Evening star., 1950-02-18
Showdown Due
On Sothofon Bill
Week
Maryland House Hears
Stormy Debate on
Prince Georges Plan
By }. B. Zotmon
Stor Stoff Coryexnond.pt

"a SAAS SSA1ol ONC1 Clcl Ulll
to reorganize the Prince Georges
County government will be decided
early next week.
This was announced by the
county's legislative delegation aft
er a stormy two and one-half-
hour hearing last night during
which opponents of the bill ac-
cused the group of "ramming this
thing down our throats."
Supporters of the measure
countered with the contention
that it represents true home
rule" and charged that a minor
ity of intellectuals is trying to run
our county"
Nearly 200 persons jammed the
House chamber, with II persons
speaking against the proposal and
eight urging its approval.
Survey of County Proposed.
The bill, sponsored by State
Senator L. Harold Sothoron, a
leader of the county's Democratic
organization, provides for a full
time county commissioner at ST.
500 a year and would give the
commissioners authority to estab-
lish a merit system and purchas-
ing bureau.
Practically all opponents called
on the delegation to withdraw the
bill and to have a survey made of
the county's governmental setup.
A. request for such a survey,
presented to the commissioners
last Tuesday by the League of
Women Voters and the County
Civic Federation. was rejected by
the county heads two days later.
Many of those protesting the
bill cited its lack of referendum
provision while several COM
planned they had been unable to
get copies of the measure.
Mrs. Bogdanoff Leads Opposition.
Leading the opposition was
Mrs. Reuben Bogdanoff, president
OF the League of Women Voters.
Only by following the procedure
set forth in the so-called charter
amendment to the State Constitu-
ton, Mrs. Bogdanoff said, can
Prince Georges voters obtain true
home rule.
This amendment permits resi-
dents of any county to elect a
board to draft proposed charter,
which in turn is submitted to a
referendum. Such a system was
followed in adjoining Montgomery
County, resulting in the charter
19rm OF government there.
Walter F. Mulligan, civic fed
Grafton president, warned Senator
Sothoron that you are signing
your political death warrant if
you pass this bill"
Mulligan Assails Sothoron.
Warning that county officials
ARE committing political suicide"
by their past actions, the civic
leader said he had been told by
member of the delegation that
the county slot machine bill "was
pushed through the last session
OF the General Assembly with the
aid of 100000"
He later told reporters that the
information had been given him
by Delegate Leroy Pumphrey. Mr..
Humphrey denied this, however.
THE bill. which legalized slot
machines, was declared unconsti-
tutional in Prince Georges County
Circuit Court and an appeal is
pending in the Maryland Court of
Appeals.
Others Oppose Measure.
Another opponent, Edwin A.
Glenn of Morningside Village,
charged that the Sothoron Bill
was designed to tighten the hold
of the Democratic machine on
the county"
Others speaking against the bill
included John Raymond Fletcher,
chairman of the county's Repub-
lican State Central Committee;
Mrs. Peter Lejins, president of
the College Park Branch, Amer
lean Association of University
Women; Mrs. Wells Harrington,
Mayor of Greenbelt. who said she
was speaking as an individual
voter; George Ickes, president of
the Fourteenth District Citizens
Association; Mrs. Virginia Wolf of
the Berwyn District Civic Asso-
citation and Donald Pierce of the
Beltsville Grange.
Principal speaker for the pro-
ponents was Jerrold Powers, attor-
ney for the county commits
sioners.
He claimed the bill would en-
able the county heads to set up
a government to meet present
needs, adding that "it advances
along the lines of what so many
of our people told us we needed -
He was supported by Nicholas
Orem, jr., Hyattsville attorney,
who insisted that the bill marks
q step toward improvement of our
county by removing hte necessity
for coming to Annapolis for au-
thority to pass minor laws"
From Raymond H. j. Campbell,
rooroceptipo tho Southwest prinoa
Georges Democratic Club, came
the statement that there is a limit
to home rule and to democracy
Another speaker, Harry Boswell,
Hyattsville real estate man,
charged that the major purpose
of the opponents is to villify our
duly elected representatives"
Among others supporting the
s.; ,,,ora K6,e n