Evening star., 1941-03-27
Bill
Passes House
In Maryland
Brooke Lee Defeats
White on Motion
To Recommit
BY BEN III. PEARSE,

State Roads Commission and paid
for by tolls, passed the House early
this morning after a turbulent ses-
sion during which Delegate E.
Brooke Lee of Montgomery County
at least temporarily took over the
House leadership.
The losing motion TO recommlt
the bill was the third floor defeat
In two days and the fourth at the
current session for Majority Floor
Leader John S. White of Prince
Georges County. All have been at
the hands of Mr.. Lee, whose Roads
and Highways Committee unani-
mously reported favorably on the
bill Tuesday.
The motion was offered by Dele
gate Frederick H. Houck, Democrat,
of Baltimore county to recommit the
measure to Mr.. Whites Ways and
Means Committee to permit reported
opponents to be heard. The Lee
forces beat down that by 79-to-24
vote, despite plea by the majority
floor leader that his committee
should have an opportunity to con-
slider the measure. Final passage
was By a wider margin, 81 to IL.
10 Amendments Added.
The bill, which provides for issu-
ance of tax-free bonds for an eight
lane motorway, estimated to cost
about 100000, 900, goes back to the
Senate for concurrence on 10 amend
ments, all but one offered by the
Roads and Highways Committee.
One amendment, offered from the
Hoor and accepted by the committee,
added the highest bidder or bidders
to the provision for disposal of the
bonds at public sale.
Little opposition is expected in
the Senate, where the bill originated
and where it was passed earlier this
week, virtually as offered by its spon-
sors.
Earlier, Mr.. Lee led a movement
with Delegate L. Harold Sotheron
of Prince Georges County to secure
passage of two amendments to the
administration anti-sabotage bill,
both recommended to the House Ju-
dietary Committee by Attorney Gen.
eral Walsh. Despite this show of
administration approval, Mr.. White
abandoned his position as admins
tration floor leader to oppose one
of the amendments and lost his
flgnt. The amendment was adopted,
50 to IS.
A brief but sharp floor battle over
the bill authorizing establishment
of co-operatives to produce and
distribute electricity accounted for
another defeat for the majority
floor leader Monday night. Mr..
White moved to reconsider. Mr. Lee
headed the widespread opposition to
the motion so effectively that Mr.
White withdrew his motion. The
bill passed the third reading last
night and went to the Senate.
The first battle between Messrs.
Lee and White came over a local
bill to extend Montgomery County's
liquor monopoly to include wholesale
distribution of beer. Although local
bills by custom are referred to the
local delegation, Mr.. Whites Ways
and Means Committee took over the
measure on the ground State rev.
enues would be affected through loss
Of license fees now paid by six
county wholesale beer dealers. He
lost the fight in his committee,
which by 20-to-6 vote reported the
bill out favorably and passed it on
Its way toward final passage.
Filibuster CoIlapses.
Senators, at hectic six-hour
meeting which ended just before
midnight, meanwhile, went through
series of skirmishes which saw the
sudden collapse of filibuster and
counter -fllibuster over Potomac
River oyster legislation.
Caught off-guard by a parlia-
mentary ruling and with one of their
supporters absent, proponents tf
the oyster measure lost their battle
by tie vote-14 to IA
Had Senator A. Raymond Marvel.
Democrat, of Talbot, a proponent,
been present, the measure would
have had a constitutional majority
and been passed.
State administration force
emerged victorious in an initial
clash on conservation bill opposed
by DR.. H. G. Byrd, University of
Maryland president.
Report Is Adopted.
When the conservation bill hit the
floor, opponents of the provision to
take control of the State Forestry
Department from the University of
Maryland sought adoption of an
amendment to eliminate this provi-
sion.
BY 17-to-11 margin, the Chesa-
peake Bay and Tributaries Commit
tees favorable report was adopted.
The bill sets up a board of natural
resources to coordinate conserva-
ton activities of State departments
and approved committee-am
ments would give tidewater counties
more representation on the proposed
board.
Opposition forces Immediately an
nounced they would circulate petit
tions for a referendum on the ad-
ministration's program if it should
be adopted on the final roll call
When the smoke of the battles
had cleared away, other House &C
tions included:
Passed 50 bills, most of them local
In character.
Refused to require appointment Of
q minority party member on the
State Industrial Accident Commis-
sion, increase membership on the
State Aviation Commission, or adopt
q constitutional amendment to per-
init graduated or progressive income
taxes.
The Senate also had:
Rejected a Court of Appeals bill
backed by Senators opposed to the
State administrations court reor-
ganization proposal.
Defeated legislation to change the
setup of the Maryland Pilots Asso-
cation.