Evening star., 1943-01-02
Senators
Indicate Opposition 10
War Council Bill
Baltimore Newspaper
Fails to Find Bucker
Among l9 Queried
BY the Associated Press,


BALTIMORE, Jan. 2-The Bal
timore Sun predicted today that,
unless majority of Maryland's S
State Senators change their minds,
the proposal to create a war council
with power to suspend laws and
seize property in an emergency
never will be enacted.
Not one of 10 Senators oues-
toned expressed unreserved ap-
proval for the measure, the Sun
said. There are % members in the
Senate, which convenes January 6
along with the House of Delegates
at Annapolis.
The newspaper added that the
majority of those asked for their
opinion expressed opposition to any
such grant of powers to council or
the Governor, and that there was
general agreement that such legis-
latlon was unnecessary.
Brice Indicates Opposition.
Nearly all of them pointed out
that the Legislature now is on a
salarled basis and could be called
INTO special session at a nominal
cost and others said the fact that
Gov. O'Conor has not found a spe-
clal session necessary thus far in
the war weighed heavily with them
Among those encounted as lined
up against the bill was Senate
President Arthur H. Brice, Demo-
erat, of Kentucky, who commented
1 am really not familiar with
the proposed legislation in all its
details, but 1 do know that the
general sentiment of the people is
definitely against it, both in the
city and over here in the country
Three out Of every five I have
talked to are against it. If the
people in general are against it, as
their representative I will oppose
it,"
Only three Senators said they
wished to reserve comment until
they learned more about the pro-
pcsal, the Sun continued, identi.
Tying these legislators as Wilmer
G. Carter, Demomrat, of Baltimore
City; Thomas F. johnson, Demo.
crat, of Worcester, and Senator.
elect Horace H. Bowling, Republi.
can, OF St. Marys.
Many Opposed.
Those who expressed opposition tt
the measure, on which the State
Legislative Council declined tc
make any recommendation, were
listed by the Sun as:
Senator-elect S. P. Campbell. jr.
Senator-elect E. Milton Altfeld
Senator-elect Joseph r. Byrne
and Senator George w. Della. al
Democrats of Baltimore City: Sen
ator-elect Wilbur R. Dulin, Demo
crat, Of Anne Arundel; Senator Ear
A. Shipley, Republican, of Carroll
Senator Joseph A. Wilmer. Repub.
lican, of Charles; Senator Earl Ben.
nett, Democrat, of Dorchester; Sen.
ator John B. Funk. Democrat, o1
Frederick; Senator-elect Bernard j
Gonder, Democrat, of Garrett; Sem
ator j. Wilmer Cronin, Democrat, OF
Hartford; Senator Brice, Senator
elect Joseph M. George, Democrat
OF Queen Annes; Senator Ellwood
DIE, Republican, of Somerset, and
Senator A. Raymond Marvey, Dem
ocrat, of Talbot.
The program Of the Bond Com
mission, proposing reorganization of
the Maryland Court of Appeals and
the courts and the clerks offices of
Baltimore City, will, several legis-
lators said, run the War Council
bill a close second for legislative
controversy 'honors."
The idea for the war council bill
was proposed by the Drafting Com
mittee of the National Council of
State Governments. of which Gov
OConor is president.
Meanwhile, party leaders reached
a tentative agreement yesterday tc
postpone the opening of the new
legislative session Wednesday from
the traditional hour of noon unit
night.
Likewise, if present plans gt
through, leaders said, the CUSTOMARY
caucuses of the Democrat and tht
Republican legislators will be hele
Wednesday, instead of Tuesday
night.
They explained that these shifts
would ease problems of travel re-
strictions for the legislators, ano
administration leaders said the
changes were almost sure to take
place.
Gov. O'Conor is expected to ad-
dress the first session on the con-
dition of the State. On January 13
Immediately after his formal in
auguration for a second term, he
will deliver his budget message te
the General Assembly.