Evening star., 1942-05-15
Prince Georges
UrgedtoChange
Jurist System
Legislative Council
Gets Ideu From
Prosecutor Bowie

A. Gwynn Bowie, States attorney
Of Prince Georges County. yesterday
told members of The Maryland Leg
islative Council that a reorganiza-
ton of the county's magistrate sys-
tenn was "a big problem right now"
The council is touring the State
to meet each county's leaders and
study their legislative proposals. 1t
will confer today with officials of
Montgomery County.
Excluding the two trial magis-
trates from his discussion, the
States attorney asserted that very
few" of the remaining % magis-
trates in the county are called
upon to do much actual work, and
advocated that they be replaced
by higher-paid, full-time magis-
trates located in Hyattsville and
Marlboro.
I'm not criticizing these men"
he insisted, but they don't get
sufficient compensation and they're
not on the job"
Siehler Opposes View.
County Commissioner Theodore B.
Siehler expressed his opposition,
however, to the abolition of all other
magistrates, contending that such
a move would work a hardship on
minor violators of the law. and
particularly those traffic offenders
who live in distant parts of the
county.
State Senator Emanuel Gorfne
suggested that the trial magistrates
be called upon 10 perform the full
time service indicated by the States
attorney, but Arthur Hepburn,
county chief Of police, said he be-
heved this would prove an ex-
cessively burdenSome duty and
supported Mr.. Bowies proposal.
In joint meeting of the Legis-
lative Council. the County Commits
sioners and most of the county's
other high C.flcials, at the Upper
Marlboro Court House, the visiting
lawmakers were given many sug-
gestl7ns for the next session of
the State Legislature.
The County Commissioners in
formed them that decreased gas
cline tax revenues would curtail
drastically funds for road main
tenance, and that the county might
be forced to take the work away
from the State Roads Commission
and use funds spilled by a general
county tax for the repairs.
Nicholas Orem, county superin-
tendent of schools, advocated
Statewide teachers bonus of $3.50,
but said he believed the extension
of the school course from II years
to II, which he favored in principle,
would have to be deferred until the
end of the war
Judge Walter Green recommended
that the trial magistrates court be
made a corporation court, so that
its records might become permanent
and the actions taken by one Judge
apply to the other Circuit Court
Judges Ogle Marbury and Charles
c. Marbury also addressed the
council.
States Attorney Bowie recon-
mended passage of a law to make
the sale of tobacco by a tenant
without the consent Of his landlord
an act of larceny He also asked
for protection of home owners from
building contractors who fail to
apply their clients payments to the
settlement of all debts incurred In
the construction work, leaving these
debts to be paid later by the owners
of the property.
Judge Thorne Asks Ruling.
Judge Millard Thorne, the only
active member of the countys Or
phan's Court, asked for a ruling on
the length of time which shall con-
stitute sufficient cause to declare a
court position vacant, and requested
that one judge be empowered to
handle all uncontested cases without
requiring the presence of a quorum.
provided the consent of all parties
Is obtained
Mrs. Mary w. Browning, chair
man Of the County Liquor Board.
proposed that appeals from local
rulings be directed to the county's
Circuit Court, rather than to the
State Appeals Board. contending
that the latter board did not ordi-
narily have sufficient access to the
facts to disputes or the parties
involved
Other matters brought up for
discussion were the cost of road
maintenance, county tax sales. the
issuance of liquor licenses and the
appointment of extra police.
The Legislative Council opened
its day-long inspection of the county
with a visit to the Edelen Bros.
Warehouse in Upper Marlboro,
where they were able to contrast
the sale of loose-leaf tobacco in
Southern Maryland with the Balti-
more marketing system.
Inspect Maryland U.
After their conference with the
county officials, they were invited
to the home of Representative Sass
GER. During the afternoon, they
drove to College Park for an inspec-
ton of the University of Maryland,
dilu idot IllSllC CllCy WCiC CIlUCl Gdlllcu
by the Prince Georges County XII
wants Club at a banquet in the
Prince Georges Golf and Country
Club.
At the banquet they were ad-
dressed by Frank M. Hall, Upper
Marlboro attorney and president Of
the Marlboro Tobacco Market, on
problems confronting the Southern
Maryland tobacco grower.
All State Senators on the council
were present yesterday-Wilmer F.
Davis, Philip H. Dorsey, jr; Frank ..
Flynn, John B. Funk, Emanuel Cor
fine, Robert B. Kimble and Dudley
G. Fee.
Thomas E. Conlon, speaker of t.
House, is vice chairman of the coun-
Gil and presiding officer. He headed
the group from the House of Dele
gates, which included John S. White,
majority floor leader of the House
and Prince Georges County repre-
sentative; John c. Luber, James B.
Monroe, Milton Tolle and Harry I.
Warren.