Evening star., 1947-01-31
Maryland Bills
ToSeek
For Plans Unit
Montgomery Drufts
Three Measures to
Transfer Functions
By J. B. Zotmon
sior Staff Correspondent

ANNAEA110, Jdll. Oh i III &C Ul1lx
intended to transfer many Of the
functions of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Capital Park and Planning Com.
mission to the Montgomery County
Commissioners are being drafted by
the county delegation to the Gen.
eral Assembly, it was learned today
One of the measures, according
to Anders r. Lofstrand, jr., dele
CATION chairman, would empower
the county commissioners to appoint
Montgomery County members ol
the Planning Commission. This
authority Is vested now In the Gov.
ernor, who also appoints Prince
Georges County members.
Meanwhile, the first bill to be
passed by the Legislature was
awaiting Gov. Lanes signature to-
day. 1t was approved yesterday by
the Senate.
The bill, which affects Mont
gomery County, would establish a
fire department to serve the Barnes
ville-Poolesville area.
The House yesterday passed three
Prince Georges County bills and
sent them to the Senate.
One would correct and re-enact
provisions of the 1945 law incorpo-
rating the College Park area. The
1945 act was declared unconstitu-
tional last September by Judge Ogle
Marbury in Prince Georges County
Circuit Court because of defects in
its title. .....
Another would provide for the re-
peal of the Boulevard Heights
charter and the third would increase
Circuit Court criers' salaries from
$3.50 to IS day.
Among bills introduced in the
House was one by the Cecil County
delegation to prohibit solicitation
Of marriages and lettering in and
about public highways or buildings
for such purpose"
Seeks to Curb Elkton.
Delegation members said the
measure was aimed at conditions in
Elkton, famous in former years for
its quick marriages. They said per-
sons arriving in Elkton are solicited
by "hordes" of people working on
commissions from the marrying par
sons.
In the Senate, George Della,
Democrat, of the 9Th Baltimore dis
trict, put forward a bill to provide
for a State wages and hours law.
The measure, patterned after the
Federal wages and hours law,
would cover only intra-State indus
tries not already covered by the
Federal statute. It would not apply
to domestics, farm workers or nom
profit institutions employing less
than three persons.
The bill would establish work
day of eight hours, maximum
work week of A hours and a mini
mum wage of IS cents an hour.
Mr.. Lofstrand said the bill plac-
ing the power of appointment OF
Montgomery County members of the
Planning Commission in the hands
Of the County Commissioners is be-
ing drafted by Senator Roy Tasco
Davis,.a member of the all-Republi-
can delegation.
Other Curbs Proposed.
Another bill which would affect
the commission is being drawn UP
by Delegates r. Duncan Clark and
John r. Reeves.
It would eliminate unnecessary"
functions of the commission, such as
the power to set up park police
system and places of amusement,
according to Mr.. Lofstrand.
The third bill, Mr.. Lofstrand said,
would transfer to the county COM
missioners from the Planning Com
mission those. functions now prop
erly belonging to the former" They
include the building inspectors Of
flee and much of the commission's
advisory zoning powers.
Aim of the proposed legislation,
Mr.. Lofstrand explained, is to make
the Planning Commission an agency
devoted only to the acquisition of
park sites and general county plan
ming.
Declaring that at present county
residents have no say in the opera
ton of the commission, Mr.. Lof-
strand said the three bills would
remedy this condition. He added
they also would result in the elimi-
nation of many non-essential func-
tions carried on by the commission.
Mr.. Lofstrand emphasized that
the proposed legislation is based on
the Montgomery County Republican
platform in last years election CAM
paign.
Many of the provisions in the
three bills also have been advanced
by the Montgomery County Charter
Committee, which has recommended
the appropriate legislation be en-
acted by the General Assembly.
One of the bills given Senate ap-
proval yesterday would set up a
nine member State Planning Com
mission to replace the existing five
man group. Under the bill, a re-