Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-10-08
Charter
Battle Centers
Around Abbott
Citizens Group Reps
Commissioner Over
| Letter Distribution

Letter Distribution
Verbal shells were whistling fast
md furiously in the Prince Georges
county home rule charter battle
most of them were
either to or from County Commits
;ioner Daniel A. Abbott.
The Citizens Committee for
Good Government Embossed blast
against Mr.. Abbott and his four
on the all-Republican
Board Of Commissioners for allow
ing an anti-charter group to dis
tribute literature in the County
Service Building in Hyattsville.
The literature objected to is a
reprint of a letter from Mr.. Abbott.
published in county newspapers.
the citizens committee
and tile five candidates it has
nominated for the charter board
in the November 4 election. The
newly formed Voters Committee
Against Charter is distributing
about 5000 of the reprints, and a
stack of them has been placed on
the front desk at the service build
ing, where citizens come for auto
mobile, hunting and fishing
licenses and information in gen.
eral.
Defends Five Candidates.
Mr.. Abbott. meanwhile. defended
the five charter board candidates
put up by the commissioners
against a recent charge by the
citizens committee slate that they
had acted unethically in becoming
candidates.
Since when has having ones
name on the ballot for election
|. been considered unethical?"
Mr.. Abbot asked in a press state
ment. He added:
IF the five members named to
the charter slate by the commits
sioners are puppets of die-hard
do-nothings as claimed by the
advocates of a county-manager
form of government, they are at
least representative of a form Of
government which has withstood
the storms of many years and has
maintained balanced budget and
a satisfied citizenry."
Mr.. Abbott was answering
charge leveled by the citizens
committee on Saturday that some
members of the commissioners
slate unethically accepted noni-
nation for the charter board when
they do not believe in real home
rule for the county. Two MEM
bers of the commissioners slate.
Edwin Glenn and II. Winship
Wheatley, have admitted they are
executive committee members Of
the new Voters Committee
Against Charter Government.
They have also said they believe
the county has all the home rule
it needs under the present COM
missioner-type of government.
Questions Before Voters.
The voters on November 4 will
be called on, first, to decide
whether they want a home-rule
charter for Prince Georges, and,
second, which five of the ten
charter board candidates they
want to write the proposed char
ter. It would be submitted to
voters for their approval in 1854.
Most of Prince Georges laws
now are written by the Maryland
General Assembly at Annapolis.
Mr.. Abbott, in his statement, adj
vised voters who prefer home rule
with county commissioner form
Gas at presently to vote yes" to the
first question and then mark their
ballots for the five commissioners
candidates for charter board
Mrs. Dorothy Groth, George Bur-
roughs, Edward C. Bell, Mr..
Wheatley and Mr.. Glenn.
If they are satisfied with the
present form of Government Mr..
Abbott suggested that voters then
vote no to the whole darned
thing"
The Citizens Committee urges a
Eyes" vote on the home rule ques-
ton and then a vote for each Of
it's five candidates-Dr. Joseph NJ.
Ray, Reuben Gordon, Walter F..
IMulligan, Charles F. Parker, jr.,
and Nicholas Orem, jr.
Action Pressed In Past.
The citizens committee in the
past has pressed for a county
manager and county council sys-
tenn of government for Prince
] Georges similar to that operating
in neighboring Montgomery Coun-
ty. In the current campaign. how
ever, the citizens committee cam
didates are saying that they will
bow to the will of the people as
expressed in public hearings which
the victorious charter board will
be required to hold in drawing up
the proposed charter.
On the question of using the
county service building as a dis
tribution point for the Abbott re-
prints. Mr.. Mulligan said that al
though MIR. Abbott has the right
to his own views, he should not
use mis- official position as county
commissioner for the purpose of
allowing any organization or in
dividual to foist them on the pub
lie through the medium of a pub
lie building which was built at the
taxpayers expense"
1.-THE material should be with
drawn or else equal opportunity be
) given to the Citizens Committee
for Good Government to present
its view" Mr.. Mulligan added.
Firemen's Phone Number
In Arlington Protested