Evening star., 1947-11-19
Charter Group
Hears Plea for
Regional PUG
Pierce Would Set Up
Authorities to Solve
D. c. Area Problems

Authorities to Solve
D. c. Area Problems
The development of regional au-
thorities, including a public utilities
commission, was described as logi-
cal possibility for the Metropolitan
Area at meeting of the Mont
gomery County Charter Commis-
sion last night
Clarence M. Pierce, assistant staff
director for the subcommittee of the
House District Committee, advo-
Gated the regional authorities as a
means of solving many perplexing
problems of mutual concern to resi-
dents of Washington and the ad-
joining counties in Maryland and
Virginia. He spoke at meeting in
Rockville.
Specifically, he mentioned prob
lens of water supply, sewer and
garbage disposal, park and recrea-
ton development, highways. health
and sanitation, exchange Of prison.
ers, detection and apprehension of
prisoners, and certain welfare mat
tiers.
Logical Development.
"It might be conceivable that re-
gional authorities on the order Of
the New York Port Authority might
be developed to furnish water to al!
communities in the Metropolitan
Area, "and to handle sewage and
garbage disposal for the whole area :"
Mr.. Pierce said. Certainly it
appears logical to consider the de-
velopment of an area public utilities
commission to handle such prob
lens"
Mr.. Pierce said the charter pro-
posed for Montgomery County and
the Auchincloss home rule proposal
for the District both seek greater
local control over local affairs and
more efficient local governments.
There is one additional motiva-
ton which is significant with respect
to home rule in the District" he said.
THAT is the pressing and urgent
necessity of relieving Congress OF
the burden of supervising the Dis
trict So + When Congressman Auch-
incloss stated that the District
should have home rule whether or
not it wants it, he was thinking that
in addition to the necessity OF any
community to govern itself, that
Congress could no longer afford to
act as a municipal council for the
District of Columbia
Couacil- Manager Form.
The council manager form OF
government, recommended both for
Washington and Montgomery, was
described by Mr.. Pierce as an Amer
lean institution based upon the be-
lief that operation of local govern
ment is essentially management
problem which can be left to trained
administrators following policies
fixed by an elected council.
He praised the merit system pro-
visions in both charter proposals
but he questioned an item in Mont
gomery's plan concerning the extent
of the authority of the county coun-
Gil over education, health and
welfare services.
When I was engaged in the brief
social survey of Montgomery County
in the summer of 1896" Mr.. Pierce
said, II was impressed by the
amount of State control over these
vital human services and the
relatively small amount OF control
vested in local government"
Recalls Report.
He recalled that the report stated:
"Suf1cient facts are at hand
to raise questions as to Whether
MONTGOMERY County would not have
better government and better serV-
ices with a strong centralized local
government, locally controlled and
providing all the required local
services
In the proposals for the District,
Mr.. Pierce remarked. all local serN-
ices come directly under the council,
and most of them under the man.
ager
Mr.. Pierce said the similar char
acteristics of the people in the Dis
trict and in Montgomery County
suggest that the communities have
unique opportunities" to develop
progressive local governments 10
serve efficiently.
Statement of Policy.
The following statement OF policy
was adopted by the committee last
night and approved by the Board OF
Directors:
"At this time of the opening OF
the campaign for election of the
charter form of government, the
Montgomery County Charter Com
mittee considers it appropriate to
make the charter issue clear and
keep it clear throughout the cam
paign.
The charter movement is nom
partisan fight for real home rule for
MONTGOMERY County. Charter well
comes the support OF men ana
women of both major parties, but
it does not and will not seek the
support of political parties nor ac-
cept their leadership.
The Charter Committee recog-
rlzes that great numbers of regis
tered voters of both major parties
throughout the county voted for the
Charter Board last fall. Although
the Lindsey Act requires party des-
ignation on the ballots, these same
people voting independently can in
sure the adoption of the charter in
November, 1948. and the election OF
the county council, which will be
representative of all the voters
Six members of the Board of Di-
rectors were elected. They are:
Mrs. Dean Dinwoodey, James j. Hay
den, Walter H. McClennon, Leslie M.
Able, Dr. Harold P. Morris and Mrs.
Ralph Himstead. Allen H. Gardner
was elected an honorary director.
Annual reports were made by
Mrs. Lawrence M. Vaughan, field di-
rector of the committee; Washing
ton I. Cleveland finance chairman,
and Plummer Shearin, executive di-
rector.