Wells, another former county
delegate and Mrs. Edith P. Allnutt,
president of the County Women's
Democratic Club.
John r. Reeves, a member of
the all-Republican Montgomery
delegation to the General Assembly,
argued that there is better govern
ment where you have minority
representation.
He contended the county merit
system can be administered better
under three-member board with
a full-time executive secretary.
Custer Attempt Denied.
"If we wanted to throw out Mr..
Morgan" he said, I'VE could wait
until his term expires in 1949 and
then appoint a Republican for four
years, but we don't want to do that.
THE only reason we didn't op-
pose the 1945 bill was that when
the Lee (E. Brooke Lee, county
Democratic LEADER organization
dictates policy, it is no good for
us or any one else to say anything
about it."
Mr.. Reeves told the committee
the opponents of the present bill
by Montgomery County voters in
the 1916 election.
I'VE are the representatives of
the people of Montgomery County,
and we ask that you respect their
wishes"
He was supported by Montgomery
Senator Roy Tasco Davis, sponsor
of the measure, who said the Fed
eral Government and Baltimore
City have bipartisan civil service