The midland journal., 1917-05-04
Maryland To Convene War Legisla-
ture.

Maryland 10 OOHVcH0 war ASSAo
Governor Harrington will call an
extra session of the Legislature
about May Is, for the sole purpose
of acting upon measures made neces-
sary by the state of war.
"The present outlook" said the
Governor, sis for the convening Of
the special session during the latter
part of the month. The session will
not begin before May Is, but in all
probability within day or two after
that time. This step is strongly
favored by theA agricultural mem
bers, and seems best also because
Congress and the national Admins
tration have not yet outlined the
necessary conservation moves for
the various States to follow"
All bills to be considered will
have some bearing on the war or
preparedness for future war. One
of the important measures will be
to place an emergency fund at the
disposal of the Board of Public
Works, to be raised by loan and
to be used only as may be necessary.
Thus should the war end quickly no
loan would be f1oated.
One of the measures will provide
military training for boys in public
schools.
Governor Harrington will be
clothed with extensive military
powers in bill creating the Mary
land State Guards. The term
Home Guard" originally proposed
for the troop, which is planned to
take the place of the States Ma
tional Guard units for local guard
duty when the former are called
from the State, has been passed up.
In it's place, the troop will be known
as the Maryland State Gaurds.
The terms of the bill will be as
elastic as possible, and the Governor
as commander-in-chief of the States
troops will be given wide leeway.
Fly i'm Ointment.
In political circles all is not serene
concerning the program for the
special session. Expectation has
been that the Legislature would be
asked to authorize a loan of con-
siderable size-the amount to
be agreed upon in conference be-
tween the Governor and members of
a committee of the LegisIaiure-an
that the Board of Public Works
would be empowered to issue any or
all of this loan as and when needed
in connection with the public de-
Tense. Now it is stated that some
of the Democratic MEMBERS of the
Legislature are averse to placing
this discretion entirely II the hands
Of this Board, which is composed of
Governor Harrington, State Treas
urer John M. Dennis and State
Comptroller Hugh A. McMullen.
The reason advanced is that it may
be charged that, as all are Demo
Gratis and belong to the same wing
of the State Democracy, politics
would be permitted to play a part in
the handling of the funds to be
raised by the loan.
The suggestion is made that a
War Commission be created to
handle the loan and disburse the
funds, and that this Commission be
named by the Legislature, with the
members of the Board of Public
Works included in the membership.
1t also is stated that the Republicans
are likely to ask a modification of
. the present militia law. Under its
terms the sheriffs of the cities and
counties select the men who are to
be drafted into the State militia. In
Baltimore City, where there is near
ly half the population of the State,
there is a sheriff of Democratic
afilliation, and some of the Repub-
licans affect to believe that in
making up a list of elgibles he
might put the Republicans, and
especially the colored brothers, in
the front rank, They want to take
this power from the sheriffs.
A new measure that may be pro-
posed is bill to give soldiers in the
field the right TO vote in State cleo
tions.