Evening star., 1949-02-11
Committees Due
ToAct Soon on
Subversive Ban
1000 ATTEND Hearing
On Bill to Outlaw
Groups in Maryland .
By ]. B. Zotmon
Stnr Stoff Corresnondenf

House Judiciary Committees.
which are expected to act within
10 days on the so-called Ober
bill to outlaw subversive organi-
zations.
A crowd estimated by State po-
lice at approximately 1000 per-
sons yesterday filled the House
chamber and overfowed into the
corridor at a hearing on the
measure.
Afterwards the House and Sem
ate held routine sessions and ad-
journed after less than an hour.
In the House. the Prince
Georges delegation introduced a
bill to incorporate Morningside.
1t would be presented to the voters
In a referendum May is.
Town Council Provided.
The measure provides for Ave
member council. which could I'M
pose a town tax not to exceed SO
cents per s100.
The Montgomery County dele
cation sponsored a bill to increase
state aid to schools for physically
handicapped children from $500
to $500 per pupil.
Delegation Chairman Anders R.
1ofstrand, jr., said the only such
school now is in Baltimore, but
that Montgomery education Off
cials plan to open one in Sep
tember.
Among bills passed in the Sen
ate were three affecting Prince
Georges County. They would au-
thorize District Heights officials
to levy a 10-cent tax for street
lights, empower the Laurel Mayor
and Council to issue up to 100000
and raise the salary of the stenog-
rapher to the States attorney
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year.
Hearing Remains Orderly.
Despite the partisan feeling of
those attending the hearing on
the Ober bill, during which sew
eral of the speakers were greeted
with mingled applause and boos,
the session was orderly.
The bill prescribes stiff pen
alties for subversive groups as
well as for those belonging to
them. It also provides for loyalty
oaths from State employees.
Spokesman for the opponents
claimed the measure would de-
stroy freedom of speech and of as
sembly and predicted that ap-
proval would lead to similar "re-
pressive" measures against all
minority groups.
Ober Denies Charges.
This was denied. however, by
Frank 3. Ober, Baltimore attor-
ney and chairman of the commits
sion, whose recommendations were
incorporated in the bill.
This is a moderate, mlddle-of-
the-road program that protects
these rights" he declared.
The case against the bill was
outlined in 12-page statement
by I. Duke Avnet, representing the
Baltimore Chapter of the National
Lawyers Guild. He said:
/. It is unconstitutional because
It violates basic principles of the
Federal and State constitutions
by ''impairing" the rights of free
dom of speech, press and assembly.
2, It would make criminals OF
Maryland residents because OF
their political ideas.
Bill Called Unconstitutional.
8. It violates the due process
clause of the Constitution, since it
fails to specify what conduct will
make persons liable to the penal
ties of the act.
4. It is an unconstitutional bill
of attainder" because its primary
purpose is to outlaw the Commun-
list Party.
Another speaker, George Mey-
ers. representing the Maryland
Communist Party, defied the legis-
lator to outlaw his organization.
"The Communist Party of
Maryland is here to stay" he
shouted. mo laws. no threats, no
violence will ever drive us out"
The opposing speaker who per-
haps drew the most attention was
former Judge Eugene O'Dunne OF
the Baltimore Supreme Bench.
He presented a statement which
criticized the failure" of the Ober
Commission to produce factual
evidence of a real" subversive
threat to the State.
Other opponents represented the
National Council of Arts, Sciences
and Professions, the Maryland
Civil Liberties Union the Mary
land Progressive Party and the
Baltimore Chapter, Americans for
Democratic Action.
Legion Leads Proponents.
Heading the list of proponents
was Kenneth r. Hammer, vice
commander of the Maryland de-
partment of the American Legion
and spokesman for score of other
organizations, including the Balti-
more Bar Association, the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution
Daughters of 1912, Veterans OF
Foreign Wars and the Jewish War
Veterans of the United States.
Approval of the measure woule
have no effect on labor's right tt
strike, Mr.. Hammer said.
Mrs. Mildred Otenasek. repre-
senting the Maryland Chapter, In
ternational Federation of Cath
olic Alumnae, also supported the
measure.
Others speaking for the bill in
cluded Howard Jackson, former
Mayor of Baltimore and a men,
Der of the Ober commission; the
Rev. Edward A. Roach of St
Jerome's Church, Hyattsville; Mrs
Anna E. F. Allen, Hyattsville, OF
the Maryland State Court. Catho-
lie Daughters Of America: Law
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