The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-09-13
Around Town Wit
The Editor

For the past several months /
have, in this column, treated the
various phases of a proposed coming
law for the city of Hagerstown in
rather light vein.
l feel, however, that this urgently
needed law has gone far beyond the
humorous side and it now shapes up
as a more controversial issue than
even the fight over the acquisition
by the City of the City Park, or
the fight over the tie in between
the City Light Plant and the Po-
tomac Edison Company.
l have very strong opinions re-
garding this attempt to zone the city,
but it must not be forgotten that this
question of a coming ordinance has
been tried in the Circuit Court of
this District and the three judges of
that Court have the case under adj
visement at the present time. So,
until they hand down decision, l
do not feel | am at liberty to make
any editorial comments whatsoever
| believe, however, that am
justified in making this statement:
At the present time l do not know
whether or not the city has a legal
zoning law.
The last coming ordinance, passed
and re-passed by the Council by a
vote of 4 to /, on Thursday night,
with Councilmen Luther Broom,
Jack Hellane, Roy Knight and Mel
Jennings voting for it. and Council
man J. FranA Elliott voting against
it, was vetoed by Mayor H. L. Mills,
and his veto statement is published
elsewhere on this page. The two
special attorneys engaged by the
above mentioned Councilmen to act
for the city on the coming question,
stated that the ordinance which they
drew up, and the four members of
the Council passed, is legal one,
and with that statement they re-
signed as special counsel to the city.
Mayor Mills, however, on the other
hand, states that his veto of the or
dinance was a valid one, and there
fore it cannot become a law until
such time as the Council overrides
it.
Not being a member of the legal
profession, / am unable to say who
is right or wrong, but l presume
steps will be taken at some time or
another to determine this vexed
question.
So, until a decision'is handed down
on the present case before the Court
or until some action is taken to test
the validity of the coming ordinance
passed and re-passed on Thursday
night and then vetoed by the Mayor
the matter, as far as this column is
concerned, is closed.
Rumors have been reaching me fol
sometime, to the effect that l have
made a statement that the Washing
ton County Liquor Board is playing
politics.
This is not only absolutely untrue
but to the contrary, have publicly
commended the Liquor Board fol
hewing close to the line of their pre-
decessors, who did such a fine jot
during their tenure of office.
What l did say-and will continue
to SAYS that it is high time the
Central Committees, whether Re
publican or Democrat, when asked
to make recommendations for ap.
pointments that are vacant, should
cease the present practice of sub.
hitting just one name-as was done
recently when recommendation
was made for an appointment of ar
Investigator for the Liquor Board
and also for an appointment to fill {
vacancy on the County Board Of
Education.
Surely those charged with the ap.
pointment of these public officers
should have an opportunity to make
a selection from more than one rec.
ommendation, instead of just having
one name practically rammed dowr
their Threats.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS