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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, March 07, 1952, Image 31

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Urgency Clause
Sought for Bill
On 10th District
Would Let Candidates
For Congress Enter
July 15 Primary
By Alex IL Preston
Star Staff Correspondent
RICHMOND. Mar. 7.—Gov.
Battle was expected to deliver a
plea to the General Assembly to
day to add an emergency clause
on redistricting legislation, al
ready passed, so candidates for
Congress may run in the July 15
primaries.
It probably will be the last re
districting action of any kind
that the 1952 General Assembly
will be asked to take before ad
journment tomorrow night
Two hills making only token
reapportionment of representa
tion in the State Senate and
House of Delegates were killed in
committee last night
But a determined bloc of legis
lators who fought the congres
sional redistricting bill of State
Senator Charles R. Fenwick of
Arlington was holding out
against an emergency clause.
All the group needed do was
prevent a four-fifth vote for the
emergency amendment in either
house.
Agreed to Amendments.
The Fenwick bill passed the
House of Delegates, 67 to 26,
Wednesday, and the Senate yes
terday agreed to House amend
ments by a vote of 24 to 13.
Should the opponents, consist
ing of legislators from the 2d
District, the Republicans and a
few others, .muster sufficient
strength in either house to carry
out their plan, another possible
solution may be used as a last
resort.
Legislation has been drafted to
make it possible for a candidate
file this year between the time
the new congressional districts
would be created late in June and
the July 15 primary. This bill
would require only a simple ma
jority vote for passage.
Wanted It for Norfolk.
Second District legislators were
opposed to the Fenwick bill prin
cipally because it places the State’s
new 10th congressional district
in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls
Church and Fairfax. They
wanted it for the Norfolk area.
Gov. Battle was asked at a press
conference if he had any misgiv
ings about the constitutionality
of the Fenwick bill.
Opponents had argued its pop
ulation disparity of about 113,000
between the largest and smallest
districts failed to meet a constitu
tional requirement for equal dis
tribution of population as nearly
as practicable.
“Represents Earnest Effort.”
”1 think,” Gov. Battle said, “the
bill that passed represents an
earnest effort on the part of the
members of the General Assembly
to solve a very difficult situation.
In my judgment it does comply
with the Constitution.”
Declaring it would be: “highly
desirable to have an emergency
clause” the Governor said he
would have “something to my." to
the Assembly about the redistrict
lng biQ this afternoon.
Further indication of the priority
given the legislation was shown
by special treatment of the bill
Itself.! As soon as the Senate
agreed: to House amendments, the
bill was rushed by State police
airplane to a Baltimore printer
who has the contract to do the
State’s printing.
Back by Afternoon.
The printed bills, in a form to
bl placed on the Governor’s desk,
were back in Richmond early in
the afternoon.
The legislation to reapportion
General Assembly districts was
killed last night by the House
Privileges and Elections Commit
tee.
At the same time, the committee
refused to act on a resolution by
Delegates George Cochran of
Staunton and Hale Collins of
Allegheny calling for a subsequent
session of the Assembly to take
up the reapportionment question.
The Senate had passed two re
apportionment bills which merely
changed Powhatan County from
one senatorial district to another
and from one House district to
another.
nib Killed Last Night.
Both the Benate end Boose
Privileges end Elections Commit
tees killed reapportionment bills
carrying out extensive changes
recommended bye study commis
sion more nearly in line with
population shifts indicated by the
1950 census. The House Commit
tee killed the bills last night.
This action came after Delegate
Edwin Lynch of Fairfax and Falls
Church, presented a plea that
some equitable plan be enacted.
Mr. Lynch presented maps and
charts to show that his district,
with a population of 106,000, is
the largest in the State. There
are some House districts with only
14,000 population.
Davis Feted Against Bills.
Furthermore, the Fairfax Dele
gate argued, the senatorial dis
trict of John A. K. Donovan, em
bracing Fairfax, Falls Church,
Alexandria and Prince William,
contains about 190,000 Inhabitants,
also the State’s largest.
By contrast, Halifax County,
with a population of 41,000, has
one Senatjor and two Delegates.
Roy B. Davis, chairman of the
House Privileges and Elections
Committee Is one of those dele
gates.
Mr. Davis headed the redis
tricting commission which recom
mended the reapportionment in
line with population changes, but
yesterday he voted against a favor
able report at any of the bills.
RADIO—COMICS—TELEVISION
GENERAL NEWS
Planting to Replace
Fraternity Hazing
At College Park
Fraternity pledges at the Uni-
versity of Maryland will assist the
Citizens’ Association of College
Park in a tree-planting and clean
up campaign tomorrow in a pro
gram designed to replace “hazing”
with “help.”
Volunteer workers with trucks
will collect trash and bottles placed
at the curb by property owners.
Pledges also will collect debris
from the street. Twenty-five to 40
men are expected to assist in the
trash collection, while another 15
will help with the tree planting.
A similar program two years ago !
resulted in the planting of 125 :
trees and the removal of 14 truck
loads of trash.
Capital Transit Cites
Losses in Operation
Os Maryland Routes
Sy o Staff Correipondmt of Tim Star
BALTIMORE, Mar. 7. The
Capital Transit Co. is increasingly
losing money on its Maryland Op
erations. the Maryland Public
SCervice Commission was in
formed today in testimony by
Robert S. Harvey, the company’s
vice president and controller. The
company is seeking commission
approval for curtailment of scone
service.
Mr. Harvey testified that for the
calendar year 1951 the company
showed a net operating loss of
$469,732 on its regular route bus
operations in Maryland. He ex
plained that operating revenues
totaled $1,020,545, while operating
expenses reached $1,327,806.
The company has experienced
greater financial loss in Maryland
since it put in evidence figures for
the year ending October 31, 1951.
The October figures showed a
net operating loss, of $469,396.
Wage Increase Noted.
Mr. Harvey pointed out to the
commission that the increase in
wages given the company’s or
ganized workers July 1 is a big
factor in higher operating
penses.
The company plans to offer its
witnesses for cross-examination
and citizens’ groups are expected
to have their representatives on
hand. These groups have suggested
that the company maintain serv
ice to the Prince Georges County
Hospital.
The company made application
for rerouting the 0-6 Montgomery
Busline, splitting service so that
some trips would operate over
the Old Georgetown road. The
Alta Vista line now serves that
area, but the company has peti
tioned to abolish zones 3 and 4
on that route.
Re-Routing Considered.
Re-routing of the B-6 Cheverly
busline into the Prince Georges
County Hospital ii now under con
sideration to replace service being
given by the present H-6-8 com
munity line, which rum between
College Park and Landover Hills
and Kent Village, The company
seeks to abandon the H-6-8 line.
The revised program would give
the hospital %-hour service in
non-rush hours mid better than
that during rush hours.
Today’s hearing is a resumption
of that originally planned for Feb
ruary 6. It was postponed indefi
nitely so that a series of closed
conferences could be held between
company spokesmen, citizens of
the areas affected ahd People’s
Counsel Joseph Allen.
Montgomery Safely Unit
Calls for Aofo Inspections
An immediate return to com
pulsory inspection of automobiles
at private garages in Maryland
was urged last night by the Mont
gomery County Safety Board at a
meeting in Rockville.
The board pointed out that the
State commissioner of motor ve
hicles has authority to order the
safety inspections under a system
which was discarded during the
war.
State authorities were asked to
restore the prewar method pend
ing adoption of a long-range plan
for inspections in State-owned
and operated garages.
The Maryland Traffic Safety
Commission, with headquarters in
Baltimore, is drawing up a plan
for State-ggmed inspection sta
tions tor submission to the xiext
session at the General Assembly.
mirlMHli H
ppm
VIRGINIA’S NEW DISTRICTS—Gov. Battle, seated, looks at a
map showing the new congressional districts established by the
General Assembly. The new 16th District Includes Arlington,
Fairfax, Alexandria and Falls Church, which formerly were in
the tth District Delegate J. Maynard Magrader, left and State
Senator Charles K. Fenwick, both es Arlington, point out the
new boundaries
Bill to Validate
Arlington Bonds
Back in Senate ;
Aims to Lift Doubt 1
Os Issues Because of \
U.S. Employes on Board ]
By a Staff Correspondent of The Star •
RICHMOND, Mar: 7.—The State ]
Senate today will receive a House- 1
amended bill to validate bond 1
issues by the Arlington County
Board. <
A suit challenging the qualifi- :
cations of Government employes
to serve on the board now is pend
ing in court and has cast a legal <
shadow of doubt over the recently :
authorized bond issues for schools
and other purposes.
The bill, introduced by Senator
Charles R. Fenwiok of Arlington, <
already has passed the Senate. It i
was strengthened by amend- 1
ments from Delegates J. Mayhard
Magruedr and George Damin, also
of Arlington, before it was passed
by the House yesterday. The bill
now goes back to the Senate.
The suit is against Alan L. Dean,
but also may affect the right of
two other Government employes,
Daniel Dugan and Robert Cox, to
serve on the board. For this rea
son, bonding attorneys have ex
pressed opinion that recent board
actions involving bond Issues may
be invalid.
Gist of Fenwick Measure.
The Fenwick bill would have
made their actions legal, re
gardless of the outcome of the
suit.
Both branches rushed through
large calendars afid passed bills
in rapid order. Among bills fi
nally passed by the House and
sent to the Governor were these:
By Senator John A. K. Dono
van of Fairfax, authorizing the
supervisors to refund trailer park
taxes collected under a 1950 law
which the State Supreme Court
since has declared unconstitu
tional. .
A Donovan bIU permitting the
Fairfax supervisors to establish a
department of real estate assess
ments.
A Donovan bill authorizing the
Fairfax supervisors to appoint a
county attorney and to correct
the law relating to the authority
of police in that county (this com
bines provisions of an earlier bill
which was withdrawn).
Boulevard Name Change.
A Fenwick bill changing the
name of Lee boulevard in Arling
ton and Fairfax to “Arlington
boulevard,” so as to avoid con
fusion with Lee highway.
By Robert F. Baldwin of Norfolk
setting a flat $lO license fee for
passenger automobile plates to re
place the present fees based on
weights.
By Senator Mosby G. Perrow of
Lynchburg, to permit the State
Division of Motor Vehicles to sell
local city or county auto tags in
those localities where a branch
; office is maintained. In Arlington,
for instance, motorists now buy
State tags one place and county
tags at another.
A Fenwick bill to prohibit mem
bers of the Arlington County
Board from interfering with the
hiring or discharge 6f employes
not directly under its control.
A bill by Senator Harry F. Byrd,
jr., of Winchester, amending the
| charter of the town of Edinburg
s 6 as to change the method of
1 electing the mayor and town
council.
A Donovan-Fenwick bill per
mitting investigations by the De
partment of Welfare and Institu
tions to be dispensed with in cer
tain adoption cases.
Judgment Dockets File.
A. Donovan-Fenwick bill allow
ing court clerks to keep a card
file of judgment dockets instead
of maintaining a bound volume
of these records.
A Donovan bill permitting re
funds to policement from the
Fairfax county retirement system
after 1, 195 L.
A Fenwick bill creating medical
scholarships for pre-medical stu
i dents at Virginia Military Insti
tute. to be repaid by service in
rural areas or mental hospitals
after graduation.
A Fenwick bill requiring State
Board of Education to establish
rules under which localities may
enter into permanent contracts
with teachers rather than em
, ploying teachers on a year-to
. year bails.
Wi* JEtoening jSfgf
WASHINGTON, D. G, -FRIDAY, MARCH 7, ISSB
Georgetown Club Wins Silver Bowl at Garden Show
By James Birckfield
A Washington garden dub that
was organized only a few months
ago is the proud possessor today
of a Star silver bowl for one of
the best gardens in the garden
club section of the National Capi
tal Flower and Garden Show.
The award, along with three
others donated by The Star, was
presented yesterday to Mr* Gros
venor Chapman, president of the
New Scotland Garden Club of
Georgetown, by Mrs. Rudolph Max
Kauffmann, a vice chairaiaii of
the Awards Committee of the gar
den dub section of the show.
W. H. Youngman, The Star’s gar
den editor, assisted in the award
presentations.
The New, Scotland Club, given
the historic name of a section of
Georgetown, was organized four
months ago. This, naturally, was
the first time it had entered com
petitions. . • ?
Its penthouse garden, consisting
of spring flowers and flowering
shrubs with a fountain as a back
ground, was made primarily from
materials grown by members.
500 Wait at Boon.
The awards were given shortly
before the huge show whs opened
by Mrs. Charles F. Brennan, wife
of the Secretary of AgfieultmO.
A crowd estimated, at more
than 500 had backed up awaiting
the opening of the Armory doors.
On the inside of the Armory a
paradise of spring blooms greeted
early visitors. This is the second
time the show has been held in
Washington.
Other awards donated by The
Star, and presented by Mrs.
TCanffmarm and Mr. Youngman,
were to the Perennial Garden
Tomorrow's Schedule
For Flower Show
10 am.—Show opens.
1 pm.—Presentation of The
Evening Star award for the
most meritorious garden m
the professional section.
1 pm.—Luncheon by Trow
el Club for guest exhibitors
for the day, Mrs. Robert Ash
and Mrs. Thomas H. Glaggett
of Bluefleld, W. Va., and visit
ing judges.
Club, for its outdoor living room;
Mrs. P. G. Nutting of the Garden
Club of Chevy Chase, D. C., for
her terrarium, and to the Bethes
da Community Garden Club, for
its shady window garden.
An additional Star award for
the most meritorious professional
garden in the show is to be pre
sented Saturday. Granville Gude,
show chairman, will make the
award.
An award donated by the
Times-Herald for toe best flower
arrangement in the garden club
section went to Mrs. Charles Gro
ver of the Silver Spring Garden
Club for her interpretation of
“Union Station.” ,
Book Guides Judges.
In one arrangement class at
yesterday’s opening, even the
judges were stumped and had to
call for Gray’s Botany. This class
. called for flowers in each arrange
ment to be relative material, all
of one plant family.
It was won by Mrs. Grant Boss
of the Perennial Garden Club, who
had seven plants from the same
family.
The first, second and third
; prizes in the garden club section
are as follows:
Buds and blossoms, table set
ting for mother and daughter tea
—Mrs. Joseph W. Stanley, Peren
nial Gard Club, first; Mrs. James
’ N. O’Neil, Belle Haven Club, sec
ond, and Mrs. John 8. Middaugh,
; third.
Free hanging wall arrangements
of ivy and red geraniums—Mrs.
F. J. Eden, Town and Country
i Club, first; Mrs. Ludwell Hutchi-
Montgomery Recreation Plans
Hit Snag in Armory Lot Dispute
Montgomery County’s plan to
take over, recreation facilities there
from the Maryland National Park
and Planning Commission has hit
a snag because of the armory lot
controversy, it was learned today.
This was one of two squabbles
in which the commission, shy of
funds for recreation and anxious
to shed its responsibility, found
itself. In Prince Georges County,
indignant citisens planned to pro
test that county’s handling of the
transfer.
In the Montgomery controversy,
Richard L. Green, vice chairman
of the commission, said a pro
gram similar to that , carried on
last year will bepbumed for this
summer.
The Maryland Assembly last
year provided for the two agencies
—the county and the commission
—to negotiate the transfer. Last
May. the County Council author
ized setting up a county recrea
tion department. 1
Facilities Create Problem.
But the problem of transfer was
complicated by the fact that the
program is to use commission
owned facilities. The commission
feels that the county should make
proper arrangement for maintain
ing these facilities before the
transfer is effected.
The Silver Spring armory lot—
deed to the county by the can
mission—is the center of a suit
seeking to block its sale as a
private parking lot.
The Prince Georges controversy
revolves around protests of the
Recreation Advisory Council, re
presenting 300 civie groups, about
the way county commissioners are
handling the transfer.
As the wrangling continued, the
Park and Planning Commission
took another look in its strongbox
to see if it could continue to sup
port Jhc recreation program there.
Group to Demand Recognition.
The advisory group feds it was
ignored when the county commis
sioners a few weeks ago asked
School Bupt William 8. Schmidt
jßam : ’'Hhß :3|K. ■■■•
* s||| 1 , ‘ r p |
Mrs. Grosvenor Chapman (left), president of the New Scotland Garden Club, reoetves The
Evening Star Trophy from Mrs. Rudolph Max Kauffmann, wife of The Star's vice president.
W. H. Youngman* Star garden editor, looks on. i
‘ w|
i , 1
- ■■»] <(_ HmMm
I ''*s
The display of the Chevy Chase (Md.) Garden Club is admired by two garden show visitors,
MfjlkNieaians Gaync# Ooft) and MayPonald Ham,, —Star Staff Photos.
son, Middleburg (Vs.) Club, sec
ond. and Mrs. Harold Parsons. Ar
lington Neighborhood Club, third.
Console table of pussy willows
and red anemones—Mrs. Elmer
Bunting, Chevy Chase (Md.) club,
first; Mrs. Albert A. Matters, Sil
ver Spring, second.
Occasional table arrangements
—Mrs. N. H. Ranck, Belle Haven
club, first; Mrs. Richard Mattingly,
Forest Hills club, second, and Mrs.
Paul M. Segal, Rock Creek club,
third.
Mantle arrangements of small
flowers and driftwood—Mrs. Hugh
Cary, Arlington Neighborhood club,
first; Mrs. L. L. van Piper, Rock
ville Community club, second, and
Mrs. Frederick A. Reuter, third.
Flowering alder branches for a
chest—Mrs. Claude Cook, Ken
wood club, first; Mrs. Willard Fur
low, Kenwood club, second, and
Mrs. Hugh Cary, Arlington Neigh
borhood club, third.
to prepare a budget which would
finance an eight-week summer
schedule under his direction.
The group plans to express its
disapproval in a resolution de
manding recognition. The council
feels the commissioners should ap
propriate funds this year to re
store recreation as fc county func
tion. Its members oppose adminis
tration by either school authorities
or the planning eomnfiasfon.
Planning Commission Chairman
Robert M. Watkins said last (fight
that his group probably . would
reach a conclusion today on
whether it can continue a recrea
tion program for Prince Georges
chfldren if no funds are provided
in the oounty budget.
—..a,.-. , ~ ’
Arlington Rklge Group
Hits Housing Authority
The Arlington Ridge Civic Asso
ciation last night voted to oppose
creation of a public housing au
thority for Arlington Countar.
Harrison Mann, who introduced
the resolution against public bous
ing, declared:
“An attempt to foist public
housing on Arlington Is being
made on the theory that it will
not cost the taxpayer anything.
Its advocates deliberately ignore
the tremendous revenue lees from
property taken off of the tax rolls
to accommodate this housing, plus
the cost of additional public serv
ices not the least of which would
be the added burden on our al
ready overcrowded schools.” .
The Arlington County Board Is
considering creation of a public
housing authority to redevelop
areas of substandard housing.
Mr. Mann said “the propaganda
of the public housers would lead
the stranger to believe that Arling
ton has miles of slum tenements.
Fortunately the citizens of Arling
ton can look around for them
selves.”
Simple occasional table arrange
ments—Mrs. Albert Goergen, Bev
erly Hills club, first; Mrs. J. K.
Barley, Arlington Neighborhood
club, second, and Mrs. Michael F.
Keogh, Perennial club, third.
Large niches, Union Station—
Mrs. Charles Grover, Silver Spring
club, first; Mrs. Charles Shannon,
Hoe *n Hope club, second, and
Mrs. Crosby Boyd, Trowel club,
third.
Large niches, the Capitol—Mrs.
Charming Bolton, Fairfax Garden
Club, first; Mrs. James E. Wissler,
Wesley Heights and Spring Valley
Club, second, and Mrs. Alice Gor
don Murdock. Trowel club, third.
Medium niche*, Relative Ma
terials—Mrs. Grant Boss, Peren
nial club, first; Mrs. Arthur Ring
land, Kenwood club, second, and
Mfs. Frank L. Ball, Arlington
Neighborhood club, third.
Medium niches, the Monument
Eisenhower Club Elects
Freeman in Arlington
Harlan E. Freeman, of 1558
North Sixteenth street, Arlington,
has been elected chairman of the
county’s new Eisenhower-for-
President Club.
Others elected at the organiza
tional meeting jn the Radio Build
ing are: vice chairman, Mrs. J. B.
Hudnall, 4664 South Thirty-sixth
street, Falrlington; secretary,
Mrs. Kenneth Brooks, 4787 Wil
liamsburg boulevard, and treas
urer Kenneth Brooks.
— 1 : s
THIS SUNDATS BEST READING
Sunday j&faf
TAFT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE—Nobody is working herder at gutting (he
Repablican nomination than Senator Robert A Taft es Ohio. The Editorial
Section's leader stodies his campaign techniques end his chances in O
story from New Hampshire, ee the spot where the Senator meets hi* first
big test next Tuesday.
NEW LOOK IN PLAYGROUNDS—Kids nowadays play a let mere scientifically
then they used te when Grandfather was e boy. lut few es them covert
in such on ultramodern layout as has been built by the fathers of children
at the Parfcside School in Silver Spring. The story es this youngsters’
paradise is told in words and pictures ie The Star Pictorial Magazine.
RATTLE OF THE IRONCLADS Ninety years age Senday, the Monitor end
Merrimac made navel history at Hampton Ronds. Edward Boykin lets the
reader figure eat far himself who wee, bat ha provides a vivid re-creatioe
es the precedent-shattering engagement, against the tease heckgroend es
the Civil War days ie winch it was fought. Reed about it ie the Editorial
Section.
THE TRUTH ABOUT TEEN-AGERS—Hew much k there te ell the toft
oboat teen-age crime, immorality and dopa addiction? This Week maga
zine presents tfce first es Jtwo installments by a pair es writers who have
collected the facts. Their finding* ere holitered by the commondotioo
es Gen. Omar Bradley, chairman of the United Stelae Joint Chiefs es Staff,
whose constant dtefings with n cross section es the conn try's young
soldiers hove mode him an authority ee youth problems.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE SOCIAL SECURITY DEDUCTIONS?—Star Staff
Writer Francis F. Daaglos tcßi bow the Govsvnorant keeps track of oil
tke weekly QBd monthly driblets of contributtoits towovd oM~opa pensions
which workers across tho coootry ore bonap defected from their pay
checks. The article appears io Tho Star Pictorial Moposioo.
HOW TOUGH AKE YOU?—Maybe yoa doa't kaow it, bat Loooard A. Paris
says yoo're pro tty taaph* Ha writes Ibil the haasaa body ie as roppod
as aa Army took, aad ha has collected aa amaxinp series of stories to
LL You. — im ff—J U TWia Waal u -~~
pwvg mi pHffn* ■96 win vwv vmmm in inw iypm ipiu^tiaiu*.
FOR YOUR REST READING EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK ORDER THE EVENING
AND SUNDAY STAR. HOME DELIVERY, SUS A MONTH. (NIGHT
FINAL EDITION, 10 CENTS ADDITIONAL) PHONE STERLING 9000.
WASHiy*fIUNM/ICIIIWr
* ' v
OBITUARIES—FINANCE
—Mrs. Nathaniel Kenney, Gibson
Island Garden Club, first; Mrs.
Charles Bittinger, Georgetown
club, second, and Mrs. Raymond
Taylor, Arlington Neighborhood
club, third.
Small niches, Spring Overnight
—Mrs. Francis Turner, Middleburg
Garden Club, first; Mrs. M. A.
Cogar. second, and Mrs. Nettie
Mae Burgess, third.
Judges for the arrangements
were Mrs. Jeffries Chewning,
Fredericksburg, Va.; Mrs. Charles
F. Peace, Beverna Park, Md.; Mrs.
Eugene CornweU, Fredericksburg;
Mrs. Lewis Pendleton, Cuckoo, Va.;
Mrs. Joseph Lovering, Philadel
phia, and Mrs. H. H. Marable,
Baltimore.
Garden judges in the club sec
tion were Marvin C. Ross, Balti
more; Meade Palmer, Warrenton,
Va.; Alfred Geiffert, jr., New York,
and Christian F. Hagcmann, Alex
andria.
Montgomery Librarian
Honored by Club
Mrs. Louise Ferguson, assistant
director of Montgomery County
libraries, was honored by the
Montgomery Blair High School
Library Club at a banquet last
night In the Kennedy-Warren
Apartments. Mrs. Ferguson
helped found the school’s library.
Mrs. Gladys Young, chairman
ol the Maryland High School
Library Club association, and 12
Montgomery Blair faculty were
initiated into the club.
Donohue Given
Area Backing to
Form Council
Top Local Officials
Name Commissioner
To Formulate Policy
By Crosby S. Noyes
District Commissioner F. Joseph
Donobue entered upon his new
duties today as temporary chair
man of a proposed area-wide
council of top-level government
The council, proposed at a meet
ing of District and suburban lead
ers held yesterday in the May
flower Hotel, is aimed at tackling
some of the problems of the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area in a co
operative effort.
As originator of the idea. Com
missioner Donohue was handed
the assignment of formulating the
rules and policies of the council.
He indicated that his first step
will be to appoint a representative
committee to help him In the job. ‘
The Idea of toe council was
indorsed by the area leaders as a
long-overdue move In the direc
tion of better co-ordination. In
addition to work on a policy and
planning level, it was suggested
that top-level co-ordination might
also help in such fields as public
transportation, health welfare,
public safety and public works
projects. It was indicated that
the function of the council would
be merely advisory.
' D. C. Officers Surprised.
The formal steps toward setting
up the council came as a surprise
to District officials. Speaking for
the Commissioners, Mr. Donohue
said it was not his intention to
ask any one at the meeting “to
commit himself to any program
or any plan.” He suggested that
the county and city heads consider
his suggestions and write him their
views.
Other speakers, however, called
for more concrete steps. The pro
posal for appointing Commissioner
Donohue as temporary chairman
of the still-unnamed council came
from Mrs. Kathryn J. Lawlor of
I the Montgomery County Council.
Outlining his proposal. Com
missioner Donohue said it was his
I hope to "set up a permanent or
ganization united at toe highest
I administrative or political level,”
I to meet at stated intervals to dis-
I cuss mutual problems. He pointed
out that rapid growth of the city
I S? J&*S togton wwlwe that “«ur
I thinking must go beyond the
I limits of the plstriot of Columbia,
even though our jurisdiction must
remain within the present 69
square mile area.” Because oLihe
character of Washington
i capital of the United States, he
!• said, “in no area of the world
I should there be a greater com-
J munity of interest"
Robinson Cites Co-operation.
t Brig. Gen. Bernard L. Robin
son. District Engineer Commis
sioner, listed the fields in which
: area co-operation has helped to
solve mutual problems on a staff
, level and, pointed out what he
called certain areas of conflict,
j He cited the work of the In
terstate Commission on the Poto
; mac River Basin as an outstand
; ing example of co-operative effort
. in the field of pollution control
, and spoke optimistically of the
ultimate solution of the area’s
. sewage disposal problem.
• Mayor Franklin Backus of Alex
, andria set the tone of nearby gov
. eminent speakers by ftnnmmHng
’ that “Arlington will co-operate in
any plan which may evolve from
this meeting." Recent joint ef
forts between different commu
nities in Virginia, he said have
“shown that we are willing to co
. operate among ourselves in such
' matters as fire and police protec
r tion, sewage disposal and civil
! defense.” The meeting called by
1 the District Commissioners, he
. said, was “the sort of meeting we
( should have had some time ago.”
L Transportation Stressed.
Robert W. Cox, chairman of the
i Arlington County Board, stressed
1 the need of co-operation in han-
I dling transportation problems. The
i proposed council,'he said, should
“study the metropolitan problems
as a whole first and then spread
out Into special areas” such as
health, welfare and transportation.
G. Wallace Carper, chairman of
the Fairfax County Board of Su
pervisors, predicted that a lot of
good will come out of the proposed
council and pledged toe co-opera
tion of his group.
Similar vstatements were made
'ey Mayor Charles E. Kellogg of
Falls Church .and Col. Lathrop
Smith of the Montgomery County
Council. The proposed council.
Col. Smith said, was “so utterly
logical that I wonder that the idek
has been delayed so long.”
As the only representative at the
meeting from Prince Georges
County, Fred Tuemmier, county
director of planning, raised the
possibility of setting up a metro
politan commission to handle the
problems of financing public works
on an area-wide basis. He sug
gested that such a commission
might be empowered to Issue bonds
or receive tax funds to carry out
its plans.
Mr. Tuemmier urged the meet
ing to take concrete steps to “get
the idea of co-ordination out of
the discussion and into the action
stage.”
As one of two women board
members present at toe meeting,
Mrs. Stella B. Werner of the
Montgomery County Council
pointed to the need of greater
co-ordination in the control of
bus traffic and the hospitalization
es indigents and aged. She also
suggested that the proposed coun
cil could go further than the Poto
mac River Commission in the mat
ter at pollution control.

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