Evening star., 1943-01-06
Legislature
Ready for Work
::AtAnnapo|is
i
! Hard Fight Seen
! On Bill Granting
!. O'Conor Wide Power
n the Associated Press


into session today for the first tim,
since Pearl Harbor, with both Demo
cratic and Republican members pre-
pared to get down to business i'm
Notwithstanding new in tn
Assembly's recent history.
Party lines, as strong as usual OF
internal issues of the State, are ex
pected to be fainter than ever be-
lore on war measures.
Republicans, who caucused her,
last night to map their strategy ant
pick their leaders in the House ant
Senate, pledged support to al
proper" legislation submitted b,
the Maryland Council of Defense.
However, they voiced vigorous op
position to the proposed war coun
cil'' bill which would give Gov
O'Conor sweeping emergency pow
srs, some of which would be subjec
to the approval of seven-man wa
council.
The Democrats broke tradition
and caucused today.
Committees Being Named.
Delegate Thomas E. Conlon o.
Baltimore and State Senator Arthur
H. Brice of Kent, slated to succeed
themselves as Speaker of the HOUSE
and president of the Senate, re.
spectively, both said they woule
have all House and Senate commit
tees chosen by late tonight or to-
morrow morning.
Mr. Conlon, who is also chairman
OF the Legislative Council, sale
about 100 bills would be presented
in the Senate tomorrow and ap-
proximately the same number woulc
be brought up in the House at the
same time, so that they might be
referred to committees for imme-
diate action.
Gov. O'Conor was expected to ad-
dress the legislators shortly after
the formal convocati ton at noon.
Senator Wilmer Fell Davis, Caro-
line County Republican, Senate mi
nority leader at the 1941 session, was
again chosen for that post.
Likewise, J. Milton Dick of Allie
eany County will succeed himself
as House minority leader.
The War Council bill, about which
debate has been raging for the last
two weeks, appears TO be the measure
over which most controversy will
arise during the session.
Republican State Chairman Galen
L. TAFT characterized the measure
last night as an unnecessary revo-
lutionary and unconstitutional bill
Other important questions, some
OF which are among the more than
ITO bills already prepared and
printed by the Legislative Council,
due to be acted on. are:
An emergency bill establishing an
official 35-mile- hour speed limit
on Maryland highways.
Court Reorganization Urged.
The Bond Commission report.
which urges reorganization of the
Court of Appeals and changes in the
court system of Baltimore.
The question of what to do with
the mounting State treasury surplus,
now approximately s10,00O,00O.
Action on Gov. O'Conors pledge
of Is per cent reduction in State
taxes.
Many other bills which seek to
revise bills passed at other legis-
lative sessions.
The question of further restric-
tions on the sale of intoxicants.
There were 80 new faces in the
Legislature as it convened today-14
in the Senate and IS in the House.
Democrats hold 20 of the 20 SEN
ate seats and there are 101 House
Democrats and % Republicans. Dur
ing the 194l session Democrats held
% Senate and 104 House seats.
The Republican caucus also voted
to seek abolition or suspension for
two years of the State income tax
Mr.. TAFT called Gov. O'Conor's prom
ice of a Is per cent cut in the levy
mere unneeded political tribute
and said lit is high time we end or
suspend it."
The COP chairman said the State
surplus could be used within the
normally paid out of income tax
revenue.
In the event the income tax law
Is not repealed, he continued, it
should be amended to permit credit
allowances for the payment of Fed
eral income taxes; for the taxing
of low unearned incomes on the
same basis as earned incomes; and
to permit a pay -as-yau-go collection
similar to the Ruml plan advanced
for Federal taxes.
The platform also called for the
abolition of the tax on real estate
and personal property, including
automobiles.
III Advocates State Roads.
The Republican leader advocated
the building of State roads adequate
TO H the war effort, and urged the
eppointment by the Assembly of a
bilpartisan commission Ito ascertain
.wiiy-unless entirely due to labor
Or material shortages - practically
no roads have been built during
y00 dQIIllIllSJI dtlOll, dllu dSSSA aAAA6
to the chairman of the Estate roads,
commission none proposed for the
next three years
Mr.. TAFT said this commission
should also be empowered to elm
iaate "all unnecessary employees
appointed by the present admins
tration," and to cut down or elm
i1lase "all unneeded appropriations,
expenditures and taxes
Other planks in the Republican
piatform as outlined by Mr.. TAFT
plsdeed the legislators to work for:
Recognition of the Republican
Party on all war boards.
iThe principle of State rights as
opposed to bureaucratic encroach-
meiits.
sound national and international
poGt- war reconstruction.
Illumination Of regimentation. new
social experiments, civil extrava-
Ra1ice, red tape, excessive question:
naires and unreasonable rationing
regulations.
More help to civilian defense Or
PLANTATIONS.
Careful consideration Of the Bond