Evening star., 1951-11-14
Federation Asks Law
To Ban Anonymous
Campaign Literature

Distribution of anonymous cam
paign literature would be banned
by a law proposed to the Arling-
ton Civic Federation.
Julian D. Simpson of the Cher
rydale Citizens Association in
troduced a resolution calling for
enactment of the law by the
Virginia General Assembly when
the federation met last night.
The measure, which was re-
ferred to committee, stated that
anonymous publications have been
distributed in Arlington during
the last few years in an attempt
to smear candidates for local pub
lie ohTcoS and deceive the voters.
The latest such incident oc
uIleu SnortIy before the Novem-
Der 6 general election when anony-
nous literature was distributed
widely through the mails. Targets
of the unsigned attacks which
came in envelopes with no return
address, were T. Oscar Smith and
Alan L. Dean. non-partiSan can
didateS for the County Board.
Mr.. Dean was elected to one of the
two available seats.
Federal Law Cited.
Mr.. Simpson said Federal law
now makes it illegal to distribute
anonymous campaign literature in
contests for Federal offices and his
suggested legislation was patterned
after that statute. Penalties are a
maximum of a year in Jail and a
$1,000 fine.
The federation also took under
advisement criticism of the
-Hecht Co. for adopting the
name ''Parkington, Va" in identi-
flying it's new department store in
Arlington.
Howard B. Bloomer, jr., former
editor and publisher of the weekly
Arlington Sun, wrote Mrs. Ruth
Cox, federation president: Have
you noticed the bald and gratui-
tous insult tossed at Arlington by
the Hecht Co. in creating and
using exclusively the name of
Parkington, Va? :. Perhaps
something can be accomplished if
Hecht's hand is called sharply at
once"
Letter Submitted.
These sentiments echoed similar
complaints made by some mem
bers of the County Board at its
meeting about 10 days ago. Mr..
Bloomer inclosed a copy of a let
ter he said he had written to the
department store. In that letter
Mr.. Bloomer wrote:
The Hecht Co.'S enterprise in
Virginia is unquestionably a boon
to Arlington. it's benefits being
numerous. But for all that, your
attempt to obliterate the name
of Arlington in connection with
your new store and shopping CEN
ter is probably the years high
point in gratuitous insults.
"Parkington, Va, is like a
geometrical point - non-existent.
BY choosing to ignore the name
of Arlington in advertising .
you exhibit gross conceit.
You may be-and I agree you
are-the largest retail enterprise
over here. But you'll never be
large enough or important enough
to justify an advertising program
that coldly disregards the, name
of the community into which you
have moved"
The correspondence was sent to
the Community Development
Committee.
legislative Accord Indicated.
Harley N. Williams, chairman
of the Legislation and Legal Ac-
ton Committee. said replies re-
ceived by Democratic candidates
for the General Assembly before
their reelection November in
dicated, they were in accord on
several issues.
The replies, he said, indicated
they would support legislation
calling for a referendum on Civ
ing the county manager an in
definite term and subject him to
removal at any time by the Coun-
ty Board; a referendum to change
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