Evening star., 1943-03-24
State Senate
Approves Bill
ToAIterC Courts
Maryland House Votes
Compromise Report on
Fish Net Measure
By the Associated Press.

Bythe Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, March "a. - The
court reorganization bill. which oc-
cupied Senate attention for nearly
a week, finally was passed last night
by vote of 10 to 10 and sent on to
the House of Delegates.
The approving vote, one more than
thre three-flfths majority needed for
passage of the measure to submit
constitutional amendment to the
voters. ended bitter fight which
split party lines. jammed up the
legislative calendar and precipi-
tated stormy sessions almost daily
In the Senate.
The House of Delegates also ap-
parently cleared away an obstacle
which had held up business for sew
eral days, adopting a compromise
report of the Fish and Game Com
mittee on the disputed bill relaxing
regulations on issuance of net
licenses for Chesapeake Bay fisher
men.
Fish Net Vote Near.
The measure was expected to be
put to vote today or tomorrow,
Both factions said they had made
concessions they disliked because
they wished to reach an agreement
before jamming up the calendar still
further
That the Senate would approve
the court reorganization measure
became evident yesterday when
Senator James j. Lindsay, Demo-
crat, of Baltimore, leader of the
opposition forces, announced he
would vote for the measure although
still opposed to it in principle.
In prepared statement. Mr
Lindsay said:
Il feel that further voting against
the adoption of the bill on third
reading would be In contravention
of the Democratic principle of ma
jority rule
Il shall vote for the bill on third
reading-not because am in favor
of it, but because. as a Democrat,
feel that I should abide by the
will of the majority and submit this
matter to the people of Maryland
for their decision"
He asserted, however, that when
the issue goes to the voters in the
election of November, 1914. My
voice will be raised as vigorously
against the adoption of the amend
rnent as it has been raised in the
Senate.
Sees No Change Needed.
II have as vet heard no argu-
ment or sound reason advanced that
convinces me that change in our
judicial. setup is needed or neces-
sary," he said. 4a ''
Mr.. Lindsay said he had made his
decision because the measure had
obtained simple majority in every
vote taken in the Senate and he
doubted, therefore, whether he
should continue his efforts in op-
position.
A hree-fifths majority was
needed because the measure calls
for constitutional amendment.
1t would refer to the electorate
the question of whether or not the
appellate court should be reduced
from eight members to five, with
the five judges relieved of trial
court work.
Under the terms of compro-
mise amendment adopted last week,
three Judges would be selected from
the counties, one from each of three
judicial districts. The other two
would come from Baltimore city
During an Afternoon session, the
Senate received q new bills and
acted finally on "a measures. most
of them local.
House Passes 20 Bills.
At long night session, the House
passed 20 bills. mostly minor local
legislation.
A measure separating the Game
and Inland Fish Commission from
the Tidewater Fisheries Commission
was passed without debate This bill,
approved previously by the Senate,
now goes to the Governor.
Among the amendments made to
the fish nets bill in committee was
one which would provide that the
Tidewater Fisheries Commission
could issue up to 800 licenses for
commercial fishing-the same num-
ber as were issued In 1912
Bills introduced at the afternoon
session included those to permit the
controller to attach lien on wages
of persons failing TO pay State in
come taxes and to create a State
wide electrical administrative board
of seven members to be appointed by
the Governor.
The board would examine qualifi-
cations OF persons working as master
electricians would repeal certain
local laws dealing with the subject
and provide regulations for wiring
and installing electrical devices.
Although finally passed, the court
reorganization bill drew fire from
opponents again last night,
Chief oppositionists were Senators
Joseph A. Wilmer, Republican. OF
Charles: James w Hughes, Demo-
crat, Of Cecil, L. Harold Sothoron
Democrat. OF Prince Georges. J
Wilmer Cronin, Democrat. Of Har.
ford. and Wilmer Fell Davis. Repub-