Evening star., 1949-04-04
Assembly Acts
Today on Final
BiI|sof Session
Must Measures
Blocked Plans for
Adjournment
By the Associofed Press

TWO Administration must" bills
were on the working list today as
Senators and Delegates returned
for the final day of the 1949 Cen
eral Assembly session.
They had hoped for adjourn
ment Saturday night, but recessed
a few minutes before midnight as
the usual last-minute confusion
mounted.
Most of the unfinished business
concerns local matters.
The two bills the administration
wants passed have top priority.
One calls for salary raises for
the three Public Service Commits
sionerS.
The other will make the terms
of the Governor and the commits
sioner of motor vehicles coincide.
Senate Fight Possible.
Whether the PSC bill would stir
up another Senate floor fight was
a big question as the two houses
prepared to convene for the last
time.
Under the measure, the COM
mission chairman would get 1000
a year and the other two men,
bers $4,000 each. The PSC gen.
eral counsel and peoples counsel
would receive $500 each.
The bill caused a lot of con-
troversy before it passed the Sem
ate originally. The Republican
Senators inserted a requirement
that the Governors appointment
of the three commissioners would
be subject to Senate confirmation.
The House quickly knocked out
the amendment when it got the
bill. The legislation is now before
the Senate for concurrence.
The 1945 Legislature changed
the law relating to appointment
of motor vehicle commissioner
so that the end of his term falls
at the midpoint of the Governors.
Measure Called Back.
The present measure had passed
both houses but was called back
to change it's effective date to
June /.
The bill is a reflection of Gov.
Lanes political feud with w. Lee
Elgin, who was appointed COM
missioner of motor vehicles by
then Gov. O'Conor and whose
term ends in June.
Gov. Lane has had to work with
Mr.. Elgin for two years-and he
has not liked it. The measure
was introduced so that henceforth
an incoming Governor would have
the right to chose his own COM
missioner.
At about IL pm. Saturday night
1t was found that three Tidewater
Senators had rewritten it into an
oyster bill. Instead of having to
do with a motor vehicles commits
sioner, it dealt with the opening
of the Maryland entrance to
Chesapeake Bay to small dredges.
Adjournment ordered.
That was enough. Weekend
adjournment was ordered soon
afterwards.
Just before the recess the three
senators-Phoebus, Republican,
of Somerset; Goldstein, Demo-
crate, of Calvert, and Bailey. Re-
publican, of st. Mary's,-withdrew
the amendment.
Attorney General Hall Ham
mond said the bill will be put
through as first intended.
Among bills sent to the Cover
nor was one extending standby
rent controls to June /, 1851 in
Baltimore and II counties.
It permits the imposition OF
local rent ceilings if and when
Federal controls are lifted. A
mong the IL counties exempted are
Prince Georges. st. Marys and
Anne Arundel.
Gambling Study Sought.
Also sent to the Governor was
a resolution requesting him to
appoint a commission to STUDY
trends in legislation involving
gambling"
The resolution, sponsored by
Delegates Chester w. Tawney ana
j. Raymond Burlington, jr.. Baltl-
more Democrats, noted that
there has been an increasing
volume of bills involving gambling
introduced in the General Assem-
bly,. These include horse racing,
midget automobile racing, dog
racing, bingo, slot machines and
raff1es."
The two Baltimore delegates
proposed that the commission
consider the implication of such
legislation on the future develop
ment of the State and make
recommendations covering future
State policy in such matters"
A legislative council bill to re-
wise the Maryland child labor laws,
amended in the House to exempt
farm, cannery and other types Of
work. was voted down in the Sem
ate just before recess.
The Senate passed and sent to
the Governor a bill bringing radio
and television commentators under
a law which provides that news
men may not be compelled to dis
close confidential news sources.
The Senate adopted 20-1 a
resolution calling for seven
member group ito study the
whole field of higher education
TO- Negroes. and especially the
relationship between Morgan
State College and Princess Anne
College"