Evening star., 1941-03-01
Loose Leaf Market
Control Tighfened by
Johnson's S Bill
New Measure Would Set
Up Advisory Body; Coils
For Further Penalties
BY BEN H. PEARSE,
cta c..Ff

ANNAPOLIS, March l. Mary
lands loose-leaf tobacco markets
would be placed under stricter regu-
lations by the provisions of a bill
introduced yesterday by Senator ].
Wilmer johnson of Calvert County,
which also establishes a five-man
advisory commission to the State
commissioner of tobacco marketing.
The advisory commission would
be selected by growers in Prince
Georges, Charles, st. Marys, Calvert
and Anne Arundel Counties, one
county in any manner they deem fit
and to serve without pay. The
commission would serve in an ad-
visory capacity only, cooperating
with the State tobacco commission
er to better conditions relating to
the industry, according to the bill.
Senator johnson explained that
the present law had worked out
fairly well, but that his bill pro-
vided regulations which had been
found to work to the benefit of
growers in Kentucky and North and
South Carolina, where the loose-leaf
marketing system already has been
in effect for many years.
Outlaws Combinations.
One of the sections of the Calvert
County Senator's bill prohibits a
combination by any organization or
corporation to restrict the sale, con-
its members or others from bidding
or purchasing tobacco at any of the
warehouses at Upper Marlboro, La
Plata, Waldorf or Hughesville.
ALI sales of loose-leaf tobacco at
public auction would be free and
open to all responsible bidders, un-
der the bill, and warehousemen SELL
ing tobacco could make no distinc-
ton or difference between pur-
chasers as to charges, samples, war
ranties or otherwise. Violations
WOULD constitute a misdemeanor,
punishable upon conviction by fine
of from $25 to 500.
The bill would require records
to be kept of the daily sale at the
warehouses and that records of to-
bacco offered for sale bear the prop
er name and address of each seller.
Violators of this section would be
subject to indictment and upon con-
viction liable to a fine up to $500
poses Of the section is to prevent
a tenant from selling his crop with
out the landlords knowledge, Mr..
johnson explained.
Requires Posted Records.
Each warehouse would be required
to post a record of the amount and
price of tobacco sold for producers,
for dealers or rehandlers, but not
including tobacco offered for sale
and rejected, and by proprietors of
warehouses for their own account.
Monthly records would be open for
inspection.
Failure to tag the tobacco offered
for sale with the true name of the
owner would be punishable by a fine
of from $25 to $500, the measure
provides.
Meanwhile the House passed
making ready for the Governors
signature, eight bills introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. johnson and
passed last week, all of them repeal
ing obsolete laws.
One of the bills repealed au.
thority granted the county commits
sioners more than Is years ago to
purchase stock in a railroad from
Baltimore to Drum Point which
never got beyond the grading stage
Another repealed an immigration
commission established in 1922 tx
encourage farmers to take up resi-.
dence in the county. The commits
sion has not functioned for many
years.
Marbury Bill Passes.
The Senate passed and sent Il
the House bill introduced by Sen.
ator Charles C. Marbury of Prince
Georges County, providing for selec.
ton of extra talesmen for Circuit
Court juries in advance of trial O.
a case where it is anticipated tn,
regular panel may be exhausted b!
challenges, and one introduced BY
Senator johnson abolishing the dos
tax. The latter bill was requested
by the county commissioners be-
cause damage claims have riser
in recent years above receipts from
! the tax.