Evening star., 1936-04-03
IS BILLS ADOPTED
FOR MONTGOMERY
Voting Machine and Election
Economy Measures Are
Killed.
BY JACK ALLEN,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, April 3-The wheels
of Marylands law-making machinery,
clicking at top speed with the aid
of frequent suspension Of rules,
ground out all but two features of
the Montgomery County legislative
program before the close of the
extraordinary relief session this
morning.
Trapped in Senate Committees as
the State Assembly adjourned was the
bill making the use Of voting machines
in Bethesda and Wheaton districts
mandatory, and another which would
have enabled the election supervisors
to effect economies in the conduct of
elections upon the installation of such
equipment.
Among the 13 Montgomery measures
that achieved enactment in the waning
hours was the $4,000 school improve
ment bond issue bill, another permit
ting a 10-year extension on all un-
collected street assessments in the
suburban district. the bill setting up
permanent system of registration
and a host of other widely advocated
measures.
Amended by Cantrel.
The voting machine proposal, intro
duced by Senator Steadman Prescott,
died in the Elections Committee of
the Senate after it had been sent
back to that body for concurrence
in amendments added in the House
during the afternoon by Joseph A.
Cantrel, Fusion party member of the
Montgomery delegation.
Under the amendments the Board
Of Election Supervisors would have
been permitted to consolidate any
precincts it might deem advisable for
economy purposes after the machines
were installed. The amended bill
further would have curtailed the use
Of election clerks in those districts
and limited poll employees to four
judges in each precinct.
The amendments had identically the
| same intent as a bill introduced by
Cantrel and Walter NJ. Magruder,
second Fusion party member of the
county delegation. 1t passed the House
but died in select committee of the
Senate this morning It was the lone
proposal presented by Cantrel anc
Magruder this session.
Use Is Discretionary.
Death of the voting machine bill does
| mt y7nNaScori1xy tho o,,$
will not be employed in the two heavily
populated districts, but it does leave
their use discretionary with the Elec-
tions Board, an act of the 1885 session
providing that the machines may be
purchased and installed in any or all
Of the Wheaton or Bethesda precincts
| II the supervisors so decree.
The public school bond proposal
providing in its original form for the
sale of securities to finance the build
ing of junior high school unit al
Kensington and street and ground
improvements at Chevy Chase Ele-
mentary School, was amended in the
House to apportion $4,000 of the bond
issue proceeds for ground improve
ments at Sherwood High School, Sandy
Spring
Another local bill also underwent
changes in the House when the county
delegation revised the permanent reg
istration system measure to allow the
two members of the proposed Board
/ OF Registry only their actual expendi-
| lures for automobile travel about the
county.
The change, however, would not per.
nit their expenditures to exceed S4O0
Originally the bill allowed each regis
trar fiat s400 annual appropriation
for automobile expenses incurred II
the execution of their duties, regardless
of whether they actually spent the en-
tire amount.
Levy Collection Extended.
Senator Prescott previously hac
agreed to the amendments to both th'
bond issue and permanent registra
tion system bills and both measure
were enacted when sent back to tn
Upper House for concurrence.
Uncollected levies made for suburban
district street improvements under tn
front foot benefit assessment plal
would be extended over period of II
years and collected in equal annua
installments beginning July through
the provisions of another county bill t.
complete its legislative course.
Other Montgomery measures en-
acted at the closing session would:
Eliminate personal property levies ol
automobiles from provisions of tn
seni-annual tax payment law to be
come effective in 1887.
Provide for referendum May 4 ol
the legalization Of games of skill an
chance at benefit carnivals and lik
functions.
Create police court for the tow
of Takoma Park through the appoint
ment Of a police justice. who woul'
receive 81, 200 annually-half to be ap
propriated by the county and the re
mainder by the town.
Amend the charter Of the town
Takoma Park.
| Provide $4,000 annually for tn
maintenance of the Law library q