Evening star., 1943-01-07
200 Bills Ready
For. Attention
0fLeeis|ature
Gov. O'Conor Warns
Maryland Assembly
OF Challenge Ahead
BY the Associated Press.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Jan. with
the formalities virtually at an end.
the General Assembly today settled
down to the business of the session
with approximately 200 bills ready
for immediate attention.
Warned by Gov OConor that the
years Immediately ahead will chal-
lenge all the ingenuity we possess, "
the legislators were to be summoned
into session at noon.
Committees were to be named by
Senate President Arthur H. Brice
Of Kent, and Speaker of the House
Thomas E. Conlon of Baltimore,
when the session opened, and an
unprecedented number of new bills
await considera ion.
Slated for appointment to the
chairmanship of the House Ways
and Means Committee was Delegate
John S. White of Prince Georges
County, named ma jority floor leader
by the Democra. in caucus yester-
day.
Senator James S. Lindsay of Bal
timore County was expected to be-
come Senate Finance Committee
chairman. taking up the duties held
in the l94l session by Senator G..
Dudley Roe, Queen Annes Demo-
crat, who did not seek reelection.
The Senate Democratic caucus
named Senator Lindsay as Senate
majority leader.
Bills Ready for Action.
Speaker Conlon, as acting chair
man of the Legislative Council, said
that body had 200 bills ready for
introduction-l00 in the Senate and
100 in the House.
The council. authorized by the
1899 Legislature. had ITO bills ready
for introduction when the l94l Leg
islature convened
Many of the measures, such as
one which would reduce the legal
highway sped limit to 35 miles an
hour, were the direct result of the
war into which the country was
plunged months after the l94l As
Sembly had adjourned
In addition to the 200 Legislative
Council bills, all of which were pre-
pared after extensive hearings. there
was possibility that there might
be few individual measures ready
for introduc ion.
The measure which stirred the
most pre- Assembly controversy-the
war council meaSure-WaS not4 eX-
pected to be introduced for some
time, since the legislative, Coancil
refused to indorse it..
T1ssg bill, prepared BY a special
comn1Atee on legislation for the
State Council of Defense, would give
Gov, O'Conor and an appointed
council the authority to yea aside
any Maryland law deemed obstruc-
tive to- the war effort.
Some legislators said they saw in
one statement in the Governors
report to the Legislature an indica-
ton that the admnistl a ton would
not support the measure. In his
opening speech, Gov. O'Conor said:
The unmatched system SGch as
we enjoy, is founded upon the es-
sential that the laWmaking branch
shall be equally potent and supreme
as the Judiciary and the executive
In their respective departments"
Comment Declined.
Asked about the statement later.
Gov. OConor said he had the war
council bill in mind, but declined
to comment further. adding 1T is
too early in the session to discuss
any particular bill or proposed bill"
The opening of the session yester-
day went off rs scheduled, although
somewhat behind time The Senate
as had been predicted chose Sena-
tor Brlce tCr third term as Presi-
dent, and the House renamed Mr..
Conlon Speaker.
The elections of Senator Brlce
and Delegate Con.on automatically
resulted in the selection OF the de-
feated Republican candidates-Sen-
atorJ Wilmer Fell Davis of Caroline
and Delegate j. Milton Dick OF Ale
gany--as floor leaders of the MI
nority party.
Speaker Ccnlon, in brief accept
ance talk, said he was "doubly ap-
prcciative of the honor - y because
it is the first time in over l20 years
that Speaker has served for three
consecutive regular se3-ions, and he
cause my Reelection today was by
practically new Eouse."
Senator Rrice thanked his COL
leagues fer his reelection and ap-
p eled fer harmonious session.
After the actual vote on the choice
OF the two chamber heads, Repub-
licsns moved that their elections be
made unanimous, and this was done
). Senate HonOrs Request.
The Senate honored a Republican
request that all members of the
minority party be seated together
after attaches. for the first time in
modern history. had arranged for
Democrats and Republicans to be
seated without regard to party.
Minority Leader Dick hoped that
thegsame arrangement would be ef-
fccted In the House.
The Republicans also named a
Joint Caucus" Committee, headed
by Senator Robert B. Kimble of
Allsgany. Senator Kimble announced
that the veteran J. Frank Parran of
Calvert would be Senate caucus
chairman and Delegate James B.
Monroe of Charles would hold the
same title in the House.
Mrs. Lulu w. Boucher. Allegany
delegate. was named secretary of
the joint caucus Senator Kimble
said the committee had been set up
so that the Republican members of
thes Assembly could meet to decide
on part policy at any time during
thes9o-day session
Prior to the elections. Delegate
Charles Carroll jr.. OF Howard, was