Evening star., 1948-11-07
EairIYAction Due
On Candidates
Under Charter
GO. P. to Meet Today,
Democrats Early in
Week on Council
By John v. Horner

Having voted to substitute coun.
cil-manager government for it,
commissioner system, Montgomery
County now is faced with equally
serious decisions on the compost
ton of its final council.
The will of the people in this
respect will not be registered unit
an election in January. Yet vita
decisions must be reached within
the next five weeks.
These pertain to candidates. fol
the seven council positions.
The county charter which brings
the new government into being will
become effective December Q. With
in 10 days after that date, citizens
who aspire to the council seats must
file formal notice of their candi-
dacy for election.
Immediate attention therefore is
being given to the list of persons
available for the powerful legisla-
tive and executive body.
Partisan Policies Involved.
The fact that the charter pro-
posal was fathered by nopartisar
board and was shepherded through
an election campaign by a non
partisan committee, does not NEAR
that the choice of councilmen will
be free of partisan politics.
On the contrary, politics will be
an important factor in the impend-
ing campaign. If anyone had doubts
about this, these were diSpelled with
announcements that the Republi-
can State Central Committee for
Montgomery would discuss the coun-
Gil election at meeting this after
noon, and that the Democratic
committee would convene for the
same purpose early this week.
How many candidates the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties NOM
mate remains to be seen.
The Charter Committee long has
planned to indorse full slate Of
seven, perhaps cutting across DEM
ocratie and Republican lines. and
conceiyably indorsing an iudepend-
snt.
Sitting Candidates.
Although its title bears no politi-
cal connotation, the committee thus
becomes a political organization on
the county level as much as the es-
tablished parties. If it continues
on its present course, however, the
committee will differ form the other
organizations in that 1t will be BIZ
partisan.
For weeks the committee has been
sitting through recommendations
for council candidates. Members
have refused so far to disclose who
is being considered for indorse-
ment. The council members will
be paid on q per diem basis, their
maximum compensation being lin
ited to $1,000 a year.
The committee has invited both
Democratic and Republican leaders
to "sit down" with its members in
an effort to agree on a slate of
nominees. 1t is still questionable
whether this viii be done.
Professional politicians usually
steer clear Of election coalitions.
There's little reason at the moment
to think that the Montgomery
parties will do otherwise in this
case.
Three Names Offered by Smith.
Already, Democratic Chairman J.
Bond Smith has suggested the
names of three persons for the new
council. They are Frederic P. Lee
of Bethesda, an attorney; Stephen
James of Silver Spring, an off1cial
of the Automottive Safety Foun-
dation, and Mrs. Miner Hostetler,
Rockville, housewife and civic lead
er. ALI were members of the 1912
Charter Board, whose charter draft
was defeated by small margin in
the 1914 election. They are regis
tered Democrats.
Another Democrat, Charles H.
Jamison Of Barnesville, has an
nouElced that he would be willing to
run for the new council. He is one
OF the i've commissioners who will
go out Of office when the government
is revamped.
A Republican whose name has
been advanced is Thomas C. Kel-
ley OF Darnestown, a proponent of
the charter proposal. Mr.. Kelley
is assistant attorney to the county
commissioners, job that will be
abolished under the council plan.
Mrs. Werner Mentioned.
Mrs. Stella Werner of Bethesda,
an honorary director of the Charter
Committee, also has been mentioned
for one of the seven seats.
Despite the fact that all of the
present county commissioners op-
posed adoption of the charter. their
names have figured in speculation.
Most outspoken against the change
were President Brooke Johns of Oh
ney, and Wesley I. Sauter of Beth
esda, both Republicans. The other
members, besides Mr.. Jamison, are
Oliver w. Youngblood of Silver
Spring, and George c. ACE" Es-
worthy OF Darnestown. They, too
are Republicans.
The Charter Committee has re-
ceived approximately 100 suggestions
for council nominees from civic
leaders throughout the county. AL.
len H. Gardner, Silver Spring. is
chairman of the groups nominating
committee.
In statement of policy before
the election, the committee sale
1t would indorse seven candidates
irrespective of party affiliation, who
have demonstrated ability and art
OF unquestioned integrity and wide
acquaintance with MONTGOMERY
County affairs.
Persons who now hold, as wei
as persons who previously held
public Office will be considered or
the basis of their experience anc
achievements in Office" the commit.
tee said. Some of the best poten.
tial candidates may we'll be person!
who will run for office only through
convincing evidence of public de.
mand.
Appointive Power Cited.
"The Charter Committee will
through the establishment of tL.