Evening star., 1952-02-13
Area Leaders
Give Views on
CounciIProposa|
Would Consider
Mutual Problems
Of City, Counties


trict Commissioners to establish q
council to consider mutual prob
lens Of Metropolitan Area.
The Commissioners yesterday
voted to invite surrounding coun-
ties to join them in setting up an
Interstate Council. This coun-
Gil would consider problems OF
health. welfare and public safety
common to the whole area.
"The District must abandon its
territorial boundaries" declared
Commissioner F. Joseph .Donohue
in suggesting the formation of the
council.
First Step Planned.
Mr.. Donohue said the first step
would be a luncheon meeting in
the near future. Officials of Alex
andria and Arlington, Fairfax,
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties will be asked to attend.
The Commissioners probably
will set the date of the luncheon
at their regular board meeting to-
morrow. It is expected that about
26 county officials will be invited
to this first session.
Irving c. McNayr, Montgomery
County manager, declared:
I'VE stand ready to cooperate
with the Commissioners. Mont
govery County will cooperate in
every possible way in meeting and
working with groups in all phases
OF the metropolitan problems"
Mr.. McNayr said he had dis
cussed the matter with Mr.
Donohue several times. He said
he agrees that some council
should be set up but feels that it
should operate within the existing
governmental structure.
Lathrop Smith, Montgomery
County Council president, called
the move a logical step that will
give us an opportunity to attack
a good many questions that affect
us ALL"
Political Differences Cited.
Four of the Prince Georges
County Commissioners said they
were "open-minded" on the pro-
posal. Thomas E. Lattimer, chair
man, said, IF we are invited, we
will attend q conference designed
to explain objectives and the
means proposed to obtain them" ?"
He added:
"Bur it should be remembered
that differing political situations
in the adjacent counties may give
rise to problems difficult to solve" !"
Commissioners Daniel A. Alb
bott, w. Everett Marion and
Edward J. Waters expressed a will
lngness to attend a conference
but also would reserve Judgment
until they had heard the ideas
advanced.
G. Wallace Carper, chairman of
the Fairfax County Board Of
Supervisors, said he thought the
council would be a good
thing. He said there was a definite
need to study the situation. Ar
thur Shaffer, a member of the
board, said he definitely
was in favor of closer cooperation
and coordination of planning
communities in the Wash
ington area.
Zone thing I'm particularly in
in is better highway
planning" Mr.. Shaffer said.
Virginian Likes Idea.
C. c. Robinson, executive di-
rector of the Northern Virginia
Planning and Economic
Development Commission, said the
idea sounded "very~ laudable" and
that he was confident his group
would be interested in discussing
the idea.
Franklin p. Backus, Mayor of
Alexandria, said his city would be
happy to cooperate in organizing
such a council. He said the met
ropolitan area is an integrated
community now and needed a
regional approach to mutual
problems.
He said he did not think the
plan would succeed easily, how
ever. He said it was a miracle"
that Alexandria, Arlington, Falls
Church and Fairfax had been able
to get together to sponsor a
regional survey Of sewage disposal
problems. A report Of that survey
is being studied now.
Mr.. Backus thought the various
communities might have too many
problems of their own to permit
adequate attention to such q
regional council.
Marshall j. Beverley, Alexandria
councilman, said it was a won
derful idea" and he was confident
Alexandra would participate.
Termed Wise Move.
Robert w. Cox, chairman of the
Arlington County Board, termed
the proposal for a regional council
a wise move and said he hoped
Arlington would participate.
Arlington is a separate political
jurisdiction and should remain
So" MIR. Cox said. "But we can
our separate identity
and at the same time cooperate
in planning to meet mutual prob
lems. We've got to have joint
planning"
Charles E. Kellogg, Mayor Of
Falls Church, said he believed it
would be "very desirable to work
together" He added. 1.-THE prob
lens of the area are interrelated
and working together is the cheap
est and best way to settle them. I"
Reserve Officers Plan
Asl.&rxv Rrll E.:d~u