Evening star., 1941-03-05
Oyster Bill
FiIibuster Ties
UpLegisIature
Democrats Fight
Move to Open River
To Hundscrupers
BY the Associated Press.


ANNAPOLIS, March 5.-A major
filibuster had Maryland's Senate
tied up today, threatening mass
of important administration bills
unless opposing groups could reach
a compromise.
Southern Maryland Senators,
fighting desperately against legisla-
ton which opens the Potomac River
to oyster handscrapers for the first
time in a decade, set the stage for
the maneuver after hours of de-
bate yesterday, which forced two
Senate recesses.
Senator Philip Dorsey, Democrat,
of st. Mary's, field marshal of the
bills opponents, directed the filibus-
ter, which actually began at 8:15
pm. and continued until Senate
leaders proposed another recess at
1:40 am. today-after Mr.. Dorsey
had been on his feet continuously
for nearly four hours, in the process
of reading Maryland's conservation
laws from cover to cover.
Talks for Five Hours.
Altogether, the various parlia-
mentary tricks and blocks lasted
five hours and 81 minutes-and
leaders agreed to give Mr.. Dorsey
the floor again when the Senate
reconvened at noon today.
Supporters of Senator Elwood
Die, Somerset County Republican,
who sponsored the Potomac River
bill, tried vainly to force Mr.. Dorsey
to a halt, but their feverish hunt
through various parliamentary law
rulebooks was fruitless.
In reserve, ready to pick up where
Mr.. Dorsey left off, was Senator Jo-
seph Wilmer, Republican, of Charles.
Mr.. Dorsey's original objective
when the oratorical barrage began
last night was to force a delay in
consideration of the bill. Senators
predicted today that, aided by the
recess, he would now demand defeat
Of the bill before he would yield the
floor.
In 1887, j. Allan Coad, Mr.. Dor
sey's predecessor in the Senate, fill
bustered II hours against similar
legislation.
Supporters and opponents Of a
bill to prohibit sale of liquor be-
tween Saturday midnight and 6
am. Monday gave their views on
the proposal at two-hour hearing
yesterday that was moved from the
smaller Senate chamber to the
House because of the large crowd.
Pastor Backs Sunday Law.
Senator Earl Bennett, Democrat,
of Dorchester, Temperance Commit
tee chairman, said he expected the
bill would be reported out this week.
Eve plead that you help our Ma
tion in this hour of need by Coop
Grating in building morale" de-
clared DR.. H. P. Fox, pastor of As
bury Methodist Church, Salisbury,
in urging the Sunday closing law.
ut makes little difference how
many battleships we build If we
don't have men to man them-men
whose brains are not poisoned by
alcohol"
Similar views were expressed by
other church leaders, laymen and
temperance advocates.
Joseph P. McCurdy, Maryland
Federation of Labor president, said
unemployment was one of the
States "saddest problems" and
added:
"I am opposed to anything that
will legislate people out of their
jobs.
Would Have to Sneak Off.
eff people have'a day of rest, they
want the right to drink a glass of
beer or whisky without feeling like
thief. Nothing is worse than hav-
ing to sneak off to a hidden place to
do it."
Senator Louis N. Phipps, Demo-
crat, of Anne Arundel, proposed a
survey of Maryland erosion damage
as preliminary to mapping State
control program. In a joint resolu-
ton introduced in the Senate, he
requested the Governor to name a
five-member commission to conduct
the survey.
The shorelines of the Chesapeake
Bay and the rivers of the State are
gradually washing away, thereby
filling the bay with silt and in many
instances covering and destroying
oyster bars" his resolution declared.
The Worcester County delegation
sponsored a joint House resolution
urging Congress to convert an un-
developed section of seashore along
the Maryland, Delaware and Vir-
ginia coast into a public recreation
area.
Patuxent Bridge Urged.
A joint resolution directing the
State Roads Commission to study
the feasibility of constructing a
bridge over the Patuxent River from
Holland Point in Calvert County to
Benedict in Charles County was pre-
sented by Delegates Louis Goldstein,
Democrat, of Calvert; James Mon
roe, Republican, Charles; James
Matthews, Democrat, OF Charles,
and John Briscoe and j. Allen Cecil,
st. Marys County Democrats.
Other new legislation include bills
which would:
Revise health laws dealing with
milk to safeguard and protect the
milk supply.
Permit a licensed beauty cultur-
ist to operate beauty shop.
Prohibit the hunting of wood