Evening star., 1943-02-26
Work-or-Fight' Bill
For Montgomery
Offered in Assembly
81 1,00O, 900 Bond Issue
Asked for Water System
In Two Counties

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 26.-A work
or-fght" bill for Montgomery County
was introduced in the House of Dele
gates yesterday by the county dele
CATION. with all indications 1t would
meet approval, since the House al
ready has passed three similar meas
ureS.
The bill. identical to a Talbot
County measure now before the
Governor for his signature, provides
that all males over 16 years must be
"usefully employed every working
day while a state Of war exists.
The work or fight" bill does not
affect students, according to county
officials. They explained that the
measure is aimed at men deferred
from duty in the armed forces WHO
are not working. but are capable OF
holding down jobs in war Industries.
A 500 fine or 80 days in jail may
be imposed against persons refusing
to take Jobs. while a second such re-
fusal carries a penalty of $1,000 or
one year in Jail.
Persons on strike or i'll would be
exempt.
Delegate Ben G. Wilkinson, ir.,
Democrat, Of Montgomery explained
that the bill would help solve the
transient labor problem. Mr.. WIKI
inson and Delegate Ulysses Griffith,
", Democrat, of Montgomery have
sponsored an identical bill for the
entire State, which now Is being
considered by the judiciary Com
nittee.
Wicomico and Queen Annes
County work or fight bills were
passed yesterday by the House and
sent to the Senate.
Water Bill Offered.
A bill authorizing the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission to
issue bonds in the sum OF 81 100000
to complete water supply system
serving Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties also was introduced
in the House.
The bill was one of six sponsored
Jointly by the Prince Georges ana
Montgomery delegations dealing with
the Suburban Sanitary Commission.
Delegate James w. Gill, Demo-
rrat, of Montgomery explained that
the Legislature in 194l authorized
$4,000. 900 bond issue for the aug
mented water supply system, but
that funds are almost gone and ad-
ditional work is necessary.
Other Bills offered.
These funds were used to acquire
lands. build a dam and pertinent
structures now almost completed,
along with a hydroelectric plant
Water would be impounded at
Brighton Reservoir, fed down the
Patuxent River to point above
Laurel, and then to the Burnt Mills
filtration plant, Mr.. Gill said.
The other Suburban Commission
bills would permit collection OF
sewer service charge, permit the
Governor to fill vacancies on the
commission, permit collection OF
water charges from State, county
and other municipal buildings, pro-
vide for levying and collecting OF
charges for maintenance Of storm
water or surface drainage system
and to authorize regulations for in
stallation of gas fixtures and equip
ment
Another bill affecting Montgom-
cry County introduced in the Senate
by Senator Thomas E. Hampton,
would give police officials authority
to detain Juvenile offenders In spe-
cial detention rooms in the county
Jail at Rockville.
While such a procedure Is fol-
lowed for boys, officials said there
was some doubt as to the legality
of keeping girls there.
Gas Installation Bill.
The bill authorizing the Suburban
Sanitary Commission to adopt reg
ulations governing all gas installa-
tions in the MarylandW shington
Metropolitan District has been urged
by both the Prince Georges Com
missioners and by a special COM
mittee appointed by the Montgom-
cry County Board in an attempt to
prevent fatalities due to gas leakage
in homes.
-wo persons have lost their lives
In Prince Georges County in the last
two months due 10 gas leaks in their
homes while three such deaths were
reported in Montgomery County last
November.
AT present there is no building
code dealing with gas installations
in the two nearby Maryland counties
and inspections are made only by
the gas company.
Violators of the code, it was pro-
vided, would be fined not more than
$l00 or be sentenced to serve not
more than 30 days in jail, or both.
Another bill, also introduced in
the House, provides for tax levy
on certain precincts of the county
for the maintenance of the public
library in Silver Spring The orig
inal tax affected the second, fifth
and seventh precincts Since then,
however, these three precincts have
been divided into additional ones
and the bill is designed TO take in
these additional precincts.