Evening star., 1951-05-18
FaIIsChurchC Candidate
Says Excess Of Suits
Makes City Ridiculous

A candidate for Falls Church
city attorney has charged that the
municipality is becoming laugh
ing stock because it is being
'needlessly and hopelessly dragged
into court too often.
Lytton H. Gibson who is op-
posing City Attorney La Rue Van
Meter for election June IL, made
the statement last night at a
meeting of the Women's Inde-
pendent Political Committee.
Mr. Gibson said Falls Church
was being dragged into court on
cases which could be settled by the
city manager. The city has been
involved in series of cases in
Ivolving annexation of Fairfax
County territory and a school dis
Ipute with the county.
No city of comparable size, Mr..
Gibson said. pays it's attorney
$6,500 year. He insisted that
the salary he is willing to accept,
$3, 900 for part-time work. is suf-
ficient to pay the city's legal
costs, unless the council orders
special litigation.
IF the council sees fit to go
overheard in going to court) y
the attorney said. Il not only
won't do it but, being an elected
official, I'll go to the people and
tell them why I won't do it,"
Mr.. Gibson said he is opposed
to the annexation program.
Loss of Area Cited.
Mr.. Van Meter maintained that
the city has a backlog of mis-
management that requires the
services of a full-time attorney.
Forces within the city, he charged,
cost Falls Church territory in
1887 and 1886. when land was
"de-annexed' to Fairfax County
and Arlington County, respec-
lively.
Similar dissension resulted in
return Of city schools to Fairfax
County in 1912. the city attorney
said.
When Falls Church became a
'second-class city in 1948 and
wanted the schools back, Mr.. Van
Meter said. "the city attempted to
compromise on the school system
but had to go to court to get
the schools away from Fairfax
County" The city received only
Madison Jefferson, which it owned
previously.
Ex-Official Mentioned.
Mr.. Dunn and Mrs. Jenness Writ
Myer, a member of the City Coun-
Icil, said that former Acting City
Manager Roy F. Dunn had stated
that he would not testify in the
city's annexation suit last year un-
less he were given full powers as
city manager. The subsequent
ouster of Mr.. Dunn created a rift
i'm local political factions.
Mrs. Myer said Mr.. Dunn had
given the Council that choice Just
prior to trial of the city's suit tt
annex 1915 square miles of county
territory. Mr.. Van Meter added
that, because of Mr.. Dunn's threat
the Council employed Joe Hatch
ett, former manager of Petersburg,
temporarily.
Two candidates for the council
spoke at last nights meeting.
Francis A. Wagner, real estats
man and former president of the
Chamber of Commerce, said he is
opposed to a proposed $50O,00
bond issue, also to be voted on
June IL.
Hits Gymnasium.
Between a third and a half o1
the cost of a new high school
under construction is being de.
voted to a gymnasium, Mr.. Wag-
AASA 0eAASAp "1lC11 ID dIl dCuLG
need for classrooms.
| Samuel j. Dennis, former
councilman also running in the
June election. asserted that the
bond issue provides a much more
convenient and practical method
Iof financing improvements than
current taxation.
mo permanent streets have
been built in Falls Church except
Washington street and West Broad
street." he said. THE policy has
been to patch the patches, costly
process. The bond issue would
be the first step in a capital i'm
provement program"
Replying to Mr.. Wagner, Mr.
Dennis said that, when the voters
approved 100000 school bond
issue in 1949, they approved con-
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