Evening star., 1947-02-06
Maryland House
vofes4 Bills for
x
PrinceGeorges
Anti-Strike Measure
For Public Utilities
Offered in Senute
By J. B. Zotmon
Stor stoff correspondent

ByJ. B. Zotmon
stor stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Feb. 6.-Four
Prince Georges County bills were
approved by the House of Delegates
yesterday-wnile a bill to curb
strikes in Maryland public utilities
was introduced in the Senate.
The Senate also passed a bill
authorizing University Park In
Prince Georges to borrow up to
5000 for municipal Improvements
The measure was sent to Gov. Lane.
Tonight Gov. Lane is to present
his budget message at 7:30 o'clock
before joint session of the Legis-
lature.
The Governor has promised he
will submit balanced budget for
= the next two years, including rec
concentrations of the Sherbow
Commission on tax funds distribu-
ton.
Two of the four Prince Georges
bills passed by the House affect
Hyattsvine. One provides for bien-
nial instead of annual appoint
ments Of election registration Off
GERS. The other would require the
Mayor and Council to meet on the
third Monday in May, following a
municipal election to determine
and declare the results.
Would Fix Magistrate Court Costs.
The other bills would set costs
in county trial magistrate courts
at So for any single charge of
breach Of local ordinances and
would authorize the county COM
missioners to issue bonds up to
100000, instead of 100000, for
local improvements.
Prince Georges delegation men,
bers are drafting legislation to
authorize the county commissioners
to impose 10-cents-per-$1O0 fire
tax on residents of Seat Pleasant,
Capitol Heights, Hillside and the
Spaulding election district.
At present, according to Delegate
William H. McGrath, Democrat,
the % fire departments in the
county receive a total of $4,000
annually from the county.
Would Aid Fire Departments.
He said the proposed bill would
make the fire departments more
self-supporting and enable them to
purchase ''up-to-date" equipment.
Mr.. McGrath pointed out that a
fire tax is paid by Hyattsville, Mount
Rainier, Cottage City and Colmar
Manor.
Perry o. wilkinson, delegation
chairman, said there will be a joint
meeting of his group and the Mont
gomery County delegation with the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission at pm
next Thursday.
, Purpose of the meeting in the
State House is to discuss legislation
desired by the commission.
Would Enable Seizure in Strike.
The bill dealing with strikes in
Maryland public utilities was intro
duced by Senator P. G. Stromberg.
Democrat, of Howard County.
It would authorize the Public
Service Commission to take control
Of any utility whose operation is
halted or curtailed by a labor
dispute.
The preamble of the bill states:
Although recognizing the right
of workers to strike generally, the
State hereby asserts that public
utilities as in this act defined are
so imbued with a public interest
that 1t is against public policy to
permit the health, welfare, safety
and interest of the people to be en-
dangered by strikes or threatened
strikes for the purpose of adjusting
or settling disputes between the en-
ployes and employers thereof"
In case of dispute, according to
the bill, the PSC would be empow-
cred to investigate the causes and
hand down necessary orders for set
tlement.
Would Change Takoma Park Name.
If the commission fails to reach
decision satisfactory to both par
ties, the Governor could be asked
to name three-member arbitration
board. The boards recommends
tions would be binding on obth
sides. Penalties for violation of
the act would range up to a $1,000
fine, a year. in Jail, or both.
Among bills introduced in the
House yesterday was one by the
Montgomery County delegation to
change the name of the Town of
Takoma Park to the City of Ia
koma Park.
In the Senate, Roy Tasco Davis,
a member of the all-Republican
Montgomery delegation, put for
ward three bills affecting Washing
ton Grove.
One would authorize the town
to borrow up to $4,000 for NUM-
cipal improvements. Another would
eliminate provisions in the town
charter dealing with tax sales so
that the charter may conform toI
the county law. The third would
eliminate the necessity of publica-
ton by the municipality of its in
tention to sell or lease town prop
erty.
Medical Scholarships Proposed.
Senator Louis L. Goldstein, DEM
ocrat, of Calvert County introduced
bill providing for free medical
scholarships at the University of
Maryland.
Earlier, the Senate Judiciary
Committee voted to report favor
ably bill qualifying women for
service on juries. The report is
expected to be submitted to the
Senate Tuesday.
The measure provides there shall
be no disqualification of persons
ordered to serve on juries by reason
of sex.