Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-09-18

tC0nLlnueQ from rage OueJ
drafted were those postponing pay
Iments for the benefits of soldiers and
sailors absent in the military service.
Richie prepared all the war laws and
had them printed and ready for intro
duction with the Legislature met-an
achievement which was on par with
the splendid service he rendered as
Peoples Counsel to the Public Service
Commission.
Teachers Salary Increased
Among the bills which Mr. Richie
Maryland was among the first States
to adopt such, legislation, which was
Eventually followed by the Soldiers
and Sailors Civil Relief Act passed by
Congress. In consultation with the la
Dor interests, Mr.. Richie prepared the
Maryland Compulsory Work Law, the
first of its kind devised in this country,
and which was afterward copied by the
legislatures of other States He also
drew the bill giving absent soldiers the
right to vote, which was, however, not
passed until 1918. The Million Dollar
War Loan Act and the law establish
ing State Farm for prison labor were
also in the list of tie war legislation
presented by Mr. Richie.
Among the acts drafted by Mr. Ritz
1918 were those increasing salaries of
teachers and providing for State aid to
high schools; the Three Million Dollar
Road Loan of 1918; abolishing contract
prison labor; increasing the pay Of
lpolicemen In Baltimore City: giving
the Police Board Of Baltimore City the
power to reinstate officers who entered
the military service: revising the in
surance laws; creating the State Ar
mory Commission; revising the bank
laws and providing that Contractors
bonds for State work should cover la
Dor and materials. Mr.. Richie also
advised with the Governor in the pre-
paration of the Budget Bill. The At
torney- General secured the services of
a committee of lawyers to advise with
him in the drafting of the Home Rule
Bill.
During the session of 1916 Mr.. Rit-
chic drafted the laws abolishing con-
Itinuing appropriations; creating the
State Board of Labor and Statistics;
creating the State Law Department;
reducing the membership of the State
Roads Commission; abolishing the en-
velope system OF voting in the counties
at primary elections and providing a
registration day in the counties before
primary elections.
/ Mr.. Ritchie's work in Maryland gain
ed for him nationwide recognition,
and he was summoned to Washington
to become General Counsel to the u.
s. War Industries Board, perhaps the
most powerful of administrative agen-
cies connected with the prosecution OF
the war.
On War Industries Beard
| At the time of the announcement OF
Mr.. Ritchie's appointment to the War
Industries Board, the Baltimore Sun
said:
Let us hope that the State will
again be able to command his services
after the war. He has proved himself
too good and efficient to be given up,
permanently, without a struggle. There
are few men in public life in Maryland
who have shown as much energy, abil-
ity and devotion to the public welfare
as he, and the people worthy of self
government will always strive to keep
such men In office"
When the War Industries Board was
dissolved in December, 1918, Mr.. Rit-
chic received a letter from Bernard nj.
Baruch, Chairman of the Board, in
which he said:
.The effective discharge Of your
work. and the cheerfulness which you
carried at all times in difficult situa-
tons won for you the affection and
admiration of all your associates. In
the accomplishments of the United
States War Industries Board you know
you have done your full share"
When Mr.. Richie announced his
candidacy for Governorship in May,
1919. the baltimore News said editori-
lally:
Attorney General Ritchie's an
|nouncement OF his candidacy for the
Democratic nomination for Governor
lis in response to q widespread desire
in his party that he make the race. IT
has been manifested In many ways, and |
Mr.. Ritchie's friends may properly de-
clare that in his case the office is seek /
ing the man. His candidacy is OF in |
|terest and importance 20 the CITIZEN