Evening star., 1939-01-25
Big Fight Forecast
As 0'Conor Cuts
Byrd's Funds
Requests for University
Trimmed $37l,l58
For Each Year
BY JACK ALLEN,
Star Stan Correspondent,


bitter battle overshadowing all other
fights this session is expected to
break out momentarily in legislative
halls following Gov. Herbert r.
O'Conor's drastic cut in appropri-
ations sought by the University of
Maryland from general funds of the
State during the next two years.
Members of the State Assembly
today looked for DR.. H. c. (Curly)
Byrd, president of the university,
who has been highly successful in
wangling his requests from previous
legislative bodies, to put in an early
appearance and try to force the
Governor to restore the cut.
The 1911 1880 annual reduction
which the executive made in the
university's request when he pre-
sented his biennial budget to the
Senate and House in joint session
last night can be put back into the
fiscal schedule only by the Governor
himself.
The legislators are powerless to In
crease budget items-they can only
effect reductions, so it appears pres
sure would have to be brought to
bear on Gov. OConor and have
him submit a supplement to the
budget If the university is to get
the entire amount it desires for
the fiscal biennium beginning Sep
tember 30.
Gov. O'Conor is said to be de-
termined to keep his economy pro-
gram intact, and If the battle does
materialize 1t should push other
legislative tilts far into the back
ground.
1t is anticipated a veritable army
OF farm organizations which benefit
from the extension and experimental
work at the university will move
down upon Annapolis to support the
college president.
Gov. O'Conor not only swung his
economy ak against the appropria-
ton the university requested from
general funds-a move that was &C
companled by the statement that
he believes retrenchments necessary
IN State aid to the university and
other 1nstitutions-but also dealt
the university another financial
blow last night when he recon-
mended rejection of the university's
application for $49O,OOO allotment
from the $3,368,OO0 State bond is
sue, which he proposes to float for
financing construction of new build
ingS throughout Maryland during
the next two years.
The university asked for $50 900
to build a woman's dormitory at
College Park in 1910, 100000 to
complete an addition to the Dental
Building and Nurses Home in Balti-
more the same year and 5000 900
for a new womans building at Col
lege Park in Al.
Cites Present Program.
Gov. O'Conor said he would sug-
gest that the Legislature give the
university-of which he is an alum
nus-no part of the proposed bond
issue because it already is engaged
in an extensive construction pro-
gram.
The university, which received
1882 sol from general and con-
tingent funds of the State in 1898
and like sum in 1899, asked the
Governor to provide $1,535 ,293.5O
from general funds in 1910 and an
identical amount for 1941.
His budget before the Legisla-
ture, however, would cut the an
nual appropriation for each of those
years to 81, 1854, ,l35-representing not
only a $742,317 slash in what the
university claims it needs for the
next btennium but also represent
ing reduction in what it obtained
from general and contingent funds
during the past two years.
Actually the university will have
$3,364, ,135 to spend during each of
the next two years, for under the
terms of the new budget, authority
is conveyed for it to retain $2,2OO,OO
1t estimates it will receive annually
from student fees, fees from patients
at the university hospital and dental
clinic, income from endowments, do
nations from industries, Federal
Government and other miscellaneous
sources.
Since those sources produced
$l,875,000 during each of the past
two fiscal years. the university had
$3,237 sol to expend in 1888 and the
same amount in 80.
Allows Latitude in Use.
The budget earmarks funds for
only the university activities-S10O,-
600 annually for control of Bangs
disease and $4,000 a year for Jap
anese beetle control.
Gov. O'Conor departed from the
usual procedure of assigning spe-
cif1c amounts for each univer-
sity function and recommended
that the university be allowed to
allocate the remaining $1,024,135
to the various departments ION
a pro rata basis, or as nearly
along that line as possible, as the
board Of regents and the president
Of the university deem advisable, all
amendments to be approved by the
Governor in the manner prescribed
by the budget law"
The university would divide the
$1,024,135 among resident and ex-
tension instruction and research,