Evening star., 1943-03-17
Assemb|yFa
Bitter Fights
On Two Bills
Net Fishing, Court
Issues Occupy
Maryland Assembly
b. the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, March 1.-Two OF
the most-argued pieces of legisla-
ton to come before the Maryland
General Assembly this session, the
court reorganization bill and the
measure to relax regulations govern
ing commercial net fishing, bobbed
up again today.
The fish nets measure was up for
passage in the House of Delegates
last night, but final action was de-
ferred until today. The measure
would remove restrictions on the
number of licensed fishermen and
on the number and types Of nets
used
Meantime, Chairman Joseph R.
Byrnes of the Senate Judicial Pro-
ceedings Committee said his COM
mittee would begin debate today on
the court bill. which was recon-
mitted to it by the Senate last week.
The bill would reduce the number
OF Court of Appeals judges, restrict
them to appellate work only and
make numerous other readjustments
VI COuI 10 Ill lle 0tdIe.
May Force Bill Out.
Most observers said they believed
the administration would produce
enough strength to bring the bill
out of committee again today and
prepare it for debate before the full
chamber tomorrow-barring further
surprise moves by the opposition.
The Senate, at yesterdays ses-
sion, had % new bills introduced
and passed as with little debate.
The only measure that brought any
strong opposition was the bill to
permit inmates of State penal insti-
tutions to work on farms, in can
neries and the seafood industry.
Senator Robert B. Kimble, Re-
publican, of Allegany called it the
most damnable bill" introduced dur
ing his experience in the Senate,
but when put to a vote it passed,
20 to 5, and went on to the House.
The House, in it's first special
night session of the current meet
ing, passed 35 bills and received %
others during the afternoon.
Work or Fight" Bill.
A work or fight" bill for IL
counties was up for final action in
the House, but was returned to COM
mittee when Baltimore County asked
to be included.
Already included had been Caro-
line, st. Marys, Somerset. Kent,
Worcester, Wicomico. Anne Arundel,
Cecil, Hartford. Queen Annes, Mont
gomery and Dorchester Counties.
One measure passed by the House
would raise pensions Of elected Cir
cult Court and Court Of Appeals
judges.
Even though 1t was eventually
laid aside for action today, the
fishing industry measure occupied
much of the House spotlight yester-
day.
A letter from Glenn l.. Martin,
president of the aircraft company.
was distributed to all members. In
it, he opposed the measure to lower
restrictions governing the fishing
industry with the comment that it
would have serious detrimental
effect on the fishing industry of the
State and would further deplete an
already low brood stock" in the
Bay and its tributaries.
Ickes Joins Opposition.
Accompanying the Martin letter
was one from Secretary of the In
terror Ickes, in which he also voiced
opposition to the measure. Mr..
Ickes' message had been sent to Mr..
Martin in response to a request for
an opinion
Most of the % bills introduced in
the House were local in character.
Thirty-one of the IS measures
passed by the Senate were also local
and most of the general interest
measures were relatively unimpor-
tant. The Senate received % bills.
A measure scheduled to come up
for debate in the Senate today was
a tax sales bill, sponsored by the
Legislative Council and reported
favorabfy by the Judicial Proceed
lngs Committee. 1t would make tax
sales procedure uniform in the va
rlOus counties.
Senators Arthur H. Brice, Demo-
crat, OF Kent; Wilmer c. Carter,
Democrat, Of Baltimore; Wilmer
Fell Davis. Republican, of Caroline,
and John B. Funk, Democrat, of
Frederick introduced a resolution
asking Gov. O'Conor to include s5O,-
900 in his supplemental budget for