Evening star., 1963-02-08
Guide Offers
New Plan for
Redistricting
BY PAUL HOPE
Star staff writer

ANNAPOLIS. Feb. State
Senator Gilbert Guide. Republi-
can Of Montgomery, offered q
new congressional redistricting
measure today as a plan by
Gov. Tawes' was being attacked
from several quarters.
Senator Guides compromise
measure would provide for
combining Baltimore City and
Anne Arundel County and
splitting the three city Con-
gressmen among them. Mont
gomery and Howard would be-
come a district. The fifth dis
trict. which includes Prince
Georges County, would be
shorn Of Anne Arundel and
Howard Counties.
The Governor threw his
weight yesterday behind O plan
that would create q new dis
trict running down the middle
of the State. consisting Of Car
roll. Howard, Anne Arundel and
Calvert Counties.
The Governors bill was at
tackled by several Montgomery
and Prince Georges County
legislators and the League Of
Women Voters which led the
fight against a redistricting bill
passed in 1861.
THE citizens, by referendum
have already rejected the idea
Of not providing relief for the
populations Of the big suburban
counties" said Senator Guide.
Referendum Threatened
Mrs. Edward @. Satter-
thwaite. president Of the Mary
land League Of Women Voters,
said If the Governors bill
passes the General Assembly It
undoubtedly will be petitioned
to q referendum. The league
led the petition drive against
the 1861 bill and defeated it in
a referendum last November.
Mrs. Fielding Oeburn Of
Silver Spring. chairman Of the
Leagues redistricting commit
tee, also attacked the bill as
a violation Of "the principle
Of equitable representation"
Carlton w. Sickles, Mary
land Representative -at-larse,
who happened to be in Anna.
polls when the Governors bill
was introduced, said the bill
probably is ''legislatively pos
sible" but does not meet my
criteria."
Limit Population Spread
Mr.. Sickles has introduced o
bill in Congress to require that
any States congressional dis
tricts could not have more |
than a 20 per cent population
spread between the largest and
the smallest. Mr.. Sickles. who
had to run at large because
Maryland had not approved q
redistricting plan, said the
Governors plan probably would
be challenged at the polls II
1t passes the assembly and that
he Is preparing to run again
at large two years from now.
The Governors bill, drafted
by q legislative committee
headed by Senator II. Winship
Wheatley. Democrat Of Prince |
Georges, would result in eight |
congressional districts having
q population spread ranging |
from SOC, 900 for the sixth dis
trict TO 244,000 for the first |
district. The spread among ex-
isting districts Is 711,000 in the |
fifth district to 244.000 in the |
first.
Senator Guides compromise
would create districts with |
populations ranging from 492.-
900 to $4,000.
While the Governors plan
was drawing fire from the
league and from Washington
area legislators, 1t appeared to
have considerable support
among key members Of the
General Assembly.
Senator Guide already is
co-sponsor Of one redistrictine
bill which would set up the
three big suburban counties Of
MONTGOMERY, Prince Georges
and Baltimore as separate dis
tricts and take one OF Balti-
more City's three Congressman
away.
Legislative leaders claim that
while q more equitable bill
could be drawn by taking one
away from Baltimore City, the
big city delegation in the Gen.
eral Assembly has too much in
fluence for 1t to get through.