Evening star., 1941-03-26
Maryland Bills
Await Bitter
Senate Fight
Court Revision
And Conservation
Plans Pending
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS. March 26.-The
Maryland Senate sought again today
to dispose of two knotty problems
conservation and Court Of Appeals
reorganization.
In addition to the Court of Ap-
peals measure. supported by Gov.
O'Conor, the Senate also faced an
other test on the filibuster -arousing
oyster bill and an opposition bill
for court revision.
The administrations bill to re-
organize the Court of Appeals into
a six-judge body having appellate
functions only was reported favor
ably by the Senate Judicial Proceed
ings Committee yesterday with an
8-to-5 vote. But two Senators said
they cast favorable votes simply to
get the bill out onto the Senate
floor.
Leader Predicts Defeat.
Though the measure is on Gov.
OConors blue ribbon" list, Senator
Dudley G. Roe, majority leader, pre-.
SllCCCO lIS ueledl.
An opposition appeals court BILL
which would add a second Judge
from Baltimore for a nine-man
court and have seven of the judges
continue their circuit work-came
up for final passage last night, but
failed of constitutional majority
by 1877 vote
Tft 1,fl
have l8 votes, since it will require
constitutional amendment.
DIR. Byrd Opposes Bill.
The administration was deter
mined, too, to push through over.
powerful opposition its measure to
create board of natural resources
that would coordinate conservation
work of State departments. DR.. H.
c. Byrd, University of Maryland
president, is a leader among op-
ponentS of the proposal, for it would
take the Departments of State For
estry and Geological Survey from
the university.
The bill, coming out with a 4-to-2
favorable committee report yester-
day, was laid over until today be.
cause it bore amendments.
The Senate has set for s pm. as
a special order the bill to open the
Potomac River TO oyster hand.
scrapers, proposal that kept the
Senate tied up in filibuster until
dawn yesterday. A counter -flibuster
against the filibuster of Senator
Philip H. Dorsey, Democrat. of st.
Marys, ended with Mr.. Dorsey hav.
ing a 15-l4. vote to postpone action
until today. If he can retain that
vote he can recommit or defeat the
oyster bill.
Race Track Tax Plan Up.
Also up as special orders today are
proposals to impose special tax on
half-mile race tracks to raise soma
of the funds needed for equalization
Of Negro and white teachers salaries
and to reduce the time service before
judges become eligible for pensions.
! Determined opposition exists against
both.
Other possibilities of trouble lie
in two more special orders-one to
reshuff1e the personnel of the Mary.
land Pilots Board of Examiners, the
other to prevent interference with
movement of perishable foods in
intra-State commerce as national
defense" protection.
Gov. O'Conor prepared today to
sign 38 measures passed by the Gen.
eral Assembly yesterday.
Many Measures Approved.
The lower chamber, at its short
afternoon session. passed 80 bills.
10 OF them Senate measures. The
Senate last night stamped its ap-
proval on So measures, % of them
originating in the House.
Most of the bills routed to the
Governor were of local interest. One
Of them would authorize the issuance
OF automobile license tags at certain
county seats of government.
House amendments concurred in
by the Senate last night would ex-
empt Anne Arundel, Baltimore,
Frederick, Hartford, Howard, Mont
gomery, Prince Georges, Washing
ton and Calvert Counties from the
bills provisions.
Safety Proposal Passed.
Another measure sent to the Gov
ernor was the safety through edu.
cation" bill which survived an at.
tempt to beat it down in the Senate.
1t would authorize, on an optional
basis, the teaching of automobile
driving courses in county high
schools, with State police assisting,
at the discretion of the superin-
tendent.
The House reversed itself yester-
day and passed a measure to re-
quire fingerprinting of persons SELL
| ing articles to pawnbrokers or re.
ceiving loans on them.
The bill was designed to aid In
detection of criminals pawning
stolen property.