Evening star., 1941-01-02
110 Bills Ready
For Maryland
Assemb|ymen
Session Gets Swift
Start; Governor to
Propose Tax Cut
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Jan OFF to
a flying start. prodded by the State
evident anxiety for
speed, the Legislature faced today
the prospect of receiving ITO bills
on the second day of its session and
down to work at a rate
in Assembly history.
Preliminary organization was
completed when the
House and Senate met last night
for the first time.
Today. giving further evidence OF
reaction to pressure from the eXecu-
tive department, the Senate lead
ership decided on a stream lined
dual committee Setup which would
assign 16 Senators to the powerful
Finance Committee and the remain
ing 13 to the SeCond-ranking Ju-
dicial Proceedings Committee.
Bills Cover 81 Subjects.
Nearly all bills introduced will be
assigned to one or the other OF
these two.
Minor committees will be named,
it was understood, but will have little
or nothing to do.
The 10 bills routed into the hop
pers today represented a year OF
research and study by the Legislative
Council, covered some 81 subjects,
and included many measures spon-
sored by the administration.
OF prime Importance among these
measures was an emergency bill TO
set up a State home guard, replaC-
ing the Maryland National Guard
when the latter is called into Federal
service about February 8
The measure is model statute
drawn by the State Law Department
and State Military Department in
cooperation with Army authorities
in Washington and contemplates
creation Of a force Of about 1000
officers and men subject to orders Of
the Governor.
Fireworks Ban Proposed.
Another council bill would prohibit
fireworks in the State-a proposal
which produced one Of the hottest
floor fights of the 1889 session and
lost by a single vote in the Senate.
Other council measures would es-
tablish strict State Roads Commits
sion control over roadside signs and
zoning regulations, set up State
supervision of building and loan as
sociations, create q three-man State
Employment Commission instead Of
a single commissioner, repeal a
score of obsolete laws, amend pres
ent election laws to eliminate the
declaration of intentions require
ments and provide a check on ref
erenda signatures. and repeal nu-
merous laws on obsolete or unpro-
ductive license fees.
Setting the speed tempo in his
biennial message to the Assembly,
Gov. OConor told the Joint session
last night that his fiscal program
had been completed and would be
introduced sometime next week.
He warned the legislators that
wartime conditions would impose
heavy burdens on the session and
that careful. conscientious labors
would be required on them.
Financial Condition Praised.
He observed that the State was in
a stronger financial position than
at any time in its history, possessed
a budget continuously in balance,
and finished up the fiscal year last
September 30 with an unenCumbered
balance of S6151955.
The financial condition is
such that I shall recommend pro-
gram of tax reduction which not
only will leave the treasury in a safe
condition. but will benefit tens of
thousands of our taxpayers, he told
the Assemblymen.
In noting accomplishments OF
State departments, Gov. O'Conor
proposed an even more ambitious
roads prooram, one that is wider in
scope than ever has been under
taken by the State"
He noted that plans were under
consideration for "a much-needed
road of greater capacity to connect
Baltimore City with Washington
and also to connect Annapolis with
Washington.
Brice and ConlOn Reelected.
Senator Arthur H. Brice Of Kent
County, President of the Senate, and
Delegate Thomas H. Conlon of Bal
timore City, Speaker of the House,
were reelected.
James w. Gill was chosen chair
man of the Montgomery County
delegation succeeding Charles C.
Jones. The Prince Georges delega-
ton elected Ralph w Powers chair
man. Delegate Lansdale G. Clagett
was chairman last session.
Mai. E. Brooke Lee of Montgomery
County. former speaker of the
House, was one of Is new members
of the General Assembly who were
sworn in last night.
Both Montgomery and Prince
Georges County delegates and Sem
ators reacted favorably to the Gov
ernor's message, being particularly
pleased with the plan to reduce
taxes and build important new roads.