Evening star., 1952-05-22
Ban on County Jobs
For u. 5. Employees
.|rks Arlington Official

Robert w. Cox, Arlington
County Board chairman, has
taken the stump" to acquaint
county residents with the prob
lens raised by a court decision
barring Federal employees from
holding local Office in Virginia.
He told members of the Fair
lington Civic Association last
night that he has addressed IS
civic organizations since the deci-
sion was announced on May S.
The ruling was handed down by
Arlington Circuit Court Judge
Walter T. Mccarthy.
An appeal filed with the Vir-
ginia Court of Appeals will be
heard during the week of June
9 in Richmond.
Ruled Employe Ineligible.
Judge Mccarthy ruled, in a suit
filed by six taxpayers, against
Alan L. Dean, a Federal employe,
elected last November to the Ar
lington County Board. He said
an old Virginia law forbids Fed
|eral employees from holding local
office. He also ruled that a law
enacted in 1928, exempting Ar
lington from the ban, was uncon-
stitutional.
The legality of Mr.. Cox's elec-
ton is in question because he is a
Federal employe.
A third board member. Daniel
IA. Dugan, was elected when a
Federal employe, but he now is in
business for himself. His tenure
also may be in doubt. The three
represent a non-partisan majority
on the five-member board.
1T appears to be a perfectly
ridiculous situation when about
half of the people of Arlington
County cannot be eligible to hold
public Office" Mr.. Cox declared.
"Our political opponents are in
a box. It appears that the public
in general feels there is something
unfair about this situation" He
did not elaborate on this remark.
Sees Judge Filling Posts.
Mr.. Cox raised the possibility
that the same judge who decided
the court test in Arlington could
fill the vacancies created through
this year and all of 1883"
He said court-appointed board
members would replace those re-
moved from the board if the Court
of Appeals upholds the decision
If the higher court does not settle
the question before the legal dead
line for filing county board can
didacies. the first week in Sep
temper. The court appointees
would serve until the next regular
election. That would be in No.
vember, 1858, he explained.
Should the appeals court uphold
the local court, it would be highly
unlikely that legislation correct
ing the situation could be enacted
at a special session of the Vir-
ginia General Assembly this year
Mr.. Cox said.
He argued that legislators from
areas outside Northern Virginia
are not favorably inclined toward
Federal Government workers.
Mr.. Cox said that pending a de-
cision in the higher court. there is
no question of legality of the &C.
tions taken by the present board
Reports Citizens Shocked"
Donald M. Murtha, president o1
the darlington group, introduced
Mr.. Cox. He said citizens of Ar
lington "are angry and shocked
at the decision of Judge Mccarthy
in the Dean case"
! Mrs. Douglas Smith, 4437 South
Thirty-fourth street, aske.1 if il
would help to appeal if many Ar
lington residents we're to appear
in the courtroom in Richmond.
What can we people do about
a thing like this which most Of uf
feel is a completely railroaded
maneuver on the part of few
lpo0nlaoo Mrs Smith aSkad