Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-20
Guard
Draft Bill Hits
Legislative Snag
Brings First indication
Of Revolt Against
Administration Chiefs
By the Associated Press,

Administration Chiefs
BY the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 20.-An admin
istration bill to give the Governor
power to draft Marylanders OF any
age for the State guard was before
the Legislature today amid the first
signs Of legislative grumbling
against the administration leader
ship.
The draft provision was contained
IN bill which technically would
substitute number Of sections of
the State Militia Law. However,
Deputy Attorney General Hall Ham
mond said the Governor already had
the right to draft men between the
ages of 10 and IS under the Militia
Act, adding that the new bill would
make the right more explicit"
Mr.. Hammond said he prepared
the bill to put into legal form the
recommendations of Maj. Gen. Mil
ton A. Reckord, commander Of the
Bird Service Command; Brig. Gen.
Dwight H. Mohr, commander of the
State guard, and Brig. Gen. Francis
Petrott, adjutant general.
Lindsay Introduces Bill.
Senate Majority Leader James j.
Lindsay introduced the bill in the
Senate yesterday but disclaimed any
interest in it, saying he was not ia
miliar with the provisions and had
offered it at the request Of the ad-
ministration.
Gov. O'Conor said he did not
know the provisions of the bill and
Gen. Mohr said he had nothing to
do with the bill. Neither would
comment.
The draft provision was deep In
the text Of the bill. It said:
The Governor is authorized and
directed, under such regulations a.
ne deems proper, to order such
number of the male citizens of the
State, without regard to age, to
serve In the State Guard or the Re-
serve Militia minute Mem, and he
may, by regulations, prescribe the
duties to be performed by EACH"
The dissatisfaction with the adj
ministration leadership broke out
in the House of Delegates Yesterday
during consideration of q bill to
place more responsibility on minors
purchasing liquor.
Temperance Report Beaten.
The favorable report of the Tenn
perance Committee was beaten, II to-
81, by the House, but sponsors
forced the first roll call Of the ses-
sion and challenged the leadership
to showdown fight.
Delegate Bertram L. Boone II. of
Baltimore, hacker Of the bill, OBJ
jected to the opposition expressed by
Majority Leader John S. White. OF
Prince Georges.
Mr.. Boone said Mr.. White was
going to be knocked down as often
as he is supported and we may as
well spend few minutes more now
to settle this question. II the floor
leader wants to fight, he will get
it,
Il am perfectly willing to go into
this fight right now" Mr.. White re-
piled.
II am the floor leader" he con-
tinued, "of which am not boasting.
but represent the administration,
and you know that the Governor
vetoed this bill two years ago. If
you send this bill up to the Governor
again, it will get no further, because
he says this is bad bill"
Mr.. White asserted that "the tav-
ern keepers are riding pell nell back
to prohibition on this sort OF bill"
Provides 500 Fine
Sponsors Of the measure contend
ed that it would not tighten the re-
sponsibility of the tavern keeper.
The bill would provide a s10O fine for
minors convicted of falsifying their
age to purchase intoxicants.
The Senate had a much quieter
session yesterday, it received six
new bills and passed eight. Four
of those passed had been approved
by the lower House and now 60 to
the Governor.
One of the new bills, an admin
istration measure introduced by
Senator A. Raymond. Marvel of
Talbot. would authorize the Com
mission Of Tidewater Fisheries to
plant and transplant seed oysters
within the State.
Senator E. Milton Altfeld Of Balti-
more, introduced bill which would
place collection and administration
of the State income tax, as col
lected from corporations, under the
jurisdiction Of the State Tax Com
mission.
The Senate passed a Legislative
Council proposal offered by Presi-
dent Arthur H, Brice, to create a
commission authorized to make an
extensive study of the State regis
tration and election laws with
view toward eliminating duplica-
tons and clarifying the law.