Evening star., 1947-01-18
New Bill Seeks
|ToCorrect 1945
|CoIlIegeParkAc1
Montgomery County
Delegation to Ask
Lindsay Law Repeal
By J. B. Zotmon
stor stoff c corr..pond.n,

the controversial law adopted at the
1945 session of the General Assembly
Incorporating the College Park area
today was before Prince. Georges
County's representatives in the
House Of Delegates.
Two other bills were introduced
in the House yesterday by the group
and referred to its members.
One would revoke the Boulevard
Heights charter and the other
would extend the boundaries of Seat
Pleasant to follow Cabin Branch
as far as the old East Washington
Railroad line.
At the same time, the Montgom-
cry County delegation announced
its intention to introduce next week
a bill to repeal the Lindsay law
which prohibits nonpartisan elec-
tions.
Flaw in Title.
The College Park measure is in.
tended to remedy defects in the
title of the 1945 act, which was
declared unconstitutional last Sep
tenaber by Judge Ogle Marbury ir
Prince Georges County Circuit
Court.
Opponents Of the old bilf con.
tended four communities were moi
mentioned in the title as included
in the area to be incorporated. They
are Branchville, Hollywood, Daniel.
Park and Autoville.
T. Raymond Burch, Berwyn, {
member of the delegation, empha.
sized the present bill "is simply 6
re-enactment of the 1945 act which
was favorably voted on in a refer.
endum by the citizens of the area.
The new bill, he explained, cor.
rects the error in the title and vail.
dates all actions of the Mayor ano
councilmen who were elected by the
voters in the summer of 1945.
"In my opinion" he asserted, iii
is one of the most progressive steps
taken by the citizens of a group oil
communities in Prince Georges
County for many years. I am sure
the town of College Park, including
the BerWyn-Branchville Areas, will
now develop into one of the yer,
best towns in the State"
Boundaries Prescribed.
Under the new bill, the towr
would include Calvert Hills on the
south and Hollywood on the north
1t would extend from the western
boundary of the University of Mary.
land to Greenbelt and Berwyr
Heights on the east. The lattel
two communities would not be in.
cluded in the municipality, which
also would take in Berwyn, Lake.
land and College Park.
The measure is described a!
emergency legislation, to take effec
Immediately after its adoption b.
the Legislature and approval b.
the Governor. 1t would become
void, however, if the Appellate
Court overrules Judge Marbury'
decision.
Town officials elected by resident!
of the area in 1945 are renamed
to their positions in the new bill
They are to serve until the first
biennial election on the first Mon.
day in May, 1947.
Present town officers are William
A. Duvall, Mayor; Stewart B. Shaw
treasurer; Herbert w. Wells ane
Emanuel F. Zalesak, councilmer
at large, and Councilmen Marior
w. Parker, Charles r. Davis, j
Chesley Mack, Jack M. Mckay ane
G. Stuart Parker, who represen
the towns five districts.
The Montgomery County delega.
ton said its bill seeks to exempt
the county from provisions of tht
Lindsay Act, which now affects the
entire State.
Party Pledge Involved.
Declaring the action will fulfil
the Republican Party's pledge ir
last years county election, Delegate
R. Duncan Clark said: 1--WE thinl
the people of the county shoulc
decide whether they want non.
partisan elections. Such a pro.
vision was contained in the pro.
posed county charter, which was
defeated in 1914"
The county Charter Board /.
drafting another charter to be votee
on in the 1948 general election. I
is not yet known whether the new
charter will contain a nonpartisar
election proyision.
After the act, sponsored by for.
mer Senate President James j
Lindsay, was adopted at the 1874;
session, supporters of a charter form
Iof government in Montgomery
County claimed the bill had beer
"sneaked through" in the closing
days of the session. They also ac.
cused E Brooke Lee, county Demo.
lcratic leader, of being instrumental
in drafting the measure.
Shortly after the House convened
more than an hour late, Charles M
See, Republican, of Allegany County
rose and demanded that sessions
begin on time in the future.
Pr0mptness Demanded.
|. Recalling that Leroy Pumphrey
Prince Georges County, House Dem.
ocratic majority floor leader, hae
asked Thursday that the House re.
convene at II am. the following day
Mr.. See, one of two blind member.
of the House, declared:
''It's not fair to constituents witt
whom we have made appointment!
or to delegates who must trave
long distances to their homes tx
meet late. I now move that the
House meet at the regular time sci
by the floor leader in previous ad.
journments." ~...
The motion, which was carried
met with loud applause from othe1
delegates.
In the Senate, Baltimore repre-.
Isentatives introduced 10 bills which
would permit the city to borrow
LS56, 100000 for several building
projects.
Johnson, secretary of the Arlington
Ridge Civic Association.
Oscar r. LIE Beau, chairman Of tn,
Citizens Committee for School I'm.
provement, added written suppor1
to that of delegations from his grouI
appearing here.
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