Evening star., 1950-02-17

~"S
Cu|minates Tonight
AT Annapolis Hearing
A hearing tonight in the State
House at Annapolis will climax
one of Prince Georges County's
hottest political controversies in
recent years.
Subject of the hearing at $50
O'Clock before the county's legis-
lative delegation is a bill to re
organize the county government.
Sponsored by State Senator l..
Harold Sothoron of Prince
Georges, the measure provides for
a full time county commissioner
at $500 a year and would give
the commissioners authority to
establish merit system and pur-
chasing bureau.
Nearly a dozen county organi-
cations are expected to send rep
resentatives to explain why they
favor or oppose the bill.
Fuel was added to the fire of
opponents yesterday when the
commissioners fatty rejected a
request for survey of the coun-
tvs governmental setup and in
dorsed the Sothoron bill.
Request Made by Foes.
The request had been made by
Mrs. Reuben Bogdanof, president
OF the League of Women Voters.
and Walter F. Mulligan. president
of the County Civic Federation
leaders in the fight against the
measure.
In a statement announcing
their decision, the commissioners
said.
"On Tuesday, a demand was
made upon the county commits
sioners that they request an out
side agency to make a survey of
the county.
1T was further demanded that
an immediate answer be given
and it was frankly stated that the
answer was to be used in opposi-
ton to the county government
bill now pending at Annapolis q
Under the circumstances. the
commissioners unanimously con-
cluded that no survey will be re-
quested at this time
b: Mrs. Bogdanoff today attacked
the boards action as Showing
that the county heads do not ex-
pect to modernize the government
in any way
First Asked Year Ago.
She also denied that her organ
lzation had said at any time that
1t intended to use the commission
ers' answer to oppose the bill.
Both she and Mr.. Mulligan said
they had first asked for the survey
more than a year ago.
The controversy took on an
added political tinge today with
a statement by the county's Re
publican State Central Committee
chairman strongly opposing the
measure.
Speaking on behalf of the COM
mlttee, j. Raymond Fletcher said:
the bill is a glaring example of
an attempt to hurriedly overcome
the tide of indignation which is
being heaped upon our antiauated
county government.
This is beyond party lines. All
voters, Democrats and Republi-
cans, as well as Independents.
should be aroused by this attempt
to insult their intelligence. 1t is
time for all citizens to voice their
objection to the policy of cram
ming such legislation down their
throats::"
. Other Groups Oppose.
/ Other groups which have gone
on record against the measure in
clude the Berwyn District Civic
Association, the College Park
Branch of the American Associa-
ton of University Women and the
Beltsville Grange.
Among those favoring the bill
are the West Hyattsville, Citizens
Association, the Brentwood Demo-
cratic Club, the Hyattsville District
Democratic Club and the Young
Democrats of the county.
Although the County Volunteer
Firemen's Association has taken
no stand, it will be represented at
the hearing by Vincent A. Simmel,
the groups Legislative Committee
cha irroon a.,