Evening star., 1952-07-13
Prince Georges
Sets DeadIine in
Home Rule Fight
Election Beurd Aide
Says Petitions Must
Be Filed by July 28
By J. [. MichoeI

BY }. |. Michoel
Prince Georges home rule back
ers are in a nip-and-tuck race
with time today as q result Of
an official ruling that charter
petitions must be submitted by
July %.
The ruling was announced yes
terday by George T. Burroughs.
counsel to the County Board Of
Election Supervisors.
There is no question" Mr..
Burroughs said. that petitions
signed by at least 10000 registered
voters must be filed by July % in
order to get the home rule queA
ton on November ballots"
Mr.. Burroughs also held that
the same deadline applies to addi-
tional petitions, with 1000 names
for each of five charter board
nominees chosen by the Citizens
Committee for Good Government.
The unit is leading the drive for
the charter-county manager pro-
posal. -...
Signatures Top 1000.
Mrs. Zella P. Saylor, one of the
leaders in the home rule cam
paign. said last night that more
than 1000 signatures have been
obtained on the charter petition.
The status of the 2,000-name petit
tion could not be determined i'm.
|mediately.
The opinion of the election
boards attorney apparently re-
moves uncertainty which has
existed as to the filing deadline.
Committee officials had believed
"a provision of the State Consti-
tuition gave them until October l
to complete name gathering.
But shortly after the petition
drive was started. a member Of
the county League of Women
Voters discovered that a State
wide act of the 1852 Legislature
had set the deadline at July 20.
The Question appeared to be
whether the Constitutional date
or that fixed by the General AS
sembly should be accepted.
Permits Absentee Balloting.
Mr.. Burroughs said the uncer.
tainty was due to misunderstand-
ing. Actually. he explained, there
was no conflict because the Consti-
tuition gives the Legislature power
to designate an earlier filing date.
The July % deadline is neces-
sary. he said, to permit balloting
by absentee voters and to allow
time to check eligibility of per.
sons who sign the petitions.
Home rule advocates expressed
confidence last night but con-
ceded that their task is not an
easy one. The difficulty of finding
persons to solicit names and the
absence of residents on summer
vacations are the chief obstacles,
SpOKeSmen declared. .
Nevertheless. a corpse of petit
tion carriers are stepping up tho
pace and charter-manager per-
suasion booths are set up on
week ends at shopping centers
throughout the county. Mrs.
Saylor said these booths have
proved to be effective agencies for
obtaining signatures.
Heavy Grind Ahead.
They have been operating at
College Park, Greenbelt, Bladens-
burg, Hyattsville. Mt. Rainier.
Queenstown and West Hyattsville.
II believe we can attain our
objective" Mrs. Saylor said. "but
we will have to grind heavily in
the remaining days"
1T can be done, but it looks
like tight situation to me-"
observed Walter F. Mulliga1,
veteran president of the county
Civic Federation.
Inc nVe county commissioners,
all strongly opposed to the pro-
posed governmental shift, are
watching developments closely.
1t is their privilege under the
law to name a slate of five
to contest with charter board
choices of the Citizens Commit
tee. No petitions are required for
their selectees but their names.
too. must be filed by July 28.
While the commissioners have
refused so much as a whisper
about their prospective candi-
dates. 1t was learned that present
plans call for inclusion of two
outstanding" Democrats. The
other three are almost certain to