The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-11-13
Around Town With
The Editor

AS this is written, Wednesday
morning, the selection of a site for
the Chronic Disease Hospital is still
very much up in the air and the
unfortunate part about it is, that wild
- and often ridiculous - rumors
are being widely circulated, particu-
larly regarding the Cleveland Ave
nue. site.
Those of you who read this column
know that, from the very begin
ming, l have been an advocate of the
original site offered by the Board of
County Commissioners to the State,
absolutely free - the present Belle
vue home site. In fact, l had long
interview with Governor McKeldin
a couple of weeks ago regarding a
site, during which he told me that
he wanted the hospital built on the
site best suited for such hospital
and that he was glad to get my views
on the subject He then assured me
that the members of the State Board
of Public Works would definitely
come to Hagerstown and inspect both
sites before a final decision is made
and l believe he will keep his word.
l still say that the only logical
place for the Chronic Disease Hos
pital is on the Bellevue Home site,
with its high elevation and ample
space for future enlargement of the
hospital as provided for in the Sen
ate Bill authorizing it, instead of the
low-lying Cleveland Avenue site,
with all its dampness-to say moth
ing to its close proximity to the
baseball stadium, which would re-
suit in the patients being disturbed
nearly every night during the sum-
mer, by the yells of the fans, roofing
for their home team.
And now to get back to those
rumors.
Rumors, unless checked, can
spread like wildfire and often cause
irreparable damage, and so, in an
effort to check one of these rumors
"a rumor that firmly believe has
no substance in fact am going to
bring it into the cold light of print
- and here it is:
Not once, but at least twenty or
thirty times, have been told by re-
sponsible people that they have
heard that the Potomac Edison Com
pany is behind the drive to put the
Chronic Disease Hospital near the
County Hospital, because that would
possibly lead to the Municipal Light
Plant supplying the steam to heat it,
just as they are now doing for the
County Hospital
If this is done, according to this
vicious rumor, not only would it
seriously cripple the Light Plants
ability to provide light and power
to its customers, but might also re-
suit in a major breakdown and,
these rurnor- mongers say, that is just
what the Potomac Edison Company
wants.
There you have it folks-a cheap
and rotten rumor, the publication of
which will, l hope, not only put
those who started it to shame, but
will also be the means of killing it
for all time.
Next month, we who live within
the city limits will be going to the
polls to nominate the men who will
control the destiny of Hagerstown
for the next four years. So, if you
are interested in good government
and the good of the city in which
you live and make living, you
should start planning, right now, who
you want to represent you from the
Ward in which you live.
Let's get busy on this important
job right now. Start talking to
your friends and neighbors about it.
If you are a Democrat, start now to
pick out a Democrat in your Ward
that you would like to have repre-
= sent you-and then get delegation
to go and talk to him about filing
and the same goes if you are a Re-
publican.
Remember this - Unless every
one of us, in our respective Wards,
take an active part in selecting the
candidates we want, the politicians
will step in and select the men they
want. This could easily result in
the politicians candidates being
nominated in next months Pri-
maries, without opposition, for there
is nothing the politicians like more
than to avoid Primary contests.
Don't let them get away with it
this time. Select your own candi-
dates and then get out and work for
them.
Ideas Win Cash