Evening star., 1947-01-11
fractional Fight
Resound
In Annapolis
Only Two Bills Filed
In Lower House for
Nearby D. c. Areas
By J. B. zatmon
Stur StoH Ccyrespondent

By ]. B. Zatmon
stur stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Jan. 11.-With
echoes Of q bitter factional fight
between Baltimore City delegates
still ringing in their ears, members
Of the General Assembly today
looked forward to a resumption OF
legislative business Monday night
Only two bills affecting Maryland
areas close to Washington were in
troduced yesterday, both in the
House.
One by the Prince Georges County
delegation authorizes the Mayor
and Council of University Park to
borrow not more than 5000 for
municipal Improvements and to
increase the town tax rate from
rs cents per 500 property valuation
to maximum of so cents to pay
off the indebtedness.
The other measure, put forward
by John F. McNulty, Democrat, OF
Anne Arundel County. prohibits the
establishment of hog pens within
less than 300 feet from public
highway or home. Both bills were
referred to the respective county
delegations.
Chair Fight Reaches Floor.
The fight over appointment of a
chairman of the Baltimore dele
cation was brought to the floor OF
the. House when Anthony Di Do
menico, Democrat, of the Enc
Baltimore district asked House
Speaker c. Ferdinand Sybert, Dem
ocrat, of Howard County, to name
a temporary chairman.
He said the comparative strength
of the opposing sides in the dele
CATION was almost evenly divided
and asked that the vote be put of
until the Seth member of the dele
cation, Charles G. Griffin, Demo-
crat, of the 9Th district, who is i'll,
can attend
The request was imme ediately op-
posed by other members Of the dele
cation, who jumped to their feet to
demand the delegation be left alone
to settle its own difficulties.
Francis x. Dippel, Democrat, of
the 9Th Baltimore district, charged
he has been unable to do anything
constructive" for his constituents
or for the State because the. delega-
tion has been playing politics" since
the Legislature met January l.
Sees "Sitdown Strike"
Jerome Robinson, Democrat, of
the 4th Baltimore district who sup
ported Mr.. Di Domenico, accused
members of the opposing faction
with staging a sitdown strike
against Baltimore, the Legislature
and the State"
Other speakers entered the verbal
melee until the House was ringing
with charges and counter charges
Finally Speaker Sybert named
Charles F. Argabright, Democrat
of the Fifth Baltimore District, as
temporary chairman of the city
delegation.
When the House adjourned, Mr.
Argabright called an immediate
meeting of the city group. Tho
meeting was informal, however, with
Mr.. Argabright Expressing the opina
ion he thought it unfair to trans
act business without the full MEM
bership. He announced the dele
cation will meet again Monday.
After Mr.. Argabright, accom-
panied by his supporters, left the
meeting, an opposing group Of is
members voted for j. Raymond
Burlington, jr., Democrat, of the
Third District as chairman of the
delegation, thus refusing the issue
further
Mr.. Argabright and his forces
claimed that the delegation could
not act officially without chair
man and that the Burlington cleo
ton was illegal. The opposing fac
ton argued, however, the election
was by valid majority and would
stand.
Plans Emergency Bills.
Meanwhile, Senator Daniel Ellison
Democrat, of the Fourth Baltimore
District, announced he will Offer
emergency legislation to set up q
State rent control agency to pro-
tect Maryland tenants, in the event
of sudden elimination of Federal
rent controls.
Declaring he has been alarmed
over the recent attacks in Congress
on national rent regulations, Sena-
tor Ellison asserted: 1.-THE drop
ping of rent controls now would be
major catastrophe in the State
There are plenty of landlords who
would double, triple and even quad
ruple the rents they are now
charging"
He said he enyisioned a law along
the lines of those in the District
and New York, under which, ten
ants and landlords would be free at
all times to appear before State
regulatory body and plead their
cases..
He emphasized that such law
would not stay on the books in
definitely but would oe relaxed OF
repealed as soon as home construc-
tion caught up with demand He
estimated this might be as long as