Evening star., 1949-01-06
Assembly Filling
Last Posts;[ane
Speech Awaited
l76 Bills Slated
For House, Senate
When Work Starts
By J. B. Zotmon
StoK Stnff cnrrasnnndant


stor s.afF Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 6.-The Gen.
eral Assembly today prepared to
complete its organization for the
1949 session as it awaited Gov Lanes
message at pm.
After committee chairmen are
named, about 176 Legislative Council
bills are slated to be dumped in the
House and Senate hoppers.
Delegate Leroy Pumphrey. DEM
ocrat, of Prince Georges County,
present majority floor leader of the
House by virtue of his chairmanship
Of the Ways and Means Committee,
appears certain to retain his post.
While Delegate John C. Luber,
Democrat, of the Baltimore 5th Dis.
trict, is candidate to replace Mr..
Pumphrey. inability Of the Baltimore
delegation TO agree on whether to
support him is believed a major
factor in assuring Mr.. Humphreys
reappointment.
SothorOn Unopposed.
In the Senate, another Prince
Georges County member, L. Harold
Sothoron. is unopposed to retain the
floor leadership there.
Last nights opening of the Legis-
lature went off smoothly with G.
Ferdinand Sybert, Democrat, Of
Howard reelected House Speaker,
and Joseph r. Byrnes, Democrat,
of the Baltimore 5th district, again
being named Senate president.
Perry o. Wilkinson. Democrat, Of
Prince Georges, served as Speaker
pro tenn while Mr.. sybert was
elected
F. Byrne Austin, Takoma Park,
unsuccessful Democratic candidate
for Congress from the 9Th Maryland
district last November, was named
chief clerk of the House in a move
that caught many delegates by sur
prise. He succeeds John A. Mention
of Baltimore.
| He was selected at a Democratic
caucus after conference Of political
leaders in the Governors ONCE.
Among those who attended were Z.
Brooke Lee, longtime Democratic
leader. in Montgomery County.
Ran on Personal" Basis.
It was learned that Mr. Austin
consented to stand for the job at
the behest of Gov Lane, who, it was
said. put his request on personal"
basis.
Mr.. Austin has long been active in
Democratic affairs. both in the
county and State He has held the
positions of Montgomery zoning Of
ficer and clerk to the County Board
of Election Supervisors.
/ At present, he is assistant general
manager OF the Capitol Motor Co.,
Inc, Silver Spring.
Other General Assembly officers
elected included George w. Owings.
Calvert County, House Journal clerk,
and Walter Addison of Bowie. Sen.
ate Journal clerk.
House and Senate minority lead
ers remain the same, Delegate Jacob
r. Ramsburg of Frederick County
and Senator Robert B. Kimble Of
Allegany County respectively.
Clark Reelected.
Earlier an attempt by R. Duncan
Clark, Republican, of Montgomery.
to replace Mr.. Ramsburg failed in .
House party caucus. Mrs. Leona
Rush, another member of the all
Republican Montgomery delega ton,
was reelected caucus secretary.
COP legislators, at their caucus.
decided to seek repeal Of the Jim
Crow law. Such move has been
attempted at past sessions of ths
General Assembly but has consist
emily gone down to defeat. The
group also voted to work for repeal
OF the Declarations of Intentions
Act.
The Charles County delegation
last night announced plans to intro
duce a bill to legalize slot machines
in the county.
Senator James B. Monroe, leader
Of the all-Republican delegation,
said the measure would contain Q
provision for a referendum, to be
held in May
While details Of the proposal have
not yet been worked out, Senator
Monroe said the bill probably would
be similar to that passed for St.
Marys County at last years special
session.
Besides ST. Marys County, slot
machines are now legal in two Other
Southern Maryland counties-Cal-
vert and Anne Arundel.
Perry o. wilkinson, chairman Of
the Prince Georges delegation, said
his group today would introduce q
bill to increase the Indebtedness
ceiling for special improvement dis
tricts. The measure, Mr.. Wilkinsoa
explained, would increase the limit
from $500 900 to $1200,o00.
Complaints Expected.
He said it is expected to meet
complaints by residents of several
districts that they are unable to
obtain needed improvements because
they have reached their maximum
Indebtedness.
Involved is Carole Highlands,
whose request for approval by the
county commissioners for street and
drainage improvements was held up
last week when it was learned the
cealing on Indebtedness has been
reached.
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