Evening star., 1941-02-13
Maryland Seeks
Equalization Of
Teachers Pay
House Committee
Opens Hearings on
Tax Measure
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Feb. 13
(SpeciaD An administration bill
recognizing the State tax collec-
ton setup was introduced in the
Legislature today by Speaker
Conlon.
The bin provides for new de-
partment of revenue and taxes,
and for converting the present
State Tax Commission into a
Board of Tax Appeals to exercise
the quasi-judicial function of the
present commission and hear
appeals from assessments made
by the new department of reve-
nue and local assessing authori-
ties.
BY the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Feb. 13-While
a special gubernatorial committee
wrestled with the problem of equal
ization of colored and white teach
ers' salaries, the House Ways and
Means Committee prepared today to
tackle the administrations tax bill.
A hearing on the revenue measure,
which would reduce the income tax
on unearned income to 5 per cent
and on earned income to 2 per cent,
was scheduled for IL am.
Gov OConor told Committee
Chairman John S. White of Prince
Georges County that prompt action
was necessary because the State
Controllers Office must set up ma
chinery for collection If the new
levy.
AS the bill is now drawn, the tax
would be due April IS, instead of
March Is, and taxpayers would be
able to pay the levy in installments.
Seek Financial Plan.
Meanwhile, the State adminiStra-
ton continued efforts to work out a
financial plan to defray the cost of
paying .colored school teachers the
same wages received by white in
structors.
No solution to the problem has
been found yet, but the Governors
special committee, at its second
meeting yesterday, agreed that it
was a joint financial responsibility
of the State and counties. Com
mittee members opposed reducing
white teachers salaries to meet the
expense.
Even though counties agree to
bear part of the cost, the State
would have to reduce appropri-
ations in the proposed SlO6,66 900
budget bill or seek new means of
taxation to pay its share, admins
tration sources said today.
The State Department of Educa-
ton estimated the equalization of
salaries. sought by colored teachers
since 1918, would cost $4,000 a
year.
Guard Bill Signing Due.
Gov O'Conor was expected to
sign the State home guard bill
today and announce plans for the
oyganizat of the new force, which
is to take over duties performed by
the Maryland National Guard be-
fore it went into Federal service.
A group of several hundred wom-
en- spent yesterday before the Sen
ate Committee on Judicial Proceed
ings arguing for mandatory jury
service for women.
A bill before the committee
would make jury service manda-
tory for women, with no further
exemptions than apply to men.
However, a delegation from the
United Democratic Women'S Clubs
notified the committee it would be
willing to accept modification
starting jury service for two years
only, to be continued or dropped
at the end of that period on recon-
mendation of judges of the courts.
The women emphasized that the
m ndatory bill would be preferred
During the day the c. I. o. and
A F. of L. got together on a legis-
lative program and recommended a
State Wage-hour law
A special joint committee, rep
resenting the two opposing labor
factions plus the railroad brother
hoods, submitted to Gov. O'Conor
list of Assembly bills and proposed
bills which committee members said
had labor's united support.
The committee was named by the
Governor some time ago to map
out such cooperative program.
In the House there was a hearing
on legislation which would revise
the setup of the Board of Hair
dreSSers and Beauty CulturistS, es-
tablish more stringent license re-
quirements and make board mem
bership a full-time job.
BeauticianS and hairdresSerS from
all sections of Maryland crowded
the chamber for the hearing.
Hospital Funds Cited.
Appearing before the House WAYS
end Means Committee, DR.. Winfred
Smith, Johns Hopkins Hospital di-
rector. asserted his institution
spends more than 100000 annually
for free hospital care but receives
only $4,000 annually in State and
Baltimore City appropriations. He
advocated that the General Assem-
bly, pass bill which would exempt
from taxation real estate owned by
hospitals which maintain. 25 per
cent of their patients free of charge.
The Judicial Proceeding Commit
tee devoted two hours to a hearing
for labor organizations protesting
passage of the administrations anti
sabotage bill.