Evening star., 1941-04-30
.0'Conor Veto
0fSuper Road
Bill Asked
D. to-BuItimore
Project Described
AS Bod PLANNING
By a Staff Correspondent of Tn. Star


ANNAPOLIS, Md, April 30-The
proposed s30,000,000 super highway
between Washington and Baltimore
was described as an example of bad
planning" which would kill COM
pletely" all parkway development in
t e Washington Baltimore An
napoli6 triangle at hearing before
Gov. O'Conor yesterday.
Asking the Governor to veto the
measure passed at the recent session
OF the Maryland Assembly, Arthur
E. Hungerford of Baltimore. director
OF Conference on Parks, ParkWays
and Planning, also declared the toll
road policy was step backward,
and one which Maryland had aban-
doned many years ago at great cost
to the taxpayers.
The highway, he declared, was not
approved by the Federal Bureau of
Public Roads or the State Planning
Commission, was a strictly COM
mercial venture without provision
for parkway development or beauti-
fication, and would be no contribu-
ton to national defense.
Governor to Study Arguments.
Gov. O'Conor announced he would
take under advisement arguments
for and against the bill and others
on which hearings were held yes
terday including one authorizing
establishment of electrical co-opera-
tives and the anti-sabotage measure
opposed by labor organizations. He
said he would announce his decision
within few days.
William NJ. Ellicott of Baltimore,
representing the Municipal Arts
Society and the Baltimore Chapter
of the American Institute of Archi-
tects, supported the plea to veto the
superhighway bill. Gov. O'Conor
announced receipt of telegram TAX
ing the same view from the District
of Columbia Motor Club of the
American Automobile Association.
Washington I. Cleveland, club
manager, explained that the road
might not be self-supporting and
that the bonds ultimately might be-
come charge on the State.
mo evidence before our Highways
and Bridges Committee or considered
in the General Assembly would as
sure that the indicated route is the
best obtainable and the committee
believes the State Roads Commission
first should determine the most
feasible route" the telegram stated.
Kennedy Asks Enactment.
Ambrose ]. Kennedy, former Mary
land representative and proponent of
the enabling bill. appeared for the
measure and asked the Governor to
sign it Immediately.
There has been a lot of talk
about superhighway during the
past several years" he said, but no
money ever has been appropriated.
The death toll on the present
Baltimore boulevard is now about
one per mile per year, nearly 10
being killed excluding serious in
juries and property damage. This
bill is merely permisSive and would
authorize building the road after it
has been approved by the State
Roads Commission"
Clarence Miles, representing the
Maryland Utilities Association,
asked Gov. O'Conor to veto the rural
electrif1catlon bill. 1t provides that
when a cooperative files with the
Public Service Commission a map
indicating the area which it desires
to serve and a verified statement
that potential electric users in the
area would take the service, other
utilities could not construct lines,
solicit customers or compete with
the cooperative for a six-month
period.
If the cooperative signed a loan
agreement with the r. E. A. other
utilities would be unable to go
within the area for a l2-month
period.
Legality Questioned.
Mr.. Miles contended the bill was
unconstitutional and would exempt
electric co-operatives from the "ef-
fective regulation and control of
the Maryland Public Service Com
mission" He claimed there was
no need for such legislation.
Harry Nuttle, secretary-treasurer
of the Choptank Cooperative Of
Denton, and Forrest Coakley of La
Plata, manager of the Tri-County
Cooperative, were among those who
spoke in favor of the measure.
Mr.. Nuttle denied the co-opera-
tives wanted to escape regulation by
the P. S. C. He said it takes CO.
operatives about six months to get
their plans in for a new service.
Meanwhile, power companies can
extend their lines into the co-opera-
tive's proposed area. he added.
Earlier. Sidney Katz and I. Duke
Avnet, Congress of Industrial Or
ganization representatives, urged the
veto of the anti-sabotage measure.
Mr.. Katz said the only connection
the bill had with sabotage was to
sabotage the labor organizations Of
our State"
The bill prescribed a $4,000 fine,
10 years Imprisonment, or both,
for persons who Intentionally in
terefere with production at plants
manufacturing goods for the United
States or for friendly nations"
Labor is given the right to strike
and picket, but under the bill picket
lines would be prohibited in re-
stricted zones which might be es-
tablished around defense factories.