Evening star., 1948-11-01
More on the Charter

y the Editor of The star:
Fhe proposal to adopt q charter for Mont
gqery County presents a rather simple
QUESTION. The existing form of government in
tht county was set up when the county was
nrf established and was composed of large
pisetations without single village or town
within its boundaries. It was designed to ft
firal community. The population then
smAl In numbers, now has grown to an esti-
maud 100000; and the county is faced with
Q Multitude Of problems unknown to former
generations.
tn proposed charter will give form Of
government to meet the changed conditions.
It's fem is one that is based on recommenda-
tions pf the Brookings Institute, nonpolitical
body Y trained experts on governmental ques-
lions, which body spent $4,000 in making a
care1u study OF the county government and
mace aits recommendations to the County
commissioners in response to their request.
fhe tPrm OF government offered is one that
has ben developed over period of years and
now ISL effect in more than 800 cities and
counties within the United States. Results
have bsn increasingly satisfactory, from the
standpoAt Of efficiency and economy. to the
communities where 1t has been put into effect.
1t hal been suggested that the charter
proposal ZONES from newcomers in the county.
presunN I am one of them for have lived
in the comfy only 20 years. There are some
thing likf 100000 of us and we believe we are
entitled , express our views. We want q
governmet which will meet present-day
conditions and we think we will get it under
the propded charter and therefore we are
voting w." CHARLES H. SQUIRE.
To the Ddito4 The Star:
am opposed to the Charter as written for
MontgomeE County, primarily because it vio-
lates the fundamental principles Of our ma
tional andSur State Constitutions. Both pro-
vide for thee separate and distinct depart
ments OF Government: the legislative, the
executive ad the judicial, and they further
declare thai mo person exercising the func-
tions OF onepf these departments shall assume
or dischargf the duties of another"
The ChartF gives the duties Of two Of these
departmentSthe legislative and the executive
TO the samecouncil Of seven men who will
make our laS and enforce them. The Char
terites ciaimhis will save us money. Why not
take over thl other department, the judicial
and save a fH more dollars?
governmpt of the people, by the people
ana 1or the fople does not grant too much
power to onebody. Under our democracy no
group should permitted to make laws with
out someone Use having the power of Veto
The Charter tovides no such safeguard No
group should ,le able to pass laws be they
good or bad, + to legislate unto themselves
power and moa power year after year without
checks and bahces.
BAD goVernnnt starts and grows with COL
fusion, where de department of the govern
ment Is able q influence or control another
department.. wv would be wide open under
the Cnarter, VINE an unrestrained legislative
body Is chargedkith the duties of the execu-
tive body. ROYAL H. CARLOCK,
Ex-Memoer OF ie House Of Delegates and
Ex-Chairman I the 81 Democratic Club,
SEGREGATION Recreation Deplored
To the Editor of The &r:
Like Banquos Aost. the Recreation Depart
ment Is oeing piSued with wholly unneces-
sary bylaw enftcing segregation. General
Grant is rushingto the aid Of the Recreation
Department. oppdng Solicitor Martin Whites
opinion that the National Capital Parks have
jurisdiction over p acres Of park and play
ground land on mich the Recreation Board
seereeates.@ Gen. Frant cites . section Of the
1872 Act which tays that: '"The respective
1aciities OF the Gifted States, the District of
Columbia, and TIL Board of Education shall,
py the agreementof the respective agencies
OF the Governmet having control Of such
facilities. be madeevailable to the Recreation
Board" The impkation of the word. "apree
ment" generally fAdisregarded.
harry Wender iquoted as saying that the
recreation Board puld be, stripped of con-
troi OF two-thirdspf its Fairgrounds" and
tnat there would nano more Board Of Recre-
ation. This Is not( fact. All that the board
mas 10 DO Is to or4ate Fairgrounds without
segregation just as ye National Capital Parks
permits nonsegregaW use Of tennis grounds,
gon courses, picnic bounds, etc. Mr.. Wender
also says that the Ational Parks docs not
nave clean hands" b that 1t operates the
pools on segregated basis and does not en-
courage use OF the slfwers and other facilities
at the golf courses
On June IL this yF, the writer asked the
superintendent OF thtNational Capital Parks
wnetner these pools IRE operated on a seq
regated basis. The sply was: "The policy
OF nonsegregation aHies throughout all of
the recreational 1acntes falling within the
poilcy control Oh thet>epartment of the In
terror"
Failure of Negroes J insist upon full use
Of some of these facites is due not to dis
couragement oy the Napnal Capital Parks but
rather because many Ntroes believe 1t is good
sense not to risk creahg too much friction
by use OF certain faciAies until the growth
OF tolerance and goodwill has made ready
acceptance of democrat participation.
There is justifiable dtbt that the Recrea-
ton Department receiW mandate to en-
force segregation by tha942 Recreation Act.
The only basis upon Nch the Recreation
Department proceeds isA map showing rs
centers on which is lanled in the legend:
Solid circles indicate hite centers. and
broken circles colored." his was a 1942 map
and referred to in the 'tmprehensive plan"
But in 1942 because Ceer No. 10 included
the Monument Grounds I'd the Ellipse south
of the White House, twtircles marked No.
10. pne of solid line an one broken were
added. And of course as tegroes fan out all
over Washington, accomHhying the steady
exodus OF white residents 1.-THE suburbs, many