Evening star., 1947-03-25
MARYLAND House Group Asks Law
Votes Sales Tax For New Levies
After Bitter Fight In Montgomery
Bill Goes TO Senate
After Passing, 73-47;
Pressure Charged
By the Assoeiofed Press

BY the Assoeiofed Press
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 25.-The scene
Of the no-quarter fight over a sales
tax, with the State administration
holding the edge after a remarkable
comeback, shifted to the Maryland
Senate today.
The % Senators will battle again
on the levy sought by Gov. Lane who
estimates it will bring in s18,400,000
year.
Last night the House of Delegates
reversed it's stand and passed by a
73-to-47 vote the per cent sales
tax. after rejecting it IS to 81 last
Saturday.
Gov. Lane had insisted the pro-
gram must be approved to carry out
the States health, school and roads
program, but the House did not give
1t favorable vote last night until
after bitter accusations of admins
tration pressure and equally as Bit
ter denials.
Before passage was achieved IN
the House, opponent after opponent
arose on the floor to charge pres
sure" was exerted by the admins
tration and that legislators had
sold out"
Amendment Approved.
Proponents replied with accusa-
tions of deliberate lies" poor
sports" and scandal mongers."
. Before moving the legislation back
to the Senate the delegates ap-
proved an amendment by Delegate
Newcomer, Republican, of Wash
ington County to permit the State
controller, wherever practicable, to
use tax tokens or prepaid receipts
In the collection system.
The bill before the Senate would
exempt from the tax foods sold for
off -the-premise consumption feed.
livestock, governmental sales and
such other items as gasoline and
amusement now taxed.
Republican ranks in the House
were split on the reconsideration Of
the tax bill. Sixteen members of
the minority party voted to recon-
slider, while seven were in favor OF
the bill Saturday. Several Demo-
Gratis also shifted.
Delegate See, Republican, of Allie
gany County, a blind member OF
the Assembly, brought the debate
to head during the afternoon with
the contention that sales tax sup
porters were seeking to beat him
Into submission"
Mr.. See asserted that an admin
istration spokesman called his su-
periors in the Maryland Workshop
for the Blind and said that if the
tax plan failed the workshop might
have insufficient funds for its op-
Grafton
Three Change Votes.
Delegate Stronger, Democrat, of
Anne Arundel County, started the
showdown last night by asking for
reconsideration of the Saturday
vote. He was one of three who
changed votes at the time to be
in a position to bring about such
move.
Delegate Burlington, Democrat. of
Baltimore, one of the most bitter
critics of the sales levy. shouted that
some delegates had sold out their
fellow members of the House and
the people they represent by promises
of Jobs or threats of loss of jobs. "
More than half of the House
membership joined in the debate
before it was concluded.
During the day Louis j. ODon-
nell, assistant to the Governor,
identified himself as the administra-
ton spokesman to whom Mr.. See
referred, but Mr.. O'Donnell said
there was no threat implied in his
conversation with officials of the
Workshop for the Blind.
Explains Conversation.
Mr.. ODonnell said he had merely
told officials that unless the sales tax
were approved, there would be no
revenues for many State functions,
including work for the blind.
Mr.. O'Donnell added that in a
telephone conversation with John
Schilpp, chairman Of the board of
the workshop Mr.. Schilpp said he
had not told Delegate See the ad-
ministration was making threat.
Delegate Tawney, Democrat, OF
Baltimore announced he would ask
for a budget amendment to elm
mate Mr.. O'Donnells salary.
While the House was occupied
with the taxation iss le, the Senate
went through routine session,
passing IS bills and advancing to
the passage stage one to create a
commission to coordinate stream
pollution control.
AS amended after debate, the
pollution bill provides that the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission would not be required
to pay more than S250,000 annually
toward keeping streams and rivers
free OF pollution.
Oyster Bill Approved.
In the Senate, the Chesapeake
Bav and Tributaries Committee ap-
proved a House bill which would
permit Virginians accused OF illegal
oystering in the Potomac River to
be tried in Maryland courts.
The measure, introduced in the
House by the ST. Marys and Charles
County delegations, was identical
with one which precipitated a con-
troversy in which Gov. Tuck OF Vir-
ginia intervened and asked Gov.
Lane to try to forestall action.
The earlier bill finally was passed
In a way which would permit Mary
land to conflscate boats of Virginia
violators but would turn the law
breakers back to Virginia courts for
trial.
This measure was sent to the
Governor, but he has not yet
signed it.