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Congratulations Rockville!
ON the eve of Rockville’s formal celebration of its 100th
anniversary as an incorporated community, The Sen
tinel joins thousands of Montgomery County residents in
extending congratulations and best wishes to the city on
this historic event.
Not only is Rockville in line for this collective pat on
the back: the hard-working Centennial Committee, too, is
to be commended for its untiring efforts in arranging a
program that truly typifies the city’s position as one of
the nation’s outstanding municipalities.
The program, which culminates months of painstak
ing groundwork, is jam-packed with interesting events
which should provide the people with a solid week of di
version from the routine of everyday existence.
Colorful pageants, parades, entertainment featuring
nationally-famous performers and a host of other attrac
tions are included in an observance that will long be re
membered by area residents.
Also deserving praise are the city’s merchants, with
out whose support the celebration could not succeed, as
well as the many citizens who gave unstintingly of their
time and effort in the arduous task of lining up the pro
gram.
Since 1776, when Rockville became the county seat,
the city and the county have grown side by side. The
municipality’s phenomenal expansion reflects that of Mont
gomery as a whole.
It is fitting, therefore, that this centennial issue of
The Sentinel portrays the growth of both Rockville and
‘the entire county.
County Manager Butcher
TIJONTGOMERY County residents, we are sure, share
our gratification at the County Council’s action in
filling the long vacant post of County Manager.
And, we believe, most residents share our enthusiasm
Jfor the Council’s selection of the man who seems to be
Jbest qualified to handle this key administrative post—
• Mason A. Butcher.
Butcher’s long experience with the county as director
jof public works in a critical era of post-war growth,
■coupled with his efficient service as an acting manager on
2a number of previous occasions, have given him an insight
3nto the county’s problems that could be equalled by no
Jother candidate. Certainly his most recent stint as acting
for some months has provided a clear demonstra
jtion of his ability.
We suspect that he will be able to improve on his
•performance now that he no longer will be ham-strung by
•the restrictive "acting” segment of his title.
The Sentinel offers Its congratulations to County
•Manager Mason A. Butcher with a feeling of solid confi
dence that he will be an instrument in bringing better
•government to the county.
•
-Time to Delegate Authority
grACED with an increasingly heavy workload imposed by
a growing population and a steadily expanding busi
ness community, it appears to us the Mayor and Council
ipf Rockville soon must give weighted thought to the mat
ter of concentrating more administrative powers in the
Jiands of its City Manager.
All citizens are informed on the number of night
jiours spent by Council members running the affairs of
•Rockville. All citizens are appreciative of the fact that
•Council members may feel, as elected officials, all respon
sibilities of government rest squarely on their shoulders.
On the other hand, no one expects a governing body
f 0 carry this feeling of responsibility to the point where
Jfiddling small details turn government into a cumbersome
>nd frequently irksome merry-go-round for public busi
ness. Many citizens who spend long hours waiting for
routine requests to come up on the long Monday night
Agendas of the Council frequently voice loud and vocifer-
E protests at delays encountered while the Mayor and
incil mull over routine matters which could have
n handled by the city’s chief administrative officer.
City officials themselves are aware of the number of
g, dull hours they put in on routine affairs. If they
•could convince themselves that all matters concerned with
•running a city are not vital and foundation-shaking, they’d
jpalve their working time. At the same time, citizens who
3-ould conclude much routine business with the City Man
ager and be on their way would have far fewer beefs about
Jhe unwieldy processes of government in Rockville.
One of the prime responsibilities of a good executive,
J> r group of executives, is selection of key personnel who
fcan be depended upon to function capably and efficiently
3n their jobs. In the selection of a good City Manager,
Jtockville s Mayor and Council have discharged a prime
Muty. The time has come for its members to relax and
Jet the manager manage the small details. If his manage
ment is not to official liking, the time-honored practices
•of firing and hiring still are in good repute.
• Heads of the City Government of Rockville are en
lightened and progressive administrators. They will lose
Jieithei lace nor their holds on government affairs by
Streamlining their methods of conducting public business.
jMove With Caution
|y|ONTGOMERY County legislators should move with
extreme caution in considering the proposal by
Councilman Stanley Frosh to place the Park and Plan
3unS Commission s technical staff under direct county
jpontrol.
Many county residents will recall the spirited legis
lative battles in the past over similar suggestions, all
;of which were rejected in the light of evidence empha
sizing the importance of maintaining bi-county and re
gional planning.
• T ho reorganization bill passed by the Maryland Gen
eral Assembly in 1957 recognized this fact by continuing
jthe commission as a bi-county agency. At the same time,
•the measure provided for closer county ties by creating
stwo county planning boards, whose members are ap
3X)inted by the Montgomery County Council and Prince
County Commissioners.
Although the commission has been criticized in re
jcent months for its slowness in preparing vitally needed
plans, it is extremely doubtful that splitting the
•commission into two separate county-controlled agencies is
desirable, or necessary.
Thursday, August 25, 1960
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"Must be fall—-the air is full of pollen, pigskins and politics"
Letters to the Sentinel
Boost for Mathias
I think Mr. Zatman in your
issue of August 18 has unwit
tingly given a good boost to
Mr. Mathias for Congress. He
says he was impressed by Mr.
Mathias but not by his speech.
From his mention of certain
items in that speech with which
he finds fault, however, I get
the impression that Mr. Mathias
showed good sense and political
courage. Evidently he is con
cerned about inflation and the
security of our country and its
people.
As one item in Mr. Zalman’s
catalog of faults in Mr.
Mathias’s speech, Zatman says
Mathias talked of economic
security, but it turned out that
this to him meant the security
of the dollar. Well, what is
wrong with that? Is there any
thing incompatible between the
security of people and the se
curity of their dollars? Is not a
person’s economic security de
pendent on the security of his
dollars? Is Mr. Zatman not con
cerned about the impairment of
the value of his dollars? (I hope
he has some.) And does not the
economic security of the nation
depend largely on the integrity
of its money?
As an independent voter with
a Democratic background I am
glad to know that a candidate
is available who favors a sound
economy and opposes the reck
less promises of the Democratic
platform, which are obviously
aimed at catching the votes of
special classes, with little re
gard for the national welfare.
This is no time for making and
trying to carry out such
promises. Our public debt has
reached dangerous proportions.
Our country desperately needs
to keep its economy strong.
Mr. Mathias seems to be put
ting the emphasis in the right
places.
Mr. Mathias says he needs
Democratic votes to win. Mr.
Zatman concludes that Mr. Ma
thias, “however personable, will
not garner any substantial num
ber of Democratic votes through
such a speech." I have a better
opinion of our Montgomery
County Democrats. We people
of Montgomery County are re
puted to be above the average
in intelligence. I do not believe
that we independents and the
Republicans have a monopoly
of this intelligence. Mr. Mathias
seems to be appealing to intelli
gence rather than to the lower
level of the unthinking, par
tisan, short-sighted class. I be
lieve there are lots of Demo
crats who hold country above
party, who favor a sound econ
omy over “pie in the sky," who
do not approve the wild Demo
cratic platform promises, and
who place the general good
above the demands of special
groups.
For thoughtful readers who
care for a reasoned discussion
of the serious threat of infla
tion and the vital need of a
sound fiscal policy, I commend
the articles in “Newsweek” by
Raymond Moley and Henry
Hazlitt, especially Moley’s con
tribution In the issue of August
22. Mr. Moley was the boasted
head of President Franklin
Roosevelt’s famous “brain
trust" and also was Under Sec
retary of State. In these later
years he has risen to still great
er heights of wisdom.
Independent Octogenarian, J. P.
Mr. Cy M. Campbell, Publisher
Montgomery County Sentinel
Rockville, Maryland
Dear Mr. Campbell:
As President of the Montgomery County Coun
cil, I am happy to send my warm greetings to the gov
ernment and citizens of Rockville as they observe
tneir city’s centennial. lam also happy to send this
message through this edition of the Montgomery
County Sentinel.
Henry Ford, speaking of life itself, said, “The
first hundred years are the roughest.” If there are
to be any trying years for our friends in Rockville, I
hope they are buried in the distant past. The other
members of the County Council join me in wishing
nothing but the best for Rockville now and in the
future.
Since Montgomery County’s establishment in
1776, with Rockville as the County Seat, there has
been a cordial and effective relationship between the
county and the city. As the county and the city both
grow, their interests become more interwoven.
We face compelling needs but perhaps the great
est of these is for a thoroughly informed population
in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County
Sentinel is rendering a distinct public service by edu
cating our citizens on our county government in this
special edition. However, this unrelenting need for
citizens to know the course of county affairs cannot
be made by absorbing the pages of one edition of a
newspaper.
I call on all citizens in Montgomery County to
devote continuing thought to their county government
just as all of us think regularly of new car prices, TV
sets and power mowers for our lawns. Whether all
of our residents are responsive to the individual moral
responsibility for maintaining a vigil over government
affairs, the mere fact that we are spending their
money should encourage their attention. A person
who pays S3OO yearly in real estate taxes will pay
S9OOO for county government over 30 years. This far
exceeds what we would pay for a new car or as a
down payment on a brand new home. Yet how many
would be as interested in getting a good buy for this
S9OOO as they would in buying a luxurious new car
for $6000?
I hope that those who read these pages will con
tinue a permanent vigil over county affairs for the
individual and collective benefit of all of us. Again,
my sincere good wishes, and those of the other mem
bers of the Montgomery County Council, to our neigh
bors in Rockville on this milestone in their city’s his
tory.
Very truly yours,
GROVER K. WALKER
President
County Council
For Montgomery County
Maryland
Rimes OF
The Times
Rockville 1860-1960
We’re not so old as cities go
. . . But yet we’re not so young
... We’ve had our share of tear
and woe . . . Yet happy songs
we’ve sung ... We’t* known the
frantic pains of growth ... But
kept our friendly smile ... No
greater boast can cities make
. . . When progress is on trial
.. . Here church and school are
uppermost . . . Our young to *
are dear ... We want each one
of them to face ... A future free
of fear ... We want our citizens
to know... God’s great humility
... To treat all men as they
themselves . . . Expect because
of Thee ... A second hundred
soon we start ... A trail that’s
hard to climb ... Have steadfast
hope as on we plod . . . The
Avenue of Time.
—Richard Hobart
Montgomery County
SENTINEL
CY M. CAMPBELL, Publisher
Byron Sedgwick, Editor
3 B. Zatman, Associate Editor
W. H. Smith, Associate Editor
Established 1855 by Matthew Field*
MEMBER MARYLAND PRESS ASSOC.
AFFILIATE MEMBER NATIONAL
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION
SENTINEL PUBLISHING CO., INC.
Published weekly. Thursdays at 213
East Montgomery Avenue, by the Sen
tinel Publishing Co., Inc., Cy M.
Campbell, president.
Entered as second class matter at
the Post Ofltce at Rockville, Maryland,
under Act ol Congress. March 3,' 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION DATES
Mail in Maryland and the District
ol Columbia.
One Year 84.00
An Opinion
Past Has Been Good-
Future Can Be Bright
All of Montgomery County will join this
week in helping Rockville, the county seat,
celebrate 100 years of progress as an incor
porated city. As a matter of fact, the entire
county has had a hand in this progress.
It is easy to look back on the past and be
proud of the accomplishments of those who
have had a hand in building Montgomery
County into one of the finest spots on earth.
It isn’t quite so simple to look ahead in trying
to visualize what the future may hold.
This county has been blessed with public
officials who have, all through the years,
been keenly interested in keeping Montgom
ery County fairly free of things that make
life unpleasant. It is to be hoped present and
future governing bodies have the same inter
est in developing Montgomery County as the
finest place to live, work and enjoy the fruits
of life.
In the meantime, there is bound to be
progress in every phase of life.
There will continue to be an overpowering
interest in the county schools. Everyone is
agreed that a good school system is absolute
ly necessary if our men and women of the
future are to be the type of citizens we hope
for.
Of course, there will be differences of
opinion on just how this high goal is to be
reached and maintained. And all of us have
come to realize that the spending of money
alone cannot be the answer. There must be
Thoughts
All Opinion Takers Do
Is Confuse the Public
J
The pollsters are at it again.
The political conventions are over, the
time of the campaigns is here and the voices
of the opinion samplers are heard throughout
the land.
From the towering apartments of New
York’s Bronx to the flat corn and wheat fields
of the Midwest come the predictions of these
latter-day seers.
Nixon is ahead, says one. Kennedy is the
favorite, contends another. The undecided
voters will determine the winner, opines a
third.
My first reaction to these statements was
to label them as ‘‘full of sound and fury, sig
nifying nothing,” with apologies to W. Shake
speare.
They reminded me of the old wives’ tale
In which the sex of an unborn child is fore
told by its position in the mother’s body: if
the mother carries her baby high, it is a girl;
if low, it must be a boy.
But then I reflected. Perhaps these opin
ion takers are right. After all, they are scien
tific—or at least, so they claim. And they
have a reputation to uphold, so they can’t
afford mistakes. By merely following their
reports, the average voter is relieved of the
agonizing responsibility of making up his own
mind.
He won’t have to listen to speeches, ana
lyze the party platforms and delve into the
candidates’ backgrounds. All he has to do is
follow the trend, as demonstrated by the
sampling experts, and he is sure to be on the
winning side.
In fact, we won’t even have to hold an
election; just declare as President the candi-
County Law
Three Cheers
For the Pioneers
I was reminded that the issue of the Sen
tinel in which this article is to run is in honor
of former Rockville citizens who paid real
estate taxes to the Clerk of the Town of
Rockville 100 years ago. The wrong people
are being honored. Present day citizens who
can pay county and town taxes are the ones
who should be toasted this coming week.
This past month I was driving around
the suburbs of Rockville which have been
constructed on the farms where I used to
shoot quail and rabbits. I watched the num
erous children playing on the streets, patron
izing the ice cream vendor and eating hot
dogs and it occurred to me that there is
something missing within the homes of Rock
ville that have been constructed within the
past quarter of a century. That missing
something is a dining room.
Entire homes today are built around a
bar, recreation room, or bedroom. The best
brains in home building and home financing
are inordinately concerned with the glorifica
tion of the bedroom. Houses are advertised
as having three or four bedrooms, a bath and
a half and no dining room. This induces one
to wonder what kind of anatomical marvel
wanders through the bedrooms and half baths
of Rockville. Inasmuch as there is no dining
room it would seem that today’s home owner
has neither mouth nor stomach.
At one time the dining room, Instead of
the bar and patio, was the family shrine of a
Rockville home. It was generally in this
room that the members of the family gathered
for the evening meal: where grace was said
and the news of the day’s events was passed
from one to another.
After the dishes had been taken out and
the crumbs swept from the table, the mem-
-
Wick Byron
other ingredients that have proven even more
valuable than money. These include a basic
human spirit and compassion for our fellow
men.
There will never be danger of communis
tic ideologies taking over our governments If
we remain aware of the dangers of creeping
infiltration of thoughts and acts completely
contrary to the concepts of life we have en
joyed these many past years.
Our form of government and ideals hav
provided us with the greatest country Jr* the
world in a relatively short time. And we can
keep it this way by zealously guarding our
inherited concepts of the American way of
life.
The two great Political Parties have over
the years kept a balance unique in world his
tory. Neither group has ever been successful
in taking over our government for any great
length of time.
As a matter of fact, the two parties have
become so alike in basic thinking that most
campaigns for public office revolve around
the personalities of the candidates and their
friends. >
There is, however, a growing trend among
some members of both parties toward more
control of our lives by the Federal Govern
ment. And there are some observers who
tell us we’ll lose our individual freedom if we
are willing to let the central government be
all things to all people.
ißpjP
J. B. Zatman
date who is leading in an opinion poll on
November 8. But which poll? Ah, there’s
the rub.
What happens if the various poll takers
have varying results? If they are already
differing at this early stage of the game, what
guarantee do we have that they will agree
on election day? You can’t just toss a coin.
I decided, therefore, to conduct my own
poll. My first subject was my postman, but
I didn’t get very far with him.
“As far as I am concerned,” he told me,
“they are both horrible and I may not even
vote.”
Nevertheless, I recorded his opinion In my
little black book. In accordance with ap
proved sampling conclusion, this means, I
noted, that all postmen will not vote on elec
tion day.
Seeking a more positive stand, I checked
with my laundryman. He volunteered the in
formation that he came from Southern Bap
tist stock and was for Nixon because he didn’t
like Catholics.
The conclusion was clear: all Southern
Baptist laundrymen are solid for the Repub
lican candidate.
Finally, I put the question to one of my
“neighbors, a retired gambler. He readily in
formed me that he was going to vote for
Kennedy.
I don't know how many retired gamblers
there are, but my neighbor’s statement makes
It clear that Kennedy is assured of their sup
port.
Frankly, I am confused—and this leads
inevitably to the conclusion that all newspa
per columnists are befuddled.
~ I r -. -y z
Barnard T. Welsh
bers of the family brought to the dining room
table (preferably round) their papers, books,
sewing or games. My father always brought
the active jury list and the Hagerstown Al
manac. He considered that he had won or
lost his case by the time that he had selected
his jury. When Aunt Evelyn had dinner with
us the dinner was rushed, the table quickly
cleared and the green felt mat spread out, the
eye shades passed around, the poker chips
and cards broken out (they never were very
far away) and the battle was on. She had no
use for a person who preferred food, sex and
drink and such other trivialities to a card
game.
The best times of my youth were spent
around the dining room table. As a matter of
fact, the only room In my home today where
the ceiling is not cracked and the paper not
coming off the walls is the dining room. I
could exclude all of the rest of my life ex
cept the times spent In the dining room and
consider that I have had a full life—and no
pun is intended. I have made substantial con
tributions to the demise of turkey, country
hams, fried chicken, soft crabs, wild duck,
spoon bread, corn, tomatoes and lima beans,
apple dumplings, chow chow, currant jelly,
brandied peaches, egg nog and blackberry
bounce.
But the best meal of all is breakfast. I
will give an old fashioned Mungummery
County breakfast in honor of this occasion.
The ingredients for this unforgettable break
fast are 10 pounds of prime porterhouse
steak, three fifths of Maryland rye, and one
hound dog. We will give the steak to the
hound dog, drink the Maryland rye and give
three cheers to the pioneers who sired us.