Evening star., 1949-03-12
De|egateGroup
RejectsE|ection
OF fSchoo| Board
Montgomery Unit
To Wage All Out
Fight for Plan
BY J. B. Zotmon y
Stor Stoff CORRESPONDENT


a nonpartisan basis today bore
an unfavorable committee repor'
with all indications pointing tx
similar action by the House wher
the report reaches the floor Mon
day night.
Despite the House Judiciary
Committees action yesterday
members of the all-Republicar
Montgomery delegation said they
would wage an "all-out fight" tc
override the report.
School Board members now are
appointed by the Governor, who
like the majority of the Genera
Assembly, is a Democrat.
Meanwhile, the Ober antisub-
versive bill was placed on the fna,
passage list after the House
adopted a favorable committee
report.
Phrase Eliminated.
Also approved was an amend.
ment striking out the words "ol
other unlawful means" after the
clause, persons convicted of at
tempting to overthrow the Gov
eminent by revolution, force and
violence"
The measure, which provides a
maximum fine of $4,000 or i'm
prisonment for not more than 20
years. or sboth. already has passed
the Senate.
Earlier, a subcommittee of the
House Ways and Means Commit
tee, recommended economy meas
ures which included elimination
of State aid to st. Johns College
in Annapolis. The Governor S
proposed budget for the coming
fiscal year would allot $4,000 to
st. Johns for scholarships to State
residents.
The financial aid which is
given annually by the State to st.
Johns College, has become a dis
turbing item in the State budget,
the group wrote.
The subcommittee also suggest
ed elimination of supplemental
State budgets, reducing the State S
S500,000 emergency fund to $780,
600 and limiting surpluses by re-
qulring that any excess over S.
100000 in the surplus account be
appropriated the following year.
At the committee meetings on
the school board bill, Montgomery
Delegate De Witt S. Hyde pointed
out the measure was sponsored
by the County Council of Parent
Teacher Associations, which
comprises all shades of political
opinion.
He said the National Education
Association has recommended
election of school boards and that
IS per cent of such agencies in
the country are elected.
Referendum Urged.
I'VE think you should give the
people of my county chance to
decide the question, which would
be submitted to them in a referen-
dunn November g." Mr. Hyde de-
clared. This will become a polit-
ical issue in the 1850 general
election if you reject it ="
Last week, the delegation failed
in an attempt to override an un-
favorable Ways and Means Com
mittee report on a bill to transfer
many of the functions Of the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission to the
County Council.
Mr.. Hyde insisted yesterday the
bill would not inject politics into
educational matters. This was
one of the objections raised by
DR.. Thomas G.. Pullen, j., State
superintendent of schools, at a
hearing on the measure about a
month ago.
Uniformity Seen Affected.
You have politics in the School
Board now," he asserted, because
the Governor makes his appoint
ments from recommendations sub
mitted to him by the Democratic
State Central Committee.
Chairman Melnicove argued
however, that the bill would de
stroy the uniformity Of School
Board selections in the State He
added he had more confidence in
the present system where the
Governor listens to citizens of a
particular county before making
his appointment.
The committee also acted favor
ably on bill to permit harness
racing in Frederick County, sub
ject to a referendum in the 1886
general election.
Among bills passed by the House
was a measure that would allow
the Department of Motor Vehicles
to extend the deadline for new
automobile licenses after March
81, provided approval is given by
the Governor.
Bill on Straws Introduced.
Montgomery Delegate R. Dun
can Clark introduced bill to re-
quire "sanitarily wrapped" straWs
or sanitary dispensers in all res
taurants, soda fountains and other
places were straws are used.
incorporation of Morningslde II
Prince Georges County, with
referendum May 16, is provided ir
a bill sponsored by the county
delegation.
In the Senate. approval wa
given a bill to prohibit the aband
onment of any domestic animal
The Senate also passed a bill
providing referendum in tn
1850 general election on the ques
ton of calling constitutions
convention to alter the State con
.stitution or frame new one.
Senator Henry H. Balch, Demo
crat, of Talbot County, introduces
a bill to extend the time in which