Montgomery County sentinel. [volume], December 31, 1963, Page A4, Image 4

About Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974

Image provided by: University of Maryland, College Park, MD

                
fhratatimri&trtiiSrntol
An Independent Newspaper
A4
SENTINEL county, M md. Y Tuesday, December 31, 1963
Too Heavy A Tax Bite?
Gov. Tawes has proposed an increase of from
three to four per cent in the state income tax, ef
fective Jan. 1, 1965.
During the first year the higher rate would
raise an additional $42 million yet the Governor
has indicated that the principal need for raising
the tax at this time is to give education a boost
specifically a proposed $16.2 million program rais
ing the amount of state aid to education.
Why a $42 million boost when the main stated
need for the hike is a program costing a mere
$16.2 million?
If the governor is following time-honored pro
cedure and asking for more than he expects to
get, that is fine and the General Assembly should
immediately accommodate him and go along with
an increase of say, one-half of one per cent.
If the governor is following time-honored pro
cedures, also, by pushing through a big tax hike
now so that such a politically undesirable move
can be gotten out of the way well before the 1966
election, that is not so fine.
In any event, the Governor’s proposal needs
and we are confident it will get thorough study
before the legislature approves it. And not just by
the political parties. On such an important ques
tion as a major income tax hike we would hope
many individual citizens would acquaint them
selves with the problems involved and whether
such a hike is, in fact, necessary.
Meanwhile, the needs of Maryk s swiftly
expanding school system are many and highly im
portant.
Basis of the proposed new state aid program is
shifting the emphasis of aid from minimum teach
er salaries to number of pupils.
There would be an average state contribution
of $340 per pupil with the money distributed on a
percentage basis according to property assessment
and taxable income. The percentage ranges from
68.2 in Caroline County to 27.6 in Baltimore.
It is to be hoped that those who routinely and
without study scream unthinkingly against all
tax increases will hold their fire until they know
what they’re screaming about. But there are some
indications this time that Gov. Tawes has asked for
a heavier tax bite than he probably needs.
Time To Slow Down
The time will soon come—if indeed it has not
already arrived—when some sort of a moratorium
or slow-down on rezoning would be very much in
order.
Granted, there are many obstacles in the path
of getting an overall, general plan. But a plan—
some sort of a plan that is reasonably sensible and
practical—must be adopted before too long to guide
sensible, planned growth. So while we come to
grips with the final stages of adopting a plan why
shouldn’t we pause for a brief moment, as time
until a plan of some sort is adopted.
There need be nofeeling of compulsion on the
*part of local goverflfflfflt to keep rezoning simply
to accommodate the owners of the land who are
eager to develop it. A great deal of land has been
and is being developed here to provide housing and
needed commercial facilities for an expanding popu
lation. But if we slow our growth temporarily,
surely no great harm will be done. Indeed, after
more than a decade of experiencing annual school
enrollment increases of more than 5000 per year
the prospects of a brief breathing spell seem
pleasant indeed.
If the County Council is disinclined to consider
a zoning moratorium or slowdown, it certainly
should be somewhat more circumspect in exercising
its rezoning powers than it has in recent weeks.
The towering apartment complex in Four Corners
—with there being no plan as yet for that com
munity of single family homes—was reckless.
Tentative approval of more high rise apartments
in Wildwood Manor--also a single-family community
—was extremely ill-advised as the Council now, we
believe, understands after a citizen uprising.
It is extremely difficult to understand the
Council’s unanimous vote of two weeks ago to
approve the idea of rezoning hundreds of acres near
Poolesville for the beginnings of a satellite city for
which no plans have been made by anyone except the
owner of the land. The Council’s eagerness to
extend sewer lines to Olney, where there was little
demand at this time, and to Sandy Spring where
there was no demand was also baffling. And in
ordering the sewer lines extended to Sandy Spring
the county heads subjected hundreds and hundreds
of acres in the Northwest branch watershead, pres
ently zoned two acres, to possible early breakdown
into denser categories.
Where, indeed, will the Council stop? is begin
ning to be a widely asked question—and a most
proper one. The answer, of course, should be this:
the time to stop or slow down for awhile is now—
Until we can in the next few months or so agree on
a general plan for the county.
PUBLIC DEBATE i
**OUR. FOREI6N
micy" I
8. -
Bfl n
wife
All you ever loom at these debates is how to politely insult
someone's Intelligence without getting a punch In the nose!"
lif
.
c*ag/
Open Letter
Dear Boss,
Gee, that was a wonderful
story Lila Thomson told In the
Dec. 26 “Sentinel”. As I read
it, I couldn’t help thinking how
wonderful the people of Mont
gomery County were to help
a family In such tragic cir
cumstances.
But then, Boss, I started
to t.ilnk about other things. I
thought about that family when
Its year or 18 months or what
ever of free rent Is over and
the beautiful gift clothes are
worn out or outgrown. What
happens to them then as
suming, that Is, that one of the
other children doesn’t die so
that Lila can write another let
ter? Do they go back to their
concrete-block hovel because
It’s the only housing In the
county they can afford?
And then I thought of the
other families around here that
live In quiet desperation In
similar hovels day after day,
but no one notices because none
of their children die at Christ
mastime. Isn’t It funny that
we warm hearted people of
Montgomery County never
think of these people?
You know, Boss, Lila’s right
when she says that “people see
with the heart and not the eyes”-
but It sure takes a horrible
event to get us to see at all.
If that event happens, we go
right on talking about “race,
creed, and color,” and our
hearts never get a chance to
look.
Pretty soon I got to think
ing about the man who was
born almost 2000 years ago,
that we commemorate at this
time. Was He born so that
we could do glowing, wonder
ful things once a year to cele
: brate His blrth-or so that we
, could live that way all year,
1 and always think about and help
! the less fortunate?
Well, anyway, Boss, It was
awfully nice to read about all
the good things that happened
to that family. But I keep
wondering—does that mother
ever wonder why her little boy
; had to die before anyone
| thought of her?
William H. Pittman
Liked Story
Lila Thomson’s Dec. 19 story
on the small boy who died alone
in a hospital was done with
skill, warm sympathy, and bal
ance. Allow me to offer my
thanks and congratulations.
I’d like to say a word also
about the paper as a whole.'
Recently I have seen a letter
or two from readers who were
Indignantly canceling their sub
scriptions. As a relatively new
subscriber. I provide you with
a small cushion for such shat
tering blows. Montgomery
Countv Is luckv indeed to hv<
a newspaper of the caliber of
the Sentinel. The Integrity of
Good Luck Kid!’
Public Forum
Its news columns Is Impressive;
Its makeup, photography, edit
ing, signed columns, and ed
itorials are worthy. A local
weekly which takes a strong
and reasoned stand on local Is
sues should be highly com mend
ed, and It must look with a rue
ful eye on those who disagree
with editorial stands and there
fore cancel subscriptions. Per
haps they could benefit from
some long thought on the mean
ing of America and the purpose
of Journalism.
Nothing nlc tr could happen to
this county in 1964 than that Its
excellent newspaper should
grow stronger In every way.
Eugene Keith
Rockville
Ruby’s Favor
There seems to be a differ
ence of opinion as to whether
or not Jack Ruby did us, the
citizens of the United States a
great favor when he took the
life of the accused assassin of
our president. This act of
violence did not erase the na
tion's tragedy or the mourning
In men's hearts. Aside from
the fact that the taking of Os
wald's life was immoral and
barbaric, It robbed a man of
his unalienable right to a trial
by jury as prescribed by law
in this country. It also robbed
us of something very Im
portant -a chance, at least, to
find out what drove Lee Har
vey Oswald to shoot down the
President of the United States.
Was It because Oswald resent
ed authority and the presi
dent represented the highest
authority in the land? Was It
because he could not seem to
fit Into society and the presi
dent typified a strong union of
the society. Was It because he
craved attention that he could
never attract in normal life?
Or perhaps Texas’ Governor
Connally was the real target
because, as Secretary of the
Navy, he would not rescind Os
wald's undesirable discharge
from the Marine Corps. These
and many other questions burn
In the minds of many Ameri
cans. When one man can be re
sponsible for the suffering and
sorrow of so many, It’s a shame
that we shall never know why.
R. W. King
Rockville
Why Screams
Why the outraged screams In
Wildwood at a few acres of
apartments to be built there?
All Is fair In love and war.
Isn’t all fair for politics, plan
ning and private Initiative?
If a Democratic County Coun-
I cil can grant a leading Dem
ocratic family represented by
; a Democratic Central Commit
tee lawyer fifty odd acres of
! apartment zoning east of Wlld-
I wood, why shouldn’t a Repub
lican County Council grant a
leading Republican family rep
resented by a Republican Cen
tral Committee lawyer apart
ment zoning west of Wildwood?
What sort of communists dare
to challenge the duty of our
elected representatives to sup
port private Initiative over so
cialistic. public planning?
Where was Wildwood when
the concept of a general plan
for the whole of Montgomery
County was being replaced by
a grand private plan to trans
form some 500 acres of tax
subsidized, open space farm
land Into a fine community at
Poolesvllle? Don’t all good Cit
izens have an obligation to pay
higher property taxes for the
new schools, wide highways, po
lice and other public services
to make this remote commun
ity a success for Its enter
prising developer?
Where was Wildwood at the
rape of our Rock Creek and
Northwest Branch watersheds
by a powerful combine of poli
ticians, public officials, and
land speculators pushing their
sewer lines Into virgin land?
Have not our public officials the
duty to let a man use his pro
perty as he sees fit?
Why should the citizens in
Montgomery County now rush to
the aid of Wildwood? Is not
each community in the County
an Island Into itself? When
the bell tolls for thee, it
does not toll for me.
All hall the Three Musque
teers _ “Politics, Planning,
and Plunder”! Let them arm
in-arm gaily frolic through our
romantic county. What blue
nose citizens or somber Grand
Jury would dare to dampen our
gaiety In this holiday season,
when we all should give freely,
one to another!
Darius V. Phillips
Chevy Chase
pontsueti
tiMlfetiiel
Established 1855
by Matthew Fields
Published by
MORKAP PUBLISHING CO.
ROGER B. FARQUHAR
Editor
LEONARD KAPILOFF
Publisher
BERNARD KAPILOFF
President
MICHAEL R. McDADE
Circulation Manager
CARLTON DESROSIER
Advertising Manager
ELEANOR BRADLEY
Associate Editor
Member Audit Bureau of
Circulation, Maryland Press
Association, Affiliate Member
National Editorial Association.
Published every Thursday at
215 E. Montgomery Ave., Rock
ville, Md.
Entered as second class mat
ter at Post Office, Rockville,
Maryland, under Act of Con
gress, March 3, 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
l Year $4.50 2 Years $7.50
Telephone: GArden 4-7700
Mailed in Maryland and the
District of Columbia
On* Year $5.00 out of State
Walsk Rare Bit
Louis XIV, Whoever He Is?
by Barney Welsh
Instead of me going to the mountain on New
Year's Eve, the mountain, as represented by
Monty Gopher et at, came to me. This can be
considered an honor because the Gophers
usually carry out their old family ritual on New
Year's Eve only on their Sugarloaf farm.
The twins came into our home carrying a box
shaped like a coffin. The top was not nailed
down. I was shaken by the sudden appearance of
this reminder of our mortality and put my finger
on my pulse to see if I was the intended oc
cupant. Monty, seeing my concern, said that
on New Year's Eve the Gophers write out all of
their hates and bitterness against people and
deposit them in the coffin. These slips of
paper are then sealed in the coffin, the lid
Is tacked down, and it Is taken out into the yard
where it is burled at exactly midnight.
During that time, the entire Gopher clan
stands around and watches the burial of their
hates and malice. Sarana sprinkles her devil
dust on the grave and says a sooth; “Old moth
er Earth, swallow this hate; teach us to love
before it's too late.’’
Harlotta throws the dirt on the coffin to keep
It warm and then all of us go back into my house
to argue and jaw about things and people. The
Gophers don’t have time enough to be insincere.
Well, we sit around and watch the neurotic
people in Times Square jump up and down Just
like they did down in Dallas a month ago, and
wonder what It Is that makes people behave like.
Idiots on New Year’s Eve. As a matter of fact
I have always thought that New Year’s Eve Is a
Every year at this time the Christmas
spirit wells up and floods the American scene
with good wllL Baskets of food and other pres
ents for the needy, for the elderly, and for
the unfortunate children are gathered and pre
sented. Coins rattle In the Salvation Army
kettles and checks flutter from envelopes
In dozens of charitable organizations.
Everywhere one goes he Is reminded that
this Is Christmas by a thousand decorations
and a thousand colored lights. Churches dis
play creches and hold services to remind
their parishioners of the real meaning of
Christmas. Warm greetings circulate among
the citizens. The mall bags bulge with Christ
mas cards and presents.
The wide-eyed wonder of discovery and the
delirious delight of our children as they ex
plore the wonderful world under the Christ
mas tree should make the most cynical and
hardened adult rejoice anew In life. Can any
parent doubt that adult experience holds no
greater delight than the giving of toys to his
children and grand-children?
Even the animals and birds are not forgot
ten at Christmas. Who can turn away a stray
cat on Christmas eve without first giving It
a warm saucer of milk? The family dog gets a
rubber bone or a steak. Even the wild birds
find bread crumbs or pieces of suet to dine
on. The Christmas spirit seems to extend to
all living things.
There are few whose life Is not made better,
more joyous, or more comfortable by the
Christmas season. But after Christmas and
New Year's Day, Into the cold days and nights
There Is always a zoning crisis. Our
population Is unevenly divided into two groups:
those who favor a zoning change (and who
would profit from it) and those who are op
posed to a zoning change (and would not pro
fit from it.) There Is a dog-ln-the-manger
attitude that afflicts nearly everyone who sees
his neighbor, with an Identical plot of ground,
suddenly greatly enriched through no effort of
his own, because of a zoning map adjust
ment. Our modern design for congested
living requires planning and zoning. In
Montgomery County changes come about this
way; an applicant files a peltltlon stating
exactly what he wants changed. The appli
cation goes to the Technical Staff of The
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, which studies It In relation to
the existing plan and proposed changes and
submits Its recommendation to the Commis
sioners who may, or may not, agree with the
staff. A report containing the staff’s opinion
and the Planning Board's recommendation
goes to the Montgomery County Council,
which sits as a District Council of The Mary
land-Washington Regional District in hearing
applications for amendment to the zoning
ordinance. The Council sits In legislative
session and considers each application as a
proposed change In the law.
Since the property rights of Individuals are
deeply Involved, the hearings are "quasl
judlclal” and aggrieved persons have a right
to appeal the Council's decision to the Cir
cuit Court, and then to the Court of Appeals.
If the evidence before the Council shows the
application was unreasonably granted (or
denied), the case may be returned to the
Council with directions, but If the Issues are
"fairly debatable,” the Council will be up
held, for It is not the function of the court
to zone property but to see that the rules are
observed and that property rights and public
Interest are properly protected.
The law prohibits the Council from ap
proving a change “conditionally for the erec
tion on the land of a structure at a particular
location, or within a particular time, or by a
particular person, or of a particular type, or
for the subdivision of the land In a particular
manner, or on any other condition.”
There are several serious defects In the
system long followed In Montgomery County.
As long as we continue to consider the zoning
The Christinas Spirit
by Les Kimble
Our Zoning Procedures
holiday which lends itself least to rejoicing.
Perhaps that Is because my mind looks back
wards and I am forever Inquiring about the
future.
My Idea of the perfect way to spend a New
Year’s Eve is to sit by the fireplace and eat
Velatls candy, pop pop-corn, or, If you have a
few old friends in, to give them a toddy or a
drink of this potent new stuff called “Gluug.*’
I think it is Danish.
The Gophers and I saw eye to eye on this
(Harlotta excepted) and so we sat back and talk
ed about the miserable and disastrous old
year, 1963. He asked me what I thought had been
It’s low and high spots. I had no difficulty with
the low spots.
Nineteen sixtv three was a year of death to
the mighty. A great Pope and a great President
died and the world Is the loser. We shall not
see the likes of them again within the foresee
able future. I do not know about our new Presi
dent, and the only thing which is certain is
that he can beat Barry Dogwater at any dis
tance; but that Is not saying much.
Locally, I was dismayed at the Inability of the
Board of Education to agree with each other;
but, on the other hand, I was also dismayed to
observe our Republican County Council have
such unanimity of opinion on controverted zon
ing problems. The Republicans came In under
the slogan, “We are more conservative than
Louis XIV, whoever he Is?’’ Well, it Is time
they learn of the fate of that Individual and take
heed.
of the new year, the world resumes Its old
ways. It Is true that a few find Christmas a
time for renewing their concern for their fel
low men, a concern that is maintained for the
rest of the year. Too many of us, however, go
back to the ruts of everyday living, forgetting
the Christmas spirit and our fellow men.
In a competitive society like ours, someone
may say, we expect most men to take care of
themselves. Quite true. In a representative
democracy like ours we also are expected
to help make that society work so that most
of our citizens have the opportunity to take
care of themselves.
Most of us have seen pictures and stories
of great masses of poor In foreign nations
who never have enough to eat and whose chil
dren die at an early age. Many of us have
said, I'm glad that we don’t have that kind of
a society. Shocking as It may be to some, we
do have that kind of a society. This problem
should concern, every citizen. Poverty, like
a bucket of oil thrown on the water, spreads
and contaminates all tha* It touches.
I should like to recommend some holiday
reading to my fellow citizens. This reading
Is contained in the current Saturday Evening
Post In an article by Ben H. Ragdifctnn, The
title Is “The Invisible Americans.” The sub
title is “Poverty; A Special Report-We are the
richest nation on earth, yet one American In
five is without adequate food or shelter or
medicine, and nobody seems to care.” I
should also like to suggest that as citizens of
the richest county In the United States, we ask
ourselves, what can I do about this?
by Robert Bullard
process a legislative function of the Council,
this enormous burden will continue to
consume the major part of the Council's time.
They cannot delegate this authority. It Is
the most thankless task Imaginable. As one
of the few Montgomery County boys to ven
ture to appear before the County Commis
sioners of Prince George's County (Sitting as
a District Council) In zoning applications, I
find a number of Impressive differences. Our
Council hears Its zoning cases at night and
places a one-half hour limitation to each
side, but begins each case with a needless
recital of each exhibit In the record. The
Planning Commission Is not represented and
there Is no cross-examination. Seldom Is
the matter decided at the hearing.
By contrast, the Prince George's Board
begins Its cases at 10 a.m. The applicant
puts on his case and his witnesses are sub
ject to cross-examination, which Is the best
method known for bringing out the truth and
clarifying issues. The opposition then puts on
Its case and If the Park and Planning Com
mission has recommended denial, then a
technical staff representative Is there to ex
plain why and he, too, Is subject to cross
examination.
There is no time limit, but the average
case takes less than an hour, and many are
decided at the conclusion of the hearing.
These sessions are less apt to be disturbed
by public clamor than our night meetings
which often have the air of the arena. Most
people come not to hear the evidence or offer
testimony, but display their objection by num
bers and noise. The Council must decide the
application "on the basis of the evidence of
record.” A crowd of protesting neighbors
does not make a record and It Is not the
Council's fault If the applicant's case Is ably
presented while the opponents offer no sub
stantial evidence to warrant denial of the
application. The Prince George's pro
cedures, though considerably better than
ours, do not protect the County Commis
sioners from the same type of criticism and
complaint that our own County Council is
constantly subjected to. Our system has
serious defects, but the whole body of zon
ing law and practice Is a new product of the
Twentieth Century. It takes time to evolve
a workable and Just body of law. We have a
long way to go.