Evening star., 1937-03-04
GOVERNOR DENIES
=
! !. ALL|NPOL|CEQ QUIZ
Senate Committee to Report
Findings to Body Mon
day or Tuesday,.
BY the Associated Press.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, March A.
The Senate State Police Investigating
Committee began Q review of the evi-
dence today, after hearing Gov. Harry
w. Nice brand as absolutely and ut
terly unfounded" all charges made in
testimony "as they apply to me-"
After 4-minute committee con-
ference with the Governor in his re-
ception room in the State House
yesterday, Senator John d. c. Duncan
of Baltimore County, committee chair.
man, said:
THE inquiry has ended. unless
something unforeseen turns up. We
feel that we have sufncient upon
which to base . report to the Senate
as whole to justify such remedies IS
we will at the proper time suggest.
We hope to have our report COM
pleted by Monday night or Tuesday
morning."
Only Few Present.
Only few persons were present yes
Nice. The meeting had by agreement
been closed to all but members Of the
Legislature and members of the press.
The Governor, after greeting the COM
mittee members, read the following
statement:
"You have asked me to give you my
views concerning what should be done
to bring about order and re-establish
discipline in the Maryland State police
force.
MY answer is that have selected
as superintendent q gentleman Of out
standing reputation and unquestioned
ability. That selection has met with
spontaneous and widespread approval.
That you gentlemen of the Senate have
the most implicit confidence in Maj.
Munshower is evidenced by the fact
that you have unanimously confirmed
his appointment.
Urge More Power.
Therefore, it follows, in my opinion,
that if you give him authority COM
parable to that now vested in the police
commissioner for Baltimore City and
an increase in the personnel sufilcient
to properly patrol the highways of
out his own destiny and bring the
Maryland State constabulary to the
highest degree of efficiency it has ever
known"
II have no desire to make any
further statements other than the
statements have given to the press.
with which you are all familiar I do
not think it would be in good taste
for me to discuss personalities"
Senator John G. Calian, Democrat,
second Baltimore. asked:
Then you feel that under Maj.
Munshower dissension in the depart
ment will end and harmony will be
restored?"
Gov. Nice Agrees.
"Unquestionably so," the Governor
replied.
A committee member later pointed
out that the Governor by his answer
to the Callan question had tacitly ad-
mitted there had been dissension and
lack of harmony in the department.
and also by his statement recon-
mending increased power to the super
intendent Ito bring about order and
re-establish discipline"
! The Senate Finance and House
| Ways and Means Committees already
have voted to strike from the Gov
ernor's 1889 budget appropriations
to allow for the employment of so
additional State officers. The sug-
gestion for increasing the power of
the superintendent is in line with a
similar thought expressed by Senate
President Lansdale G. Sasscer, Sem
ator j. Allan Coad and Delegate Kent
r. Mullikin. majority floor leaders,
and other members Of the Legislature.
Senator Ridgley P. Melvin, Demo-
crat, of Anne Arundel has Q bill
drawn designed to increase the
authority of the superintendent to in
clude the right of hiring, firing, pro-
motion and demotion.