Evening star., 1947-10-29
First OF q Series. J
By Alex r. Preston


Up to this point the Arlington
political campaign is running a close
parallel to that of the county's pri-
mary last May.
Now, as then. issues involving the
schools stir most interest. Also
reminiscent Of the spring contro-
versy are charges Of communism"
"Hitlerism" and new philosophy"
by one faction against another in
the school fight.
1t remains to be seen in the cleo
ton next Tuesday whether those
who level accusations of radicalism
will fare the same as they did in
May when they sought unsuccess-
fully to preserve the status quo in
the method of naming the School
Board.
In the primary voters decided to
elect their School Board and discard
the method of indirect appointment
by the Circuit Court. Contests TO
be settled Tuesday include those
among IL candidates for the five
seats on the board.
Two Board Seats Open.
Also to be filled Tuesday are two
seats on the five-member local gov
erning body, the County Board.
There are nine aspirants for these
seats.
In both fields, the Democrats and
Republicans have refrained from
formally indorsing candidates, thus
permitting Government workers,
who otherwise would be prevented
by the Hatch Act from doing so, to
campaign for ofice.
The policy OF "nonpartisan" elec-
tions gives large segment OF Ar
lingtons population an opportunity
to be represented on the county's
governing body and also is designed
to keep politics out of the schools"
For eight other State and local
Offices, however, Republicans and
Democrats vie against one another
along strictly partisan lines with a
few independents entered IN some
of the races. The names OF the
candidates-40 in al-will appear
on one ballot.
Referendum on Bonds.
A second ballot also will be
handed voters. 1t will be refer
endum on the question of authoriz-
ing the County Board to issue
bonds for an incinerator. The
amount Of the bonds Is not specified
and some have said this would be
tantamount to handing officials a
BLANK check" The purpose Of the
referendum, however, is limited to
the trash disposal plant and board
members have declared they do not
intend to borrow more than $780,
600 for the project II the question
carries.
The elective School Board was
made possible through legislation
sponsored in the General Assembly
by Arlington's Democratic legisla-
tors. Maynard Magruder and
George Damn, both of whom seek
reelection to the two seats-and
State Senator William D. Medley,
who did not seek denomination last
May. Consequently, the Democrats
credit themselves for the referen-
dunn. In discarding the former
method, voters also turned down an
alternative of having School Board
members appointed by the County
Board.
Also submitted to voters at that
time were referenda on issuance of
S5.l50,000 in general county i'm
provement bonds and S6,0o0,000 in
school bonds. The outcome Of those
referendum questions leads up to
today's claims of victory by both OF
the major factions in the present
School Board fight.
Due to Citizen Efforts
Although Democrats did intro
duce and actively support the school
legislation In the General Assembly
tbs idea was thrust on them by a
group Of citizens claiming no po-
utical-tie.
The organization was known as
the Citisens' Committee for School
Improvement. It's first efforts were
to obtain signatures to a petition
calling for a $3,25o0o0 bond issue.
Then 1t took up Its campaign to
change the method Of naming the
School Board.
Before the primary another fac
ton, the Greater Arlington Asso-
citation. was organized, or revived" )"
after many years Of inactivity. This
group was opposed to changing the
old method of selecting the School
Board and also was opposed to the
bond issue. 1t defended present
School Board members.
Issues Broken Down.
Prior to the primary, the School
Board agreed not only to the
$S,250,000 referendum of the citizens
committee but increased the total
to ~, 900, 900. The issues were broken
down 30 that the people could ac-
cept or reject any part Of the pro-
gram.
Voters, therefore, were confronted
with bond issue questions totaling
more than $1l,oo00oo. The result
was that all Of the general county
improvement bonds were rejected
and all but portion-$1,7 ,776,000 for
elementary school construction-of
the school bonds were turned down.
1t has been charged and denied
that the original school program Of
the citizens committee was delib-
erately sabotaged by opponents who
raised the total amount of proposed
issues to a figure that would be
unacceptable to most.
Also actively pushing the School
Board elective method was the
Better Government League. 1t urged,
and still strives for, non-partisan
election Of all purely local offices