Evening star., 1947-05-03
paTocIliaI School
Pupils Bus Bill
Studied BY Lane
Governor Presides
At Two Hour Heorine
On County Measure
Dy ckoTles A. MeAlss
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~ UUku 1Iu08 pcl03S 0cCkQ1nx WA0CQs
sr 10 Sign or veto . bill adopted, hy
he State legislature which would
3ermit Prince Georges County paro-
shial school pupils to ride county
Ichoo buses. t 1
The Governor, who heard more
Than two hours Of testimony for
md against the measure ct q pub
lic hearing yesterday In the state
House here, xlso was expected to,
consider 4 revenue bill affecting
Montgomery County at 4 hearinl
scheduled today.
The revenue bill, which WAS post
poned from yesterday, would en-.
power the county commissioners TO.
assume taxing powers similar 10
those exercised by the state. Testt-;
n1ony on similar measure for Bai-
timore City Is to be heard Of the
same time today,
Had Indicated Veto.
Gov. Lane previously had indi-
Gated his intention Of vetoinR the
revenue measures. The Montgom-
cry County hearing was requested
BY State Senator Roy Tasco Davis
and Delegate Anders r. Lofstrand,
both Republicans, OF that county.
Meanwhile. 1t was announced BY
the Governors ofilce that no hear
ing dates had been set yet in con.
nection with signing of another bill
to permit pari-mutuel betting on
midget auto races In Prince Georges
County or OF q second reyenus
measure authorizing the Moa1tgom.
cry County commissioners to- impose
, special tax Of not more than 5
per cent on rents.
II . hearing is to be held on the
auto racing bill 1t probably win be
on Tuesday, the Governors ONCE
reported. The American Automo.s
bile Association opposes the measure.
More than rs persons, most of
them residents Of Prince GEORGES
County, crowded the Senate cham.
bers yesterday to present their
views on the school bus oil.
Objections Voiced.
Principal objections voiced by 90.
ponerts were that It ,.yotild .4violste
the freedom Of the church and
State" and would constitute an aal-
hance" between the two.
The Rev. Roy H. Stetler, jr.. of
Cheverly, president Of the Prince
Georges County Ministerial Associa-
tion. said the bill, II signed. "wtIi
be the opening wedge for further
grants to come. !" u
Holtorl r. Small OF Hyattsville ds.
scribed the measure as "unscrupu.
lous and misleading adding .it
would require additional buses and
personnel to transport parochial
school students. s
Charles s. Longacre Of Takonna
Park, associate secretary of the Re-
ligious Liberty Association, told thu
Governor his group was opposed 10
all kinds Of State aid TO religious IN
stitutions, asserting I'VE cannot af-
ford to form agfinAncial ALLIANCES ofi
the church and State
Among others who protested were
Elder Russell Quackenbush. pastor
OF the Review and Herald Memorial
Seventh Day Adventist) Church.
Hyattsville, and Elmer E. Rogers Of
Washington, representative Of Dr.
Edgar Cordell Powers, inspector
general for the Supreme Council
OF the Scottish Rite Of Maryland.
Points to Other Counties.
Speaking on behalf Of the bill.
Il. Winship Wheatley, r., Of nv.
attsNlle, former States attorney az
Prince Georges County, pointed out
that six Maryland counties-Baiti.
more, Anne Arundel, st. Marys.
Frederick, Howard and Montgomery
Counties - already had similar
measures authorized for them bs
the Legislature In the past 10 wears.
Presenting one petition, contain.
ing more than 2,200 signatures, orig
inally submitted to the county legis-
lative delegation, and second, com.
piled since Wednesday night con.
sisting Of more than $500 names, Mr..
Wheatley added the issue also was
decided by the Maryland Court OF
Appeals in 1888 when 1t directed
Baltimore County to. transport paro-
chial school pupils.
Mr.. Wheatley explained the bill
reads, "all children of non-profit
schools in Prince Georges County
not receiving State aid are entitled
to transportation In buses estab.
lished by the County Board Of Ed
ucation for transporting children to
public schools"
Adding that parents of these .pu-
pills get no benefits from the taxes
they pay" Mr.. Wheatley said IT was
not an issue that the state support
the church, but that 1t help the par
eYits Of the children"
Provides No New Routes.
The measure would provide for no
new routes, he said, but would per-
NIT parochial school students to ride
on existing school bus lines from .
point nearest their homes TO o
point nearest their schools"
Other proponents included Mrs.
Marie r. Victory, Maryland State
regent OF the Catholic Daughters of
America; Mrs. Randolph s. Allen OF
Hyattsville, State vice regent, CDA.
and chairman Of the groups Leg
islative and Public Relations Com.
mittees:: John L. Baumann, preS-
ident of the Bowie town commits.
sioners; Prince Georges Delegation
Chairman Perry o. wilkinson Of
Hyattsville; Delegate T. Raymond
Burch, Berwyn, and State Senator
L. Harold Sothoron, University Park.
Before concluding the lengthy 10.
sion, Gov. Lane informed those pres
ent his approach to the question
would be purely one Of conscienc1
and what Is matter Of law
Arlington Firm Wins !.
Tnfe Drivinn Awnrd