Evening star., 1950-03-03
BonusBiIIDefea1
ToBeMary|and
Election Issue
Supporters Declare
Heads Will Roll;
Session Adjourned
By J. L. MichoeI
Stor Sioff Correspondent

oIof ofoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. "a bonu.
for Maryland war veterans today
shaped up as an issue in the com.
ing election campaign.
Angered by sudden Senate
maneuver, which killed the plar
yesterday, hackers said they woule
take the fight to the people ano
that political heads would roll.
The bonus met an ignominious
end when the Senate adjourned
sine die leaving the stormy issue
hanging in midair.
The action came as an execu-
tive session of the upper chamber
neared a close. 1t ended bonus
hopes for this year but supporters
said it was sure to be revived
when the Assembly meets next
January.
House Thrown Into Furore.
Only a few minutes before the
Senate adjourned, the House by
SO to 20 had voted to pay vet
Grams of both world wars from
$40 to $500 and add l cent tc
the 2-cent sales tax, if the plan
was approved at a referendum
in November.
The Senate move, plainly de-
signed to save administration and
senatorial embarrassment, threw
the House into a furore when
delegates realized they must be-
gin campaigns with their views
a matter of record.
Shortly before the turbulent 30
day session ended, the House
defeated the bill to repeal Mary
lands Jim Crow law.
The Assembly had previously
OK'd the Governors S144 million
budget-largest in. history-and
had enacted into law tax proposals
estimated to reduce State revenues
$3,750,000. In addition a S3.872.-
900 issue to finance a capital i'm
provement program had cleared
both legislative branches.
100 Bills Die.
Somewhere in the State House
when the Senate quit at $50 pm
and the House at 5:28 were more
than 100 of the 342 bills intro
duced since the Legislature con-
vened February l. Most of them
died because of constitutional re-
strictionS as to the type of legis-
lation that can be considered at
short sessions.
Because of this and the attend
ant confusion, studies are to be
made by the Legislative Council of
the feasibility of 60-day sessions
open to any type bill.
The bonus action left the $100
million House version stranded
while the S125 million Senate bill
was in the House Ways and Means
Committee marked for the waste
basket.
Openly bitter at the adjourn
ment move, Senator Harry T
Phoebus, Republican. of Somerset
one of the leaders in the fight fol
the bonus. predicted it would play
a part in the November election.
Farewell to Byrnes.
He conceded. however, tha'
there was serious doubt that ths
proposal had the 20 votes neces.
sary for passage under suspension
OF the rules.
AS a part of its last session, tht
Senate said good-by to Presiden
Joseph R. Byrnes, Democrat, O.
Baltimore, who has announced
that he would not run again. HI
was elected to the post in 1947.
Across the corridor the HOUSE
forgot it's ruff1ed feelings and burs
into a hour of eulogies and presen'
tation of gifts. Speaker Protein
Perry o. Wilkinson. Democrat, o.
Prince Georges received a gave
and Majority Floor Leader Lero!
Pumphrey was given a miniature
machinegun.
Does this imply" he said ir
accepting, that I should use il
Immediately"
Shortly before the House session
ended in song. several delegates
took walk" They were bent OF
getting away from a vote on tht
Jim Crow repeater. Ten were alb
sent, one because of illness, wher
the clerk announced the 50 to 4!
tally.
The measure failed because 6:
votes are required for a constitu
tional majority.
It required segregation on pub
lie carriers, but has been enforced
only on Chesapeake Bay ferries
When the Bay bridge is completed
it will become a forgotten law
all the legislators hope.
Among House-approved meas
ures stranded when the Senat
quit abruptly was a Republican
sponsored bill easing requirement
of payment of unearned incom
taxes. The measure, effectiv
next year, calls for a per cen
rate on the first $500 of unearne,
income regardless of the tota
Gov. Lanes bill enacted last wee
also calls for 2 per cent, but is ap
plicable only when the total doe
not exceed $500.
In a final message to the AS
sembly, Gov. Lane recounted bill
relating to schools, hospital.
roads and other State projects
The program enacted into law, h
declared, represents the creates
step forward ever achieved in tn
legislative sessions of single ad
ministration."
Dr pnrkins Will Direrf