Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-03-12
COMMISSION BILLS
d. K. BY NICE SEEN
Believed Likely to Act After
Democrats Warning on
Appointments.
BY JACK ALLEN,
Stan Correspondent OF The Star,

ANNA1ob4o, march 1.-Two
courses were open to Gov. Harry w.
Nice today as the bills to save the
Jobs Of $50 Democratic employees of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Capital Park and
Planning Commissions reached his
desk for the gubernatorial signature
that would make them law.
One is to exercise his veto powers
and thereby strive to save the pa
tronage G. o. P. adherents had hoped
to receive two months from now,
while the second and the one he is
most likely to follow in view of I'M
precedented developments in the Sem
ate yesterday, is to sign them without
further ado
Senator Stedman Prescott Of Mont
gomery County sounded a warning
before the bills were enacted without
a dissenting vote yesterday afternoon
that the Democratic majority in that
chamber would deal drastically with
the Governors biennial list of ap-
pointments "or the green bag" if
any veto is applied.
Observers In the Senate declared
that in view Of the threat against
his cherished appointments, which
are before that body for confirmation,
coupled with the fact the predomi-
nantly Democratic upper chamber
probably could muster enough votes
to override the veto, the Governor is
not likely to resist
John Nowakowiski, clerk Of the
House, where the bills originated, took
the measures to the Governors Office
| Immediately after their enactment
| and Nice sent them to Attorney Gen.
eral Herbert R. O'Conor for ruling
| on their constitutionality, but this
| procedure is merely routine treatment.
Must Act in Six Days.
The bills were dated before being
| taken to the executive and he must
act on them within six days or they
become law automatically. If he
should decide to veto them they will
be brought back to the Legislature
Immediately and Democratic forces
will rally in an effort to enact them
over the Governors disapproval
The bills, which would accomplish
their aim simply by continuing Demo-
cratic commissioners whose terms are
due to expire in May in Office for two
more years, were not enacted before
! the Democrats had beaten off the re-
sistance Republican Senators had
planned to offer
Senator Melvin L. Fine, Baltimore
city Republican, who said he and his
colleagues would fight the bills on
third reading" arose from his seat
when the bills came up and called
them to the attention of other Re-
publican members of the chamber.
Prescott took up the fight immedi-
ately. declaring: Il am perfectly
aware of how far the Governor has
gone to make political issue of these
bills. The Governor may not be aware
of how he is placing in jeopardy all
| green bag appointments for the sake
! of the few appointments here.
AS Democrat 1 consider the bills
purely local If they are not so con-
sidered here I shall feel absolutely
open to reject future appointments as
not local either
The Montgomery legislator charged
Fine with warning Republicans mot
to vote for the bill'' and added that
Republican Senators often looked to
the Democratic majority to enact
their local bills and the majority
r,1jobt not he co ipoEpod Il, Tho f,,t,,ro
if the bills were not given their ap-
proval.
Republicans, who had not antici-
pated such drastic move to pass the
measures, looked aghast when Pres
colt delivered his warning.
Senator Fine said: Il did not nee
essarily mean l would vote against
the bills. l merely wanted to point
out to the other Republican Senators
they were coming before the Senate
and to point out the House considered
them of Statewide political signifi-
| canoe"
Just before the roll call began SEN
ate President Lansdale G. Sasscer of
Prince Georges told the Senate
These bills ar strictly local in nature.
They affect small portions of Prince
Georges and Montgomery counties"
When the roll was taken not one
Republican voted against the measures
and they passed without a dissenting
vote, % to 0.
Bills Course Stormy.
Enactment of the bills marked the
conclusion of a somewhat stormy and
rather unusual passage through the
Assembly The bills first met opposi-
ton on third reading in the House,
but Democratic party lines were finally
drawn and they were enacted after a
vigorous fight
Republicans laid in wait for them
in the Senate, but on second reading
there they passed with the G. o. P.
members unwittingly voting for them
when the reading clerk read only the
bill numbers and dispensed with the
customary procedure of reading the
title and subtitle of the bills, guide
legislators use in following bills.
Then came the threat yesterday
against the Governors green bag"
appointments, believed to be the first
time the Democratic bloc in the Sen
ate has ever employed such method
in forcing Republican Senators to 60
along with them on a bill.