Evening star., 1952-08-14
Battle Lines Laid
On Home RuIein
Prince Georges
Petitions Indicate
Voters Will Get Issue;
Ruling Due Tuesday
By J. 1. MichoeI

Home-rule hackers and op.
ponents laid battle lines in Prince
Georges today as the County Elec-
items Board neared the end of
its check of charter and Charter
Board petitions.
That both have more than the
required number of qualified sig
natures is reasonably certain"
Board Clerk Roland Ryon an
|ncunced.
Mr.. Ryon said 10000 names on
the charter petition, 300 more
than the law requires, have been
accepted tentatively.
A check Of the Charter Board
petition showed $500 eligible last
might, and the boards augmented
staff was expected to certify more
than the necessary 1000 names
today.
Ruling Due Tuesday.
The County Elections Board
will rule officially Tuesday on the
validity Of both petitions.
Formal approval of the charter
list will assure the home-rule is
sue a place on November ballots.
Acceptance of the Charter Board
petition means the voters will at
the same time choose five persons
contesting for the right to draft
the home rule charter.
Ten candidates are competing.
Five were nominated by the
Citizens Committee for Good Gov
ernment, the civic unit leading the
home rule drive. The other five
we're proposed by the County Com
miSsioners.
| Winners will write a document
which, if approved by voters in
1854, will revise the county's
present form of government in
greater or lesser degree.
Election of the Citizens COM
mittee slate would mean proposed
replacement Of traditional COM
missioners' rule by the county
manager system. The Commis-
sioners' candidates would advo-
cate streamlining but no radical
changes.
Battle Over Manager Plan.
The hub of the forthcoming
struggle is the county manager
plan.
Prince Georges. with the
largest urban population of any
county adjacent to Washington.
needs a permanent executive"
Mrs. Zella P. Saylor. executive sec-
retary of the Citizens Committee.
said last night.
Outlining basic arguments her
group will take into battle.
Mrs. Saylor said an appointed
executive would give the county's
government continuity and
stability lacking under commits
sioner direction.
commissioners are elected for
four years." she pointed out.
which means that new commits
sioners spend half their time
learning the grade. That is an
extremely dangerous situation"
she declared, land points to the
conclusion that a rural govern
ment cannot efficiently serve an
urban population"
Want Elected Officials.
The opposition. which includes
leaders of both major parties,
contends that government by
elected officials directly respon-
sible to the people is a funda.
mental American concept. The
coalition plans an all-out fight
against the county manager
phase Of the plan and can be
expected to use this bedrock
strategy:
"A warning to voters of southern
sections that they will have no
voice in county affairs if an "out-
slider" holds the reins Of govern
ment.
Hints to liquor sellers that
adoption of proposed changes
would be followed by installation
of an alcoholic beverage dispen-
Sary system.
Other businessmen will be told
they must oppose the plan If they
wish to avoid special taxes which
would reduce their profits.
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