Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-02
REPORT IS ADOPTED
IN ROAD SCANDAL
Minority Floor Leader
Charges "WhiteWash" in
Annapolis House.
BY a s.an CORRESPONDENT Of rhe Star.

BY a Stan Correspondent Of The Star. -,
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, April 2.-Preceded
by another heated attack on the grand
inquest, the governor and the Democratic
administration of the State by Joseph
A. Wilmer, Charles County, minority
floor leader, the report of the investi-
cation by the House committee of the
irregularities in the State Roads Com
mission was adopted by a vote of rs to
80. The House had passed over the maj
vote Saturday after long debate, with
an agreement to vote yesterday without
debate, but the leaders decided to give
Wilmer the floor when he sought 1t.
He charged that the report was a
complete Whitewash, and alleged that
the investigators had not scratched the
surface, warning that the voters OF
Maryland were not satisfied with the &C
ton of the House, which was delegated
by the constitution as grand inquest
of the State. He charged that the peo-
pie had waited IA months for some re-
suits from this investigation, and had
relied on the House Of Delegates TO
carry out its constitutional duties.
Neglect of Duties Charged.
The delegates, he charged, in his
opinion. had fallen somewhat short OF
carrying out their duties in accordance
with the credentials given the legislators
at the last election, and he said that II the
governor had been as frank as the Gov
ernor of New York when irregularities
were discovered in the State there the
House would not be acting on sucn q
report. The majority of the people OF
Maryland, he asserted, concurred in that
view. The chief executive, he continued,
had not lifted the veil of what was ap-
parent to the people Of the State. The
governor, he said, in the last two SeS-
Sions had attempted to interfere with
the constitutional limits of the House by
seeking to create debts and providing
for the creation of revenue. He said that
he had so far exceeded his powers as to
usurp the powers of the Legislature.
The report of the majority, he said,
was an attempt to exonerate him, and
charged that he had committed actS
whicS amount to breach OF trust. he
ferring to the Grain Highway, from up,
per Marlboro to Baltimore, he alleged
that the governor had no authority TO
spend money on this without an act of
the Legislature. He said that the House
might exonerate him, but it could not
relieve him of the responsibility.
Discussing the case of John N. Mack
all. deposed chairman and chief en-
ginee. of the commission, said that II he
has SERVED the State as he had served
his k;ng," he would not be out now. He
said that Mackall's removal, in his opin-
ion, was a little premature.
The people of the State are not as
easy to deceive as the majority thought,
he said, and added that the Democrats
IL fa1f thew mt
getting the kind Of investigation that
they should hats. He expressed the
hope that if any Of the delegates, after
reading the majority report, had any
conscientious objection, that they would
not hesitate to voice their opinions He
said the adoption of the report would
be a complete whitewaSh.
Ruled Out of Order.
Delegate Daniel c. Joseph of Balti-
more, insur2ent leader, then sought to
have SO much of his report as related
to Mackall journalized, but the Speaker
ruled it out Of order because it was no,
presented in the written form required
by the rules. a..
Subsequently, Joseph presented the
written motion, and while the clerk
was reading it to the House, the IN
surgent leader went up and took II
from him, when the word was passed
that it was to be referred to committee
Wilmer later sought to have adopted
under suspension of the. rules. but later
withdrew, when he saw it had nc
chance to get through, resolution call
ing on the attorney general to institute
suits to recover money paid by the
Roads Commission on forged checks
issued by former employees now serving
terms in the penitentiary.
The Wilmer bill proposing to pay
salaries for the full-times services of
the members of the State Roads Com
mission, $500 to the chairman and
$1,000 a year to each of the associates,
was reported out of the ways and
means committee without recommen-
dalton. Delegate Lindsay, majority floor
leader, then moved to recommit it to
the judiciary. Wilmer said that it was
the only bill introduced by him at this
session, and he expected that it might
receive some consideration. He said
that it was the uI1AEimous recommen-
dation of the grand Xquest counsel,
but the grand inquest relsed to adopt
this recommendation as a Hart of the
report. The bill was recommitted