Evening star., 1939-01-05
No. 7 Craftsmanship
May Be rendered
Sothoron
Maryland House Choice
Would Give County
Two Top Places
BY JACK ALLEN,
. Star Stan Correspondent.


Star Stan Correspondent.
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 5.-A second
important House committee chair
manship may be awarded Prince
Georges County when the State
Assembly, in recess today after or
ganizing for its biennial session,
reconvenes Tuesday night.
Speaker Thomas E. Conlon. who
already has singled out John s.
White to head the Ways and Means
Committee, is considering l.. Harold
Sothoron for appointment as chair
man Of the Judiciary Committee.
The appointment is said to lie
between Delegates Sothoron and
Leon Abramson of Baltimore City,
both attorneys and veteran legis-
lators, with only one possible bar
rier standing in the formers path.
Should he. appoint Mr.. Sothoron,
the speaker thereby would give to
Prince Georges Delegates the two
ranking committee posts in the
House and undoubtedly would come
IN for sharp criticism by his COL
leagues If he decided upon such a
course.
Appointment Not Yet Made.
Speaker Conlon has not formally
announced Mr.. Whites selection as
chairman of the fiscal group and the
accompanying post as Democratic
floor leader, but he will do so when
his committee appointments are
made known upon the Legislature s
return. Mr.. White served as acting
floor leader yesterday.
Mr.. White succeeds another
Prince Georges County member as
wheelhorse of his party in the
House. for Kent r. Mullikin OF
Laurel held that post from 1885
through 1898.
Mr.. Mullikin did not run for re-
election this session. Instead he
managed former Representative
David j. Lewis unsuccessful cam
paign against Senator Millard E
Tydings In the Democratic primary
In September. He is now Fedora
Works administrator for MARYLAND
1t is believed by some observer.
at the capitol that in Mr.. Whites
selection, the speaker possibly moved
to repay in small measure the debt
Of gratitude Gov. -elect Herbert R
O'Conor owes Prince Georges
County Democrats for chnching hi.
nomination at the Democratic con.
vention in Baltimore four month.
ago.,
Sasscer Faction Member.
Mr.. White is a member of the
faction headed by former Senate
President Lansdale G. Sasscer O,
Upper Marlboro, who threw Prince
Georges convention votes to MI
OConor. Speaker Conlon is ar
OConor adherent.
The recess was ordered by Speaker
Conlon and Senate President Arthur
n. Brlce OF Kent County so they
might choose their committees
which must be appointed before
any progress can be made in han
ding legislation.
The committees are to be an.
nounced Tuesday night and othe,
routine matters will be disposed OF
to clear the way for the inauguration
Of Gov.-elect O'Conor on Wednes.
day. After that the lawmakers will,
settle down to regular chores.
President Brice probably will name
Senator Dudley G. Roe of Queen
Anne County. long time legislato,
who returns to the Senate this ses-
sion after an absence of four years
as chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, position which carries
with it the ma ajority floor Leadership
in the Upper House.
However. Senator James T. Ken
nedy OF Baltimore City and Senator
Philip H. Dorsey, jr., of st. Marys
County. both freshmen" members
have been mentioned in connection
with the post, although Senator Roe
occupied the floor leaders seat al
the opening session yesterday.
The Senate Committee on Judicial
Proceedings, whose duties CORE
spond with that of the House Judi
ciary Committee, probably will be
headed by Senator Emanuel Gorf1ne
OF Baltimore City, who was speaker
OF the House the past four years.
Selections Were Forecast.
Both Speaker Conlon. who halls
from Baltimore City, and Senate
President Brice were inducted tc
Office yesterday following their selec.
ton in Democratic caucuses the
preceding night Since both legis-
lative wings are Overwhelmingly
Democratic, their formal elections
were perfunctory.
Republicans in the Senate nomi.
mated Wilmer Fell Davis of Caroline
County for the presidency and House
Republicans nominated j. MiItor
Dick of Allegany County for the
speakership. They are to serve a,
minority floor leaders.