Evening star., 1941-03-23
Berwyn Charter
Measure Killed
AT Annapolis
Bill to Extend Limits
Of Tukomu Park Also
Slated to Die
BY BEN II. PEARSE,

Montgomery and Prince Georges
delegations completed introduction
of their legislative programs last
night as announcement was made
that two Prince Georges municipal
bills will be killed
Ralph w. Powers, Prince Georges
delegation chairman, said the legiS-
lators had decided not to report
bills to extend the town limits OF
Takoma Park to include Hampshire
Knobs and to provide charter for
BerWyn.
All other Prince Georges munlci-
pal measures are scheduled for
eventual passage, Mr.. Powers said
AS the deadline for regular intro
duction of bills was reached yester-
day, it was disclosed that, in con-
trast to the 1889 session, when the
two counties introduced approxi-
mately 25 per cent of the 1854 bills
fed into the Senate and House, both
delegations this year authorized
only about 120 local measures, well
below 10 per cent.
Record Number in Prospect.
The 1889 total was passed yes
terday afternoon, with prospects for
q record number of between l,4OO
and $500 bills for the session. Al
though yesterday was the deadllne
for introduction of bills, measures
still may be introduced under a sus-
pension of the rules. In the past,
however, suspension of the rules to
permit introduction of bills seldom
has been opposed.
Last years record of 881 bills
introduced in the House was broken
when Delegate Harry I Warren OF
Baltimore County presented a bill,
by request, to make January l9,
Robert E. Lees birthday, a legal
holiday. Not since 1914 had so
many bills been introduced in the
House. The 1941 total now stands
at 891.
Practically all of the bills intro
duced by the majority members of
the Montgomery House delegation,
James w. Gill, Miss Ruth Shoe
maker, Stanton c. Peelle, jr., and
E. Brooke Lee. total of more than
So are slated for smooth sailing
through final enactment. including
the controversial bill to extend the
county liquor monopoly to include
wholesale beer distribution.
Shunted into the House Ways and
Means Committee at the request of
wholesale beer distributors on the
ground that State revenues in the
form of wholesale beer licenses were
involved, it finally received favor
able report and is on its way through
the Senate.
Jones' Bills Appear Doomed.
Three measures proposed by Dele
gate Charles. C. Jones, only anti
organization Democrat in the dele
cation, probably will expire in COM
mittee. One bill creating the Office
of county attorney and abolishing
all part-time attorneys in the
county, and another to abolish the
Liquor Control Board were recon-
mended by the Brookings Institu-
ton report. The third would elimi-
nate the Office of secretary to the
president of the Board of County
Commissioners.
The Montgomery legislative pro-
gram was completed with the intro
duction of several bills yesterday by
the majority delegates. The Brook
ings Institution reports recommen-
dations on establishing non-partisan
elections, setting up a county man
ager form of government and abol-
ishing the liquor board are not eX-
pected to be followed and may be-
come campaign issues next year.
55 Local House Bills.
The Prince Georges delegation in
troduced SIS local bills in the House.
In the Senate two were sponsored
Jointly by Senators Robert Peter of
Montgomery County and Charles G.
Marbury of Prince Georges. They
concern Takoma Park, which lies
partly in both counties. One would
abolish semiannual tax payments
and the other establish a Takoma
Park Fire Commission of five men,
bers and authorize the Mayor and
Town Council to levy a tax of not
more than IS cents per S10O prop
erty valuation for maintenance and
purchase of new equipment.
Most of the other bills introduced
so far will go through, but several
still are under consideration. In
the latter category are the bills to
legaliZe jai ali with a pari-mutueI
betting system and the proposed
bond issue of $4,000 for purchase OF
rights of way for the Fort Wash
ington parkway.
Several bills will be amended be-
fore being reported out to the House
including the hog-pen and garbage
disposal measures, extension of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission area and the trailer
camp bills.
rs Measures Passed.
Only 26 of the local measures in
troduced by Montgomery and Prince
Georges legislators have been passed
by both Houses.
Thirteen Prince Georges measures
have passed both Houses. Among
the seven which finished their jour-
ney today was measure authoriz-
ing the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission to borrow $4,000
600 to augment the water supply oi
the area it serves.
Other Prince Georges measure:
obtaining final passage today cal
for increases in the salaries of the
county police and the county com.
missioners; appoint police iden'
tification Office and a relief guarc
at the county Jail, and require base.
ball and football games, automobil,
and motorcycle races to be licensed
by the county commissioners.
Two Montgomery bills achieved
final legislative approval today
They establish June 80 as the las
date for levying all but special bene
fit taxes and require that all claim
against the county for personal o
property injury must be filed within
80 days.
Arlinnfon of r Rnnn,Iof