Evening star., 1952-06-26
Charter Leader
Charges 6. 0.P.
Blocking Tactics
Gordon Defends
Selection of 5 for
Bourd Ruce

A director of the Prince Georges
County Citizens Committee for
Good Government charged last
night that the Republican Party
has been unco-operative and "a
constant hindrance" to the COM
mittee's campaign for home rule
charter in the county.
The charter leader, Reuben J.
Gordon of Cheverly. made the
statement in defending the COM
mittee's selection of five nominees
to run FOR the charter board next
November.
Albert Guidotti of Bellmead.
active in Republican and civic
affairs, urged the Citizens Com
mittee Board of Directors to revise
the charter board slate to give
representation to the Democratic
and Republican Parties and the
southern part of the county.
All of the nominees live in the
more heavily populated northern
sector.
The slate as now constituted
would be political suicide" said
Mr.. -Guidotti, citing the announced
intention Of the all-Republican
county commissioners to put up q
charter board slate of their own.
Says Platform Repudiated.
Mr.. Gordon. himself a Republic
can and one of the five board
nominees put up by the commit
tee, said his party has repudiated
it's 1850 platform supporting home
rule and county manager system.
1 1--WE have had nothing but con-
slant criticism from the Republic
can officials elected in 1880" Mr..
Gordon added.
Other directors attending the
open meeting in the County Serv-
lice Building at Hyattsville pointed
out that they do not believe geo.
graphic and political representa-
ton is as important in selection
of the nominees as the promotion
of the committees goals.
Delegate j. Frank Lillard. jr.,
Republican, of Prince Georges
threw some light on the question
of whether the new State law
! deadline of July % applies to the
committees current campaign for
10000 petition signatures to put
!, the home rule issue on the No
vember ballot and for 1000 sigma
lures for each of the five Charter
Board nominees.
Doubts Overseas Vote.
Mr.. Lillard, who appeared before
y the directors at his own request.
II said he does not believe the law
', passed by the 1852 General
Assembly to give military men
S overseas the privilege of voting by
: absentee ballot applies to charter
e referenda. A provision of that law
n sets the fourth Monday in July as
: deadline for all referenda petitions.
l. Mr.. Lillard pointed out that the
= section of the Constitution set
a ting up the machinery for charter
: referenda in Maryland counties
provides for deadline of 40 days
y prior to the general election. The
absentee voter law was not in
tended to apply to charter refer
. enda. he said.
d The delegate added. however,
n that he would advise the commit
: tee to get its petitions in by July
: %, nevertheless, lust to be safe. -
The committee has asked At
# torney General Hall Hammond
= for ruling on whether the new
= law applies to the local drive. Mr..
: Lillard pointed out that the Mary
o land Court of Appeals has at times
IS refused to uphold opinions of the
II attorney general.
5000 Sign So Far.
o MIR. Lillard assured the direc-
n COrS CnaC Cnere was not the
s slightest inkling or idea in the
: minds of the county's delegation
to the Legislature that the char
,r ter movement in Prince Georges
= =, would be affected by the absentee
. voter law"
The committee so far has OBJ
tanned about 5000 signatures to
d it's home rule petition and is just
d beginning to collect signatures for
e the charter board nominees.
II The nominees, besides Mr.. Cor
Ie don, are DR.. Joseph M. Ray, Uni
d versity of Maryland professor:
Walter F. Mulligan of Berwyn,
It Nicholas Orem. jr., of Hayttsville,
# and Charles F. Parker of Landover