Evening star., 1951-01-25
Assembly Gets
Non-Partisan
Election Bill
Montgomery Senator
Sees Success for
Twice-KiIIed Measure
By J. B. Zotmon
Stor Sfoff CORRESPONDENT

stor stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS. JAM 25.-Legisla'
ton to clear the way for non.
partisan elections of county
council was ready for introduction
inTthe General Assembly today by
State Senator Dewitt S. Hyde
Republican. of Montgomery
County.
It consists of two bills, one Of
which would repeal the six-year.
old Lindsay law which prohibits
such elections, in charter counties
The other would authorize the
County Council to propose char
ter amendment. subject to a ref
erendum. which would empower
it to pass a local law providing
for non partisan elections of its
members.
Under the proposed amendment
two candidates for each of the
seven council seats would be NOM
mated at a primary without party
labels.
Exception for Montgomery.
sThe% second measure also pro-
vides that the State wide election
law calling for partisan elections
would not apply to Montgomery
insofar as 1t conflicts with the
charter amendment.
They are intended to remove
any legal doubt over the county S
authority to enact a local law pro-
viding for non-partisan elections
Such law was passed by the
County Council in May, 1949, but
was thrown out by the Court of
Appeals on the ground it con-
flicted with the States election
procedures. t-....
Principal stumbling. block in the
path of non-partisan council elec-
tons has been the Lindsay law
passed at the 1945 session of the
Legislature under the sponsorship
OF the then State Senator James
j. Lindsay of Baltimore County
Three years later, Montgomery
became the first Maryland county
to adopt a home-rule charter
under which all countrywide legis-
lation is adopted each May by a
Council meeting in the county
seat at Rockville.
Gov. McKeldin. when asked yes
terday whether he would support
the proposal, withheld an opinion
pending a study of the two bills
The Senator emphasized that
local non-partisan elections are
mot revolutionary" pointing out
that such procedure is in effect
in most counties and cities having
a county manager form of govern
ment similar. to that in Motgom-
cry. He also said that in Mime
sofa, even members of the State
Legislature are elected without
party labels.
Hatch Act Bar Cited.
Such system in Montgomery
County. he explained. would per-
NIT the large number of Govern
ment workers living there to par
ticipate more actively in politics
and to run for the Council. They
are prohibited from doing so now
by the Hatch Act. he said.
Meanwhile, DR.. Thomas G. Pull
len. jr., State superintendent ot
schools. yesterday reiterated his
opposition to election of schoo.
boards in Maryland. He made the
statement before a joint meeting
of the House and Senate Educa-
ton Committees, during which he
urged a sizable salary increase fol
teachers to prevent a "catastro-
phic situation" by the end of the
year.
Questioned by Delegate Perry o
Wilkinson, Democrat, of Prince
Georges, chairman of the HOUSE
Education Committee. whether he
favored elected school boards, DR.
Pullen replied:
There is no evidence to show
that you get better members by
election rather than appointment
Elections are likely to make it 6
party issue"
No Legislation Put Up Yet.
Both the Prince Georges anc
Montgomery delegations are con.
sidering proposals for elected
school boards, but have not ye1
introduced such legislation.
Two bills were introduced ir
the House by the Prince Georges
delegation. One would increast
the maximum tax rate in Bowie
from 80 to 60 cents per $40,
assessed valuation and the othe!
would extend the limits of Cot.
tage City to Eastern avenue. Thi;
would take in the property owned
by the late James La Fontaine, al
Eastern avenue and Bladensburs
road.
In the Senate, Mr.. Hyde intro
duced a bill to authorize Kensing-
ton officials to adopt an ordinance
for the collection of trash anc
to increase the charge for the
collection of trash and garbage il
the town from Sc to SIS a year
Four Senators joined in sponsor
ing legislation to increase the
members of the State Roads anc
Public Service Commission from
three to five and to provide thai
the Eastern Shore, Central Mary
land, Southern Maryland, Western
Maryland and Baltimore must be
represented by one member each
The Governor promoted Russel
H. Mccain of Frederick to chair.
man of the Roads Commission ane
chose Avery w. Hall, Salisbury
businessman, as the other Repub-
lican member.
His action last night removed
Chairman Joseph M. George O.
Sudlersville from the three-mar
group. Mr.. Hall succeeds him a!
the Eastern Shore representative
The Governor has not yet made
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