Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-23
G. 0.p. Reveals
lis Platform
In Montgomery
Fall Election Slogan
TO Be Home Rule
Or Boss Rule


cans last night laid their eight
year record at Annapolis and
Rockville on the line and called
| on the voters to choose between
I"Home Rule or Boss Rule"
Republican candidates at the
same time accused the Demo-
Gratis of producing a "me too
platform" and attempting to
draw an ''iron curtain" around
the issues of the campaign.
More than 100 precinct work.
ers and candidates were on hand
as the Republicans took the
wraps off their 1854 platform at
the home of State Senator
Anders r. Lofstrand. jr.
Republican leaders made it
clear the upcoming election was
not expected to be a pushover.
Senator Lofstrand said it would
take a 80 per cent turnout Of
registered Republicans plus a
goodly number of dissatisfied
Democrats" for a COP victory.
Failures Blamed on Law.
The Republican platform said
any failures the delegation to
the General Assembly had had
were the results "of an anti
quated State constitution which
denies this county representa-
ton in the legislature in proper
ton to its population" The Re-
publicans promise to introduce
legislation to call for a consti-
tutional convention.
Delegate Kathryn J. Lawlor
emphatically denied charges
that the county delegation was
do nothing" group. She said
the delegation had introduced
and had passed more legislation
than any other group in the
State and had gotten "99 per
cent of its legislative program
performed"
Mrs. Lawlor, in answer to
charges that the delegation had
failed to get needed State school
funds for the county, said Sena-
tor Lofstrand had introduced
five bills in the Senate and the
delegation four in the House to
get a fairer share of State aid
for Montgomery. She added
that bills also were put in the
hopper to revamp the State as
sessment procedure that would
insure Statewide equalization Of
assessments and thereby assure
Montgomery of getting its fair
proportion Of State aid.
Council Record Put Up.
The Republicans also put up
the record of the county coun-
Gil as evidence that Republicans
over the last eight years had
met the demand for county
services with "commendable
economy"
Council Candidate David Soul
said that underlying all prob
lens "squarely faced and solved"
has been the fact that the coun-
tvs population has doubled
since 1916.
Mr.. Scull said that 10 per cent
of the county's taxes went for
schools and that Montgomery
has kept up with it's school de-
mands. He took sharp issue
with Democratic charge that
estimates of the cost of the new
county Office building was So
million.
Mr.. Scull. with the official
backing of Council President
Harold F. Hammond, put the
cost at $1,766. 900 compared with
prior estimates of $1.S million.
The cost figure was the first
officially released by the county
government.
Other Programs Hailed.
Mr.. Scull also hailed the coun-
tvs public works program, the
recreation program and the street
lighting and cleaning program in
the suburban area. He noted
that the suburban tax had been
consistently reduced during the
Republican administration.
A feature of the platform that
will come as a surprise to many
residents was promise of q
single planning agency for the
entire county. At the same time
the Republicans said they would
seek to get local control over
appointments of members Of the
hi county Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission and the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission.
Taken together, these two
planks would spell the end Of
the upper Montgomery County
Planning Commission fathered
by the Republican County Coun-
Gil. 1t apparently would be
merged with the older Park and
Planning Commission.
Other Platform Planks.
Other planks Of the platform
called for:
/. Continued efforts to get in
creased State and Federal aid
for school construction and a
fairer share Of State school
equalization funds.
2. Continued efforts to over
haul the State assessment ma
chinery to insure Statewide
equalization.
8. Continued efforts to repeal
the law barring partisan
elections Of county governing
bodies.
4. Support Of the States IL
year road plan. highway sys-
tenn second to none in the Ma
tion," but modification of the
program where necessary to pro-
tect the rights of local property
owners.
S. Opposition to measures to
curtail the activities of volun-
teer firemen.
6. Adequate police pay. and