Evening star., 1941-02-12
Fireworks Ban
Bill Headed
PIon to LiberoIize
Benefit Payments
Offered in Maryland
BY BEN II. PEARSE,
Star Staff Correspondent.


ANNAPOLIS, Feb. IA swing
in sentiment of the Prince Georges
County delegation may have an
important bearing on the contro-
versial fireworks ban bill which
passed its second reading in the
House of Delegates last night, the
reading on which the battle was
waged two years ago.
Majority Floor Leader John S.
White, who lobbied unofficially
against the bill in the Senate at
the 1889 session after it had passed
the House by a close margin, said
he would support Gov. O'Conor's s
stand in favor of the bill to pro-
hibit fireworks throughout the
State.
Delegate Ralph w. Powers, chair
man of the Prince Georges delega-
ton, which was unanimously op-
posed to the bill two years ago, said
last night there had been a con-
siderable change in sentiment
among members Of the delegation
and that little opposition was ex-
pected when the bill reached the
third reading.
No Strong Opposition Heard.
"Of course, this is a State wide
bill and every Delegate will vote
as he pleases," Mr.. Powers said.
consequently, I have not polled
the delegation.
However, have not heard any
opposition to the bill such as was
voiced at the 1889 session. mostly
by the volunteer fire departments,
which had counted on revenues from
fireworks sale for balancing their
budgets"
While Mr.. Powers, who is a men,
Der of the House Judiciary Com
mittee, declared in favor of the
Dill, Delegate L. Harold Southoron
explained he preferred the Senate
bill, which regulates without pro-
hibiting fireworks, but that he would
vote for the House bill rather than
see no restrictions imposed.
Marbury Not Committed.
Senator Charles C. Marbury of
Prince Georges County, who voted
against the bill when it was de-
teated by one vote two years ago
has not yet committed himself, but
is understood to be willing to SUD-
port Gov. O'Conor's stand. The
Senate regulatory bill still is in COM
mittee.
= An administration-sponsored bill
TO loerallze the Unemployment
Compensation Act in the interests
OF benef1ciaries was introduced in
the House by Delegate Nicholas j.
Ropka. Democrat, of Baltimore and
10 others.
The bill was drafted by the State
Law Department and Incorporates
proposals by both the Unemploy-
ment Compensation Board and Gov.
O'Conor, involving expenditure of
an additional S223O,OOO annually
from the boards growing reserve
tund OF approximately S20000.OOO.
The board has recommended the
following liberalizations in the pres
ent law:
To decrease the waiting period
from two weeks to one week: to in
crease the duration of benefits from
l6 to 20 weeks; to permit the indi-
vidual to draw partial benefits if he
earns less than his weekly benefit
amount plus 81; to freeze" benefit
credits for those individuals inducted
into the armed forces during their
year of military service, and to re-
place the complicated formula for
calculating an unemployed mans
eligibility for benefits by the simple
requirement that he must have
earned $3.50 in the calendar year.
O'Conor Adds Proposals.
Gov. O'Conor favored the proposed
changes and added the following on
his own account: To increase the
minimum benefit rates from SIS to 81
per week; to increase the maximum
benefit rates from SIS to SIT per
week, and to provide that benefits
should be based upon one twentieth
of the earnings in the highest
quarter instead of one twenty-sixth
the present law.
Unemployment compensation Of
hcials are now considering the Gov
ernor's changes for their effect on
the State fund. The amounts paid
out in benefits are as follows: 1888
$10,143,000; 1899, $5,747,0O0; 1910
S6.66l 900. Cost of administration
1898, $1,196 900; 1899, $1,OO2 900, and
1910, 1898 600. Reserve as of De-
cember 81, 1898. $9,269, 900; 1899
s15,926, 900, and 1910, S2l, 100000.