Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-18
DEADL|NE ON BILLS
FOR MONTGOMERY
Senator Jones Demands All
House Measures by Next
Monday.
BY WILLIAM !. WHEATLEY,

Stad Correspondent of The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. March 18-Vig-
orous effort will be made by the Mont
gomery delegation in the House of Del
egates to comply with the written Ill
timatum of Senator Eugene Jones of
Kensington, representing the county in
the upper house. to the effect that all
Montgomery County legislation must
reach him before next Monday. The
letter was handed personally to Dr.
George l.. Edmonds. chairman of the
delegation. by DR., Jones, who brought
another Senator with him as a witness
DR.. Edmonds said that the procedure
was an unusual one. as he had never
heard CT such move in the past, but
that he had informed DR. Jones that
the delegation will do its best to get
the matters through the lower house
which are imperative to the continued
growth and improvement of the county.
Public Hearings.
Senator Jones indicated that he de-
sired to hold public heayings Oh the
bills, and when asked by The Stars
correspondent if he proposed public
hearings on all of the measures he
said that he didn't know. but that prob
ably he would. He will. of course have
a public hearing Wednesday on the
two courthouse bond issues, one to in
crease the amount. to be made avaiIa-
BILE for the building and the other to
provide fund for the purchase of the
square west Of the courthouse, to both
Of which Senator Jones has shown
decided opposition.
A motor cavalcade, ridden by scores
Of people, Democrats and Republicans,
will storm the Statehouse here. ac-
cording 10 present plans. for the ex-
press purpose of telling Senator Jones
that they want the courthouse built
and the additional land acquired. The
House Of Delegates unanimously granted
the use Of the chamber for the hear
ings. because there is not committee
room in the Capitol large enough to hold
the delegation which is expected from
Montgomery County.
The suggestion has been made that
the bank building of the Farmers Bank
81 Trust Co. might be given a parcel
OF land on one corner of the old court
house property for the land on the
square which 1t now occupies. and which
it is proposed to take for the enlarged
courthouse. if Senator Jones will al
low the legislation to pass.
Jones Opposes Transfer.
Senator Jones, who is director in the
Farmers Bank Sc Trust Co., which has
site which the county wants. when
asked If he favored such a transfer of
land, said that he did not. as he must
look after the bank of which he is a
director. He also added that he would
have to discuss the matter with the
bank officials. It was explained by
Senator Jones that he could not justly
nave the bank seek site which would
cost them twice as much as the one
which they now hold. On the other hand,
he said, if he was party to the bank
accepting an amount for the present
site sufficient to pay the cost of new
site, then it might react against him
politically, should he want to run for
public Office again. He pointed out that
the cry then might be raised that he
permitted the acceptance of county
money in excess of the value of the SITE
The plans of the bank to build a new
building on practically the same site
have been baked for the time being by
the clause in the charter which pre-
vents the expenditure of a large amount
as planned for new building Amend
ment of the charter was sought of the
State bank commissioner, but that off,
cial has turned down the plea, it has
become known.
Since that time no attempt has been
made to get the Legislature to amend
the charter to permit of the construc-
ton of building such as was planned,
and If such bill to amend the charter
we're introduced. it is fair to predict
that it would have little chance of
passage in the lower house.
Places Responsibility.
Senator Jones in his letter to DR..
Edmonds said that failure on the
part of the House delegation to send
the bills to him by that date may
place them in jeopardy and the re-
sponsibllity will be upon you gentlemen"
Speaker E. Brooke Lee of Silver
Spring, county Democratic leader, made
1t plain today that none of the response
bility will be on the shoulders of the 1
House delegation, as he would see that
every bill needed for the efficient con-
duct of the affairs of Montgomery
County would be passed before the close
OF this week, and that the State Sena-
tor then would have to take the full
responsibility. Practically all of the
measures affecting the county have been
introduced, and number of them have
been reported favorably back to the
House from committee
Although it is unusual in the Legis-
lature Tor other counties to oppose
strictly local county or municipal legis-
latlon in the State If it is approved by
the delegation representing the county,
the matter that is to be watched with
much interest now is whether the coali-
ton Republican and Democratic in
surgent movement will seek to retard
legislation OF Montgomery as a result
Of the scrap which kept the House in
session for IA hours Friday and Satur-
day. The fight came on a Baltimore
City bill, to give the mayor and council
power to issue $2,500,000 in bonds for
park purposes, with a provision that it
must first be submitted to a referendum
election. While the House, in the final
wind-up by the winning Lee forces sue
ceeding in passing rules limiting debate,
it is plain that legislation could be re-
tarded if all of the insurgents and Re-
publicanS sought to use the time al
lowed, even under the new rules, to ad-
dress the House
The Legislature has only Is more leg
islative days, if it meets on Saturdays,
and only IL more days, with the Satur-
days excluded. So that if there is q
legislative Jam it may be necessary to
hold continuous night and day sessions.
Under the rules, the period for intro
ducing new bills ends Saturday, except
with the unanimous consent of the
house in which they are introduced.
This leaves the last 10 days of the ses-
sion clear for committee reports and de-
bates.