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fUpteti 4 Up and Up and Up THE Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Com mission is again requesting authority to increase the park tax. This time it asks for three cents to be added to the existing twelve cents per SIOO of assessed value for the metropolitan district. Someone sooner or later will have to put a halt to these regular requests for added park taxes. And this could be the year. Members of the House of Delegates from Montgomery County have already cut off a penny from the latest re quest. And there is evidence from responsible organizations that at least another penny should come off. In 1956 the park tax was seven cents. It went up to 10 cents in 1957. And in 1959 it went up again to 12 cents. Now another three cents is wanted. The county has a wonderful system of parks at the present time. No doubt, there are ways of expanding them and making them even more attractive and usable. And there is even need for future park planning. However, there must come a time when park expansion has to wait or be fitted in with other more pressing community needs. Housing and educating school children is certainly one of the most critical needs at the present time. Anyone read ing news dispatches concerning construction and operating school budget figures is quite aware of this problem. Therefore, it might be wise for the Park and Planning Commission to make a study of park expenses to see where savings can be effected and to postpone any thoughts of full-scale expansion of the park system until a later date. We have to be in a hurry to educate our children but there is no pressing need to expand an already excellent and superior-to-other-communities park system. Tawes And Slot Machines THE union of Catholic and Protestant clergymen and laymen to end legalized gambling in Maryland spells serious trouble for Governor Tawes and the slot machine interests which have dominated Southern Maryland politics for many years. Governor Tawes has tried to ride the fence on the slot machine issue since assuming the Governorship. The fact is, however, he is and has been a friend of the power ful liquor and beer industries for many years, including those when he, as Comptroller, was the virtual czar over their operation. And many of these interests are closely tied to slot machines. His closest advisor and confidant is George Hocker, longtime beer lobbyist in Maryland. It was Mr. Hocker who was the brains behind the successful Tawes campaign of 1958. Governor Tawes has sought to hide behind the old chestnut fiat the slot machine issue is a local issue, but the hiding place is getting smaller all of the time. The Governor knows that if the Legislature decides to outlaw certain types of Savings and Loan companies this year—and he has said he favors such action—no county will be permitted to exempt itself from the effects of the legislation. “Senatorial courtesy,” as another example, was unable to be extended far enough to let the antediluvian Senator Phipps exempt Anne Arundel county from legisla tion providing for limited access highways to be built across the state. The Governor deserves to be laughed out of the State House when he declared angrily to a group of ministers that “no man has my ear.” Of course, Mr. Hocker has his ear and has had it. Mr. Hocker, it was charged on the Senate floor in 1959, was so powerful that he was able to shut down the House of Delegates when it appeared an increase might be voted in beer taxes. The fact is the Governor is getting jittery. Public demands for legislation to clean up some of the mess that has developed in Maryland are growing beyond his limited imagination. Nothing But Praise OLD man winter dealt us a tough one. It has been rough and expensive on everyone. But perhaps we needed this added display of nature’s wrath to awaken us to the fact that even with all of the things fly ing around in orbit we aren’t so smart after all. At any rate, special words of praise go to the men who have worked many many hours over their regular ones in their efforts to keep highways and roads clear, and to those men of private business who put in long cold extra time to help keep the wheels of business turning as nor mally as possible. Join Now In the next 10 days, starting with a kick-off break fast at 8 o’clock this morning, Rockville will read, hear, and see more about its local Chamber of Commerce than it has ever before. A Rockville printer, motel, newspaper, and radio station, and the banks and an advertising agency, plus a score of Rockville business and professional men and women, are combining to tell the City why the Chamber of Commerce is the strongest tool available to create and maintain a favorable climate for business and improve the general welfare. The more than 325 busi ness and professional people in Rockville will be reminded by newspaper advertising, by radio, by posters and by personal calls from Chamber members, that, they must all support the Chamber of Commerce. The Mayor and Council of Rockville, acknowledging that the business, industrial and professional members of the community “seek to support and strengthen the vi tality of Rockville” through an expanded Chamber of Commerce, have proclaimed February 12 through 18 as Rockville Chamber of Commerce week. In short, the community-at-large endorses a strong active Chamber of Commerce in Rockville, and the only way it can carry out a program to benefit Rockville is by having you join it in the next 10 days. Thursday, February 9, 1961 "You Moan You Prefer Tko taw o f tho Jungle...? • Cu. County Law An Experience Shopping at the Co-op! Until the recent snow forced me into a supermarket, I had not been foraging for food since the war days at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was there, about 16 or 17 years ago, that my shopping expeditions consisted in the main of rounding up the local butcher, arming him with a skinning knife and a rifle and send him forth to bring home some beef. But this past Saturday afternoon. I left my home on foot to go to the Rockville Co-op. I was laden with currency, a shop ping list and innocent hope. I walked through the straight and prim snow trenches which had been dug in front of the churches on Montgomery Avenue and in front of the local mortician; I climbed over the snow barricade on the sidewalk thrown there by the snow plows in front of Judge Ander son’s- home; and I enjoyed meandering through the crooks and corners in the maze of snow trenches dug in front of the bars and taverns of our fine old town. I eventu ally arrived at the town market and entered therein. I was forthwith transmogrified. I first came to a stable of chrome plated baby carriages, all bearing license numbers, and it was apparent that I was expected to select one, although having a baby at the present time is what I least expect or want, except for tax purposes. Anyhow, I selected a carriage which was beaten up and had classic lines and looked as though it could pass anything but a gas station. Then I looked far away into the rear of the store at what I call the "scoreboard” oe cause I don’t know what it is properly called. This “scoreboard” names all sorts of items of eatments, drinkables, notions and dry goods. Opposite the name of the article is a counter number. This system suggests that If you wheel your baby carriage to a certain counter corresponding to the number on the "scoreboard” you will find the corresponding Letters to the Sentinel Answering Mr. Marcus In answer to the letter by Philip Marcus in the January 26 issue of the Sentinel, I can sympathize with motorists who had to drive anywhere in the January 19 snow storm, includ ing Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. However, please allow me to comment on the letter by Mr. Marcus. There was no "surprising lack of foresight and judg- Montgomery County SENTINEL CY M. CAMPBELL, Publisher Byron Sedgwick, Editor W. H. Smith, Associate Editor Established 1853 by Matthew Fields MEMBER MARYLAND PRESS ASSOC. AFFILIATE MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION SENTINEL PUBLISHING CO.. INC. Published weekly . . . Thursdays at 213 Eaat Montgomery Avenue, by the Sen tinel Publishing Co., Inc., Cy M. Camp bell president Entered as second cteae mattei at the Pcet Oftlce at Rockville. Maryland, under Act of Congress. March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION DATES Mail m Maryland and the District of Columbia. Ons Year 54.00 Item. This Is all very simple for the unso phisticated housewife, but it was much too much for this legally trained graduate pro fessor, and I soon began thinking that all of this snow is just a damn mirage and that in stead of being in a super market with a score board I am at Griffith Stadium watching the new Senators set a new big league record by having their side retired on nine consecutive strikes for nine consecutive innings without a senator taking his bat from his shoulder. I snapped out of It when I arrived at the dog food counter. Th’e list indicated th.it Duke (nine months old) needed 50 pounds of Gravy Train; that Duchess would turn her aristocratic nose up at anything less than 50 pounds of Pard Dog Cruncher, and that Keeshaw would be satisfied with only a dozen cans of Red Heart. I loaded carriage number one up with dog delectables and went back to the starting line to get carriage number two. I bounced and jousted along merrily from counter to counter, item by item; picking up a rib roast here and a couple of dozen oranges there, some indigestibles for munching during TV time, and buying the makings of a salad while thinking how dashing I would be with my chef’s cap on while throwing vinegar and olive oil across my left shoulder at a head of lettuce. I parked carriages one and two at counter 15A between the Fritos and the Mazoli and once more returned to the starting gate for carriage number three. Finally I wheeled them all up in front of the cash register operator. They are the modern mathematical and memory marvels. After the bill was paid, and now I understand why it is not prudent to let a man into a supermarket, I was faced with the problem of carrying a hundred pounds of dog food and 50 pounds of people’s food a half mile through the crooked snow trenches. I made it home alright; the dogs had a swell dinner, but I was too tired to eat. I ment on the part of our Roads Department.” Georgia Avenue is a road owned and maintained by the State of Maryland. Montgomery County is prohib ited from using County funds 1 for maintenance of State roads. ' This includes spending money for sand to be available for mo . torists on these roads. As a matter of practice, the County goes out of its way when possible to lend quick aid if the State is unable to work ■ on one of its roads immediately. Rimes of the Times Monkey tfusiness It took a chimp to lift us up ... . Into the stratosphere .... A hundred fifty miles or more .... Right through the atmosphere ... I wonder what you thought of, Ham ... As you soared up through space .... Did you get dizzy and afraid .... To be so far from base? .... I wonder if you looked , around . . . And glimpsed an asteroid ... Or did you think of pals back home .... Some pretty anthropoid .... Perhaps , you thought yourself a bird ... . Just like the mighty condor .... As you soared up through silent skies .... Into the wild blue yonder .... You’re first to fly off into space .... And I know you'll go again .... Because it must be lots of fun .... Making monkeys out of men! . . . Richard Hobart r\ "'Jr x9hß Barnard T. We'sh In that same January 19 snow, the County, for example, worked on clearing a monu mental jam on East-West High way, a State road. The complaints by Mr. Mar cus, and I can- appreciate his feelings, should be addressed to the State Roads Commission in Baltimore, which has the re , sponsibility to maintain Geor gia Avenue. Very truly yours, Bill Gilbert, County Information Officer Wick Byron's Column Trouble For Tawes Maryland is blessed with a crop of intel ligent, vigorous and young political leaders. This is especially true in the Democratic Party. They must know that 1962 is the most important year as far as they are concerned. People in the State think so too. They’re tired of the old hacks who seem to carve for their cronies and not for the good of the people. Young men of the caliber of Blair Lee, Ed Northrop, Harold Grady, Dan Brewster and Joe Tydings must realize it is time for them to take over. They must realize tfyat the people in Maryland are tired of the polit ical smog that has covered Annapolis since the State Legislature opened its session in January. And they must realize they should act now if they have any hope at all of saving the Democratic Party in the Free State. The recent actions of Governor Tawes are almost unbelievable. He seems to have no concept of fair representation. Otherwise, how could he and his cronies establish a new congressional district that might be equitable to one county but completely unfair to the Second and the Sixth. And Governor Tawes must realize that these two districts one outside of Baltimore and one north of Wash ington are bound to grow even more rapid ly in the next few years. Governor Tawes must read the papers. He must know what the new Democratic President is doing in neighboring Washing ton. Tawes must see that the new President is tackling big problems with action and with a sense of what he believes to be right. Governor Tawes doesn’t seem to make any pretense. He gives one the impression that political debts come first. Otherwise, he and the leadership would have found a more equitable method of establishing a new Con gressional district Scull Could Do It! It is no secret that the Republican Party needs a little rejuvenation on the State level. And there are several able young men who could do this job. One of them is David Scull of this county. Scull is responsible fdr establishing one of the most effective political organizations that leaders in the State have seen. He is quite capable of doing for the State GOP organization what he did for the county. In order for Scull or anyone else to do an effective reorganization job with the State Republican Party there will have to be established a clear set of goals. And after the goals are set there will have to be a clear understanding of just who will carry them out. Republicans in Maryland have always had an uphill fight In winning the State and National offices. They must be geared for solidarity. Any split and they’re dead. Furthermore, there usually has to be a divi sion within the ranks of Democratic leader ship in order for Republicans to win high office. And, of course, a real blopper on the part of a Democratic office-holder also helps. Republican leadership in the State should be able to recognize some signs of discontent within the ranks of Democratic leadership. They should prepare now to take advantage of expected disagreements between Tawes and his cronies and the younger group of Democratic leaders. Both sides are looking’ forward to 1962. But you can bet both sides will continue to keep an eye on that man in the White House who carries his hat but rarely wears it. That could be significant, too! According to Smith No One Wants A Fire House The Montgomery County Council’s re jection of a Twinbrook residential site for a proposed new substation of the Rockville Fire Department has settled a controversey that for some time has caused us to ponder the vagaries of the taxpayer. The council’s decision, of course, was obviously on quite valid grounds, giving con sideration to traffic congestion, the accessi bility of major traffic arteries and a hazard ous railroad crossing that would have to be traversed by fire equipment en route to some sectors of the city. However, objectors to the location had protested on other grounds including the proximity of the firehouse to their homes, the probable noise of sirens, and the hazards brought by the mere fact that fire equipment would be traveling along their quiet resi dential streets whenever an emergency de manded. These objections we can't quite see. It so happens we live Just about a block from the proposed location and, without considering the elements later taken into consideration by the county council, we were rather happy at the thought that a firehouse would be so handy. We weren’t disturbed at the thought of ■ in i A Perfect Plan Bernie Siegel and his brother had a little grocery store. They built it up to one of the most important Washington Food Chains Food Fair. They sold to Grand Union. All of the time Bernie Siegel was helping to build a powerful business he was buying acres in Poolesville. This started years ago. Now he has hundreds of acres and friendly neighbors have hundreds more. He had a dream in the back of his head. And although he wasn’t trained as a planner he knew all about onions and meats he perfected in his mind a plan for an inde pendent community. He dreamed of a place that would provide human beings with an almost perfect existence. He imagined a community all by itself that would include everything. This commun ity would have a place to earn a living, schools within walking distance for everyone, churches of all faiths, recreational facilities, including one or two golf clubs, small and large park areas, large, medium and small houses, stores, apartments and almost every thing else one can find in an old established city. Well, Bernie retired from the grocery business, as he says, and started to work on his dream. Naturally, he got professional help. And what a plan he now has. It could be the ideal community of the United States— all planned from scratch, so to speak. The proposed project is so good that Bernie Siegel should do everything in his power to let the people see exactly what he and the engineers and his other advisors have done. It is the type of thing the present County Council would enjoy seeing. And the one great thing about Siegel’s plan: It could be a reality in the not-too distant future. Let The People Know It is a fact of life that some people like •to have a drink before dinner and even afterwards. Furthermore, if one doesn’t overdo, drinking is not considered too evil. At least, most persons even those who abstain —accept it as one of the things some people do. Here in Montgomery County we have a county-owned, county-controlled and county profit-recipient Liquor Dispensary System. The enormous profits of the eleven outlets help pay for schools, roads, police protection and etc. Therefore, it behooves the people of Montgomery County to buy their wines and liquors in the various dispensaries. In the old days we knpw exactly where the dispensaries were located. There was one in Rockville, one in Bethesda and one in Silver Spring. Now there are many more. And there should be a few additional ones In order to make it more convenient to those who want to buy it. Furthermore, it Is unlawful to bring more than two quarts a month Into the county. And why should you, anyway, especially, when you realize what profit there is will come right back to you via local gov ernment services. Mason Butcher has some ideas in mind concerning these outlets. And we wouldn’t be surprised to see some of them improved. And whatever he and the Conucil and the Manager of the Liquor Control System can do to improve service and make it easier for you to buy it here lawfully instead of elsewhere, will be a big help in paying for many of the things we like in the way of better schools, service, etc. No one is going to encourage anyone to buy wines or anything else, but by the same token, no one is going to play hide and seek to those citizens who do want to buy it legally. - By William H. Smith sirens blowing because, to begin with, you don’t have too many fires and secondly, if you want the protection that goes with your high taxes, you have to expect some little incon veniences. Furthermore, with youngsters at the age of experimenting with matches, an outmoded gasoline lawn mower that might blow up at any moment and the other haz ards of living in suburbia, we thought it was rather comforting that a fire station might be located so nearby. We didn’t get into the controversy at the time public hearings were being held, but we felt that objecting to the station would be akin to protesting the establishment of a neighborhood anti-missile base at a time when the cold war suddenly becomes red-hot. Now that the decision has been made by the council and our neighborhood site has been vetoed, we hope that the Rockville fire department can come up with a location that will meet with approval. Surely, we need more than one fire company in the city, and we d hate to think it would be obstructed by any segment of the citizenry that might later benefit by its services. We wouldn't object in the least if the department found another site quite close to our own abode. S' v \ IV-'-