Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-12-31

stare SeuatOT, G14OeII Guue.
Sen. GUIDE is currently en-
gagged In a persuasive cam
paign to try to change the think
ing Of people who don't agree
with the wisdom of cutting
across county lines to create
a new eighth Congressional dis
trict in Maryland.
Traditionally, originators of
plans to solve Maryland's ma
jor Congressional redistrict-
ing problem have generally
thought in terms Of assigning
whole counties to their pro-
posed districts.
Sen. Gude's plan, for which
he hopes to win support at the
forthcoming session ofthe Gen.
eral Assembly, is to create a
new eighth district by setting
up a single district compris-
ing part Of the Montgomery
County suburbs and part of the
Prince Georges County sub
urbS.
But that's cutting across
county lines and a lot of peo-
pie, so far, just don't seem to
like the idea. They think--many
of them without good reason,
Sen. GUIDE believes--that coun-
ties should be left intact under
any redistricting plan.
1.-THE important thing is that
all Maryland citizens get as
nearly equal representation in
Congress as possible" he de-
clares. And he points out that
under the plan he will push,
this most desirable goal comes
pretty close to being achieved.
PLAN IS TOLD
Sen. GUIDE would put all Of
Montgomery's 18th and 5th
election districts into one pack
age along with similar geo.
graphical area In Prince
Georges. The total population Of
that homogeneous area, with
most of the residents being
suburbanites, would be 1913, 900
(under the 1860 census), Sen.
GUIDE says.
OF the $4,000 total, Sen.
Guide says, lS4,ooo would be
In Montgomery County and 1884,
900 in Prince Georges.
The district breakdown under
, his plan, he said, is: first,
100000; second, 4ol, 900; third,
37s, 900; fourth, S93, 900; fifth,
4o5, 900; sixth, 424, 900; sew
enth, sss, 600; eighth, s7s, 600.
The present sixth district in
which Montgomery County Is 10
Gated along with most Of the
rest of Western Maryland, had
a population of sos, 666 when
the 1860 census was taken.
Sen. GUIDE hopes there'll be
additional support--other than
some indications Of support that
he has already received--for
his proposal and that it'll help
disperse some Of the confused
fog now surrounding Maryland's
congressional redistrict-
ing setup and various plans to
improve 1t.
It all started when the state,
due to its population increase
under the decennial census, was
aIlocated another Congress-
men.
A plan for a new district
was pushed through the General
Assembly and then was prompt
ly petitioned to a statewide
referendum in which the voters
disapproved Of the plan. Last
spring, the General Assembly
came up with another plan which
was promptly termed inequit-
able by civic groups and 1t, too,
has been petitioned to referen-
dunn with vote scheduled for
next November.
Meanwhile, the state has a
congressman at large, Carlton
Sickles of Prince Georges
County, who must try to serve
the entire state In view Of the
emo" vote IN last years ref
erendum.
The s7s, 900 population figure
Of Sen. Gude's district, he says,
would make 1t no more than II
per cent away In deviation from
other districts and fall we'll
within the accepted 20 per cent