The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1953-07-23
Around Town With
The Editor

| have no criticism to make OF the
decision of the five members of the
City Council to let rent control in
Hagerstown expire on July 81, as
provided for under the law.
The people of Hagerstown elected
these five men to govern the city for
the next four years and in doing so
gave them authority to act on any
legislation that might come before
them.
l do, however, criticise the mem
bers of the Council for the manner
in which they voted to let rent con-
troll end.
At the last regular meeting of the
Council, held on Thursday, July 2,
only two people - both in favor of
continuing rent control - voiced
their views on this important matter.
It is true that, there was no special
announcement that the Council
would consider the rent control
question at the meeting, but every
one interested ought to have known
that, since rent control in Hagers-
town would automatically die on
July 81 unless the Council took some
action on it and since the July 2
meeting was the only regular meet
ing of the Council for the month,
they should have attended that meet
ing if they were interested, to ex-
press their views one way or an
other.
After the two gentlemen had their
say the Council, on the motion of
Councilman Fiery, voted to immedi-
ately act on the rent control ques-
ton, but - and this is what l criti-
else = Councilman Fiery's motion
called for secret ballot. The motion
was carried and after City Clerk
Kerney and City Attorney Oswald
checked the ballots, it was announc-
ed that, by a vote of 4 to l, the Coun-
Gil decided to discontinue rent con-
troll in Hagerstown as of July 81.
Secret ballots by the members of
the Hagerstown City Council, or any
other governing body, either city,
county, state or federal, is against
the principles of American democ-
racy and should not be tolerated.
AS said before l have no quarrel
with their decision to take off rent
control, but / hope that never again
will 1 have to report that the mem
bers of our Council took a secret
ballot on any legislation before them.
The members of our Council were
elected by the voters of the City of
Hagerstown and I hope that from
now on they will be willing to stand
up and be counted" on every piece
of legislation that comes before them.
Let's keep this secret ballot stuff
back of the Iron Curtain where it
belongs.
Congratulations to Sheriff Edward
Rowland on recommending to the
Board of County Commissioners that
they purchase two Chevrolet cars to
be used on all official business of the
sheriff's Office, instead of the depu-
ties driving their personal cars as at
present.
Congratulations also to the mem
bers of the Board on voting unani-
mously to carry out the sheriff's sug-
gestion. The two cars will carry the
insignia of the county and the
sheriff's office on the sides and they
will be fully equipped for police
purposes, including two-way radio
telephones.
At the present time the deputies
use their own cars for which each
deputy is paid 5000 depreciation al
lowance per annum, in addition to
all expenses, including repairs.
go
The Commissioners at their reg
ular meeting on tuesday also ap-
proved the purchase of a wire re-
Standardization machine at the cost
of $3.50, to be used in the Circuit
Court.
The recording machine, which will
have microphones placed at strategic
places in the court room, will record
all testimony and questions.
E. Lester Mobley, ST., president of
the Board, also announced that this
fall an engineering firm will be asked
to furnish the Board with the cost of
air-conditioning the court room so
that, if it is approved by the Board,
it can be provided for in the 1854
budget.