Evening star., 1947-02-15
New Bill Asks
Hatch Act for
Resolution Requests
Highway Extension
To RundIe Cliff
BY J. b. Zotmon
Sfar Stnff cerraspondent

BY J. B. Zotmon
sser ssaff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Feb. ia bill
amending the Montgomery County
merit system law and providing for
"a three-member civil service COM
mission is before the Senate.
The measure, similar to the Fed
eral Hatch Act, was introduced yes
terday by Senator Roy Tasco Davis,
Republican, of Montgomery County.
Also submitted in the Senate was
a resolution by Senator Louis L.
Goldstein, Democrat, D.. of Calvert
County, requesting the Federal Gov
ernment to extend the military
highway from its present terminus
at the Marlboro pike in Prince
Georges County to Randle Cliff near
Chesapeake Beach.
Junior Bill Help Up.
The Senate passed three measures
affecting Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties and sent them to
the Governor, but deferred final
action on the controversial women's
jury service bill, pending a formal
opinion from the Attorney Generals
Office on its constitutionality.
In the House, the Prince Georges
County delegation submitted bill
extending the area served by the
washingtoe Suburban Sanitary
Commission.
Included would be part of the Park
Land subdivision, all of the Oxon
Hill election district north of st.
Barnabas Church road, part of Sea-
brook, triangular section of land
between Forestville and Central ave-
nue., all in Prince Georges County,
and White Oak and part of Cath
ersburg in Montgomery County.
At the same time, members OF
the Montgomery County delegation
said they are drafting resolution
requesting the State Roads Com
mission to take over the entire por-
ton of the East-West highway
within the corporate limits OF Ia
koma Park.
They said part of the highway
is maintained by the town and the
remainder by the commission.
Repairs Involved.
Takoma Park officials have noti-
fled the delegation the commission
has refused to take over the towns
section of the highway until it is
repaired. They explained the work
would cost about $4,000 and that
the municipality is unable to as
sumo such a financial burden.
Under the merit system bill, not
more than two of the three men,
bers comprising the proposed civil
service commission in the county
could belong to the same political
party.
Each of the members would re-
ceive $500 a year and would be ap-
pointed by the county commission
ers. The commission would name a
personnel officer, whose salary would
be fixed by the county commits
sioners.
At present, the county civil serv-
Il ice system has only one commits
sioner, 10 V. Morgan, who receives
$4,000 a year.
Curtails Political Activity. z
The bill also provides that any
employe covered by the merit sys-
tenn shall not participate actively
in politics either as q candidate
or as a party worker.
Under another provision, the
names of all persons qualifying fol
a position shall be submitted tc
the appointing officer together with
the grades they made in the ex-
animation for the post. This is not
done under the present setup, ac'
cording to Senator Davis.
Senator Goldstein, in his resolu'
ton, pointed out that extension o1
the military highway would make
beaches in the Chesapeake Bay ares
more accessible to an estimated g.
600, 900 persons living in Southern
maryland, Washington and Balti.
more. The resolution was referred
to the Federal Relations Committee
The motion to postpone final ac'
ton on the bill qualifying womer
for service on Maryland juries wa:
made by Senator William P. Bolton
Democrat, of Baltimore County.
English Law Cited.
Some question as to the bills con.
lstitutionality had arisen earlier this
week when the measure was amend
ed to exempt 10 counties.
Although the Attorney Generals
Office has informally expressed the
opinion the exemptions did not in
validate the bill, Senator George w
Bella, Democrat, of the 9th Bal
timore district, yesterday questioned
it's constitutionality on another
ground. He said the Maryland jury
law was patterned after the English
law, which made no mention Of
women jurors.
One of the Prince Georges County
bills which received Senate ap'
proval increases the motor vehical'
transfer clerks salary from $4,000 tt
s., 500 year. Another provides for
similar increase for the county
transfer clerk.
The Montgomery County bill
passed by the Senate legalizes the
1947 recodification of county laws.
Church Speaker Named