Evening star., 1948-02-20


and Endorsement of the at-large
plan by the Alexandria League Of
Women Voters.
The referendum is on the ques-
ton whether Alexandrias city
council should continue to be
elected by the present method.
under which six councilmen are
elected from wards and three at
large, or whether an entire council
of seven members should be elect
ed at large.
Urged to Avoid Personalities
The Executive Committee OF the
council-by-ward group said the
present method of electing council
men combines the better features
Of both plans, without incorpo-
rating the obvious objections to
either system If used to the ex-
clusion of the other"
Ward advocates called for a cam
paign devoid of petty politics" or
personalities and emphasized that
the referendum was contest be-
tween plans.
Major plank In their platform is
the contention that a ward council
is more representative because '1n
each and every portion of the city
there Is a representative no farther
away than matter of blocks from
the citizens of his ward, who must
represent their interests and who Is
directly and Immediately respons-
ible to them" The ward advocates
warned that under the at-large type
OF council. it is conceivable that
every councilman may be elected
from one area of the city.
The ward plan Executive Commit
tee members are j. Randolph r.
Davis, Bernard M. Fagelson, Thomas
Moncure, r. j. Dwyer, Charles p.
Nelson, Frank P. Ludlow, Everett
Weitzell, the Rev. Norman Roberts,
E. A. Sweeley, Irving Young and
DR.. James j. Moriarity.
Voting Requirements Listed.
In announcing voting require
ments, City Treasurer Sullivan said
that according to the bill introduced
by Delegate Armistead Boothe in
the General Assembly authorizing
the referendum, any one who was
eligible to vote In the November,
1947, election, or any one who has
since been qualified to vote In the
June general election may vote In
the referendum.
He explained those who could vote
last November were residents who
paid their poll tax for 1914 through
l946 on or before May 3, 1947. Those
eligible to vote in the June general
election and the April 8 primary
include every one who paid poll
taxes for l945 through 1947 on or
before December 8, 1947.
Mr.. Sullivan pointed out that
those who desire to vote March 2
who fall into either of the two tax
categories may register through
March at the city registrars ofice.
The deadline for registration in
order to vote in the April primary
and the June general election is
March 6. he said.
Mr.. Sullivan said If any one has
lost the tax receipts needed to
register, certificate of tax pay
ment will be furnished by his office
on request.
Son of Clergyman.
Mr. Squires said he would be a
candidate, subject to the Demo-
cratic primary. Declaring that
ward boundaries are purely
arbitrary" he said that he lives in
the fourth ward, has his business
in the first ward and owns property
in the sixth ward.
Born in Bristol, Va. Mr. Squires
is the son of Presbyterian clergy
man, and is a member of the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church in Alex
andria. He is a graduate Of St.
Christopher's School in Richmond
and Hampden-Sidney College in
Ashland. He is a vice president
of the Alexandria tuberculosis AS
ISOLATION and has taken an active
part in Community Chest and Red
Cross activities. He also is chair
man of the Traffic and Safety Com
mittee of the Chamber Of Com
merce.
The Alexandria League Of Wom-
an Voters said it favored the at
large plan because sit has been
adopted in other cities in Virginia
and throughout the United States,
and has proved itself more demo-
cratic than the ward system.
Through this plan councilmen will
be responsible to all the voters and
therefore must represent the in