Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-24
Matter of Fact

Through my public career
it has not been my policy to
complain about unfairness or
inaccuracies of newspapers
although I have been the
victim of both on many oc-
casions.
In an article appearing in
The Sunday Star Magazine
Of october IA, 1862, on the
Is years of the Town of
Greenbelt, half-truths and a
changing of the word may"
to would" in reporting a
reputed statement of mine
made Is years ago gives the
impression "Lansdale G. Sas-
seer, President of the Mary
land Senate" opposed the
project.
AS a reader Of your paper
and the editor Of a county
weekly, I recently read-with
pleasure that The Star had
received a citation for fair
and reasonable reporting. As
one who has devoted most Of
his adult life to the progress
and development of Prince
Georges County, I feel that
the import of the above arti-
Gle as to me was neither
fair nor reliable" When the
Greenbelt idea was started,
right on the heels of the de-
preston, there were all kinds
of rumors concerning the
project. There was some .ap-
prehension among our citi-
Zens as to what would hap
pen in case Federal support
were withdrawn. After thor
oughly looking into the pro-
posal and comforting with
Federal officials I became
satisfied that the project
would be an attractive addi-
ton to Prince Georges Coun-
ty and fully supported the
proposal. Your article pic
lures me as an opponent.
The omitted facts are: I
sponsored a bill in the Mary
land Senate for the creation
of the Town of Greenbelt.
Under senatorial courtesy it
could not have passed had I,
as local Senator, not been
for the measure. I went to
Congress about two years
after I passed the bill through
the Maryland Senate and
during the IL years following
I consistently supported the
Federal appropriations to-
wards the maintenance Of
Greenbelt, and frequently in
terceded with the Federal
agencies on behalf Of the 10
cal town government and cit
liens. After some years, when
sale Of the project became
inevitable. I attended hear
ings, called on Government
agencies in the successful eff
fort to protect the interests Of
the tenants and to prevent
the project from being sold to
private spectators. By sale
to a coop this was accom-
plished and many former ten
ants own their homes there
now. Before the sale, on be-
half of the churches, I sue
cessfully advocated a policy
of selling lot sites to churches
at reasonable prices. There
was a public feeling that
churches would be compelled
to pay SPECTATORS high
prices If they did not acquire
their sites before the sale. I
was also one of the spon-
Sors of the Armory.
Both in the Maryland Sem
ate and Congress, I took pride
in Greenbelt and consistent
ly and diligently worked in
its interest. This is evidenced
by the overwhelming ma
jorities I received there every
time I ran for office, and can
be attested by the early set
tiers mentioned in your arti-
Gle and town officials down
through the years. I take
great pride in the Town Of
Greenbelt, its government
and its people.
Your article picturing me
as an opponent is inaccurate
and unfair. Let's keep the
record straight.
Lansdale G. Sasscer.
Editors Note: The Star
regrets that the article re-
ferred to by Mr.. Sasscer
failed to report that his orig
inal skepticism regarding
Greenbelt was followed by
his support. His position at
the time was reported in a
story appearing in The Star
october Is, 1880