Evening star., 1950-07-28
Maryland Gives
Absentee Vote
To Serviicemen
Primary to Be Shifted
To September l8 by
One Day Legislature
By ] |. Michoel

oPeCioi NoHeSPonoeH1 OF ms Stot
ANNAPOLIS, July 28.-Mary-
lands primary election has been
shifted to September 1S and alb
sentee military personnel have
been given the right to vote ir
November.
Legislation accomplishing these
two ailns-the principal ones fol-
which Gov. Lane summoned the
General Assembly into a one-day
special session-was adopted yes
terday.
Other administration bills ap-
proved provide extra days for pre-
cinct registrations in Baltimore
and authorize expenditure of ur
to $4,000 for the seventh legis-
lative meeting since the Governor
took Office.
Atmosphere Full of Politics.
The measures were passed in an
atmosphere charged with politics
and rejecting Korean develop
mentS. ..
Senate and House leaders, pre-
pared for stiff fights to ward of
politically-inspired bills, were con-
fronted with nothing more serious
than sporadic outbursts of ora
tory.
Only three other bills, all local,
got through to final passage. Gov.
Lane signed them all within an
hour after the eight-hour meeting
was adjourned.
( A total of 16 was introduced,
including one seeking to deny
Communists the right to vote. An
other would have required ap-
pointed judges to be candidates if
they wish to remain in office-at
the next general election. At
present, judges named by the Gov
ernor may serve one year before
their names are placed on the bal
lot.
Vote Law Changes Proposed.
Most of the other defeated bills
proposed changes in State and
county election laws.
The Governor did not appear
before the Legislature. But in a
message to both Houses, he ex-
planned he had called them back
to postpone the primary date
from the originally scheduled Sep
tember II, because that day falls
on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
the Jewish new year.
Baltimore City's new registra-
ton statute provides extra days
for hstings in the precincts. They
are August IA and October 2, 8 and
{. Registrations in the counties
will be accepted on the days orig
inally set.
Points to World Situation.
Noting that the international
situation has deteriorated ''to the
point where partial mobilization
has been instituted" the Governor
asked re-enactment of the World
War II absentee voting statute,
which sets up bipartisan COM
mission to regulate issuance of
ballots.
The measure was made effective
in November because time re-
quired for distribution of ballots
to absentee service personnel was
insufficient to allow the law to be-
come operative for the September
primaries.
During the last World War, mill
tary authorities required that bal
lots be in their hands SIS days be-
fore election dates.
Crucial days are upon u.s. Gov.
Lane said in commenting on the
measure which, he declared "re-
fleets the grave responsibilities we
have shouldered in defense of our
national security"
Before approving the change in
the primary date, the senate beat
down an amendment offered by
Senator John G. Turnbull, Demo-
crat. of Baltimore County. It
would have set the date for Sep
tember S. one day after the Labor
Day holiday.
Rough Campaign Forecast.
Injecting a political note in de-
bate on his proposal, Senator
Turnbull, a supporter of George
P. Mahoney, Gov. Lanes chief
primary opponent for the guber-
material nomination, said Demo-
Gratis are in for "bruising. rough,
tough primary campaign" He
added that time would be needed
to heal the wounds"
Senator Roy Tasco Davis of
Montgomery County, a Republi-
can candidate for nomination as
Governor, told Senator Turnbull
he would go along with the Sep
tember date.
Il could use the extra week."
he said, Ito tell the people that
the annual State budget has been
Ad1oCO 4IOlll 0to 1IlllllU11 10 S14o
million in four years."
Senator Robert B. Kimble of
Allegany County, minority leader,
waged the longest oratorical fight
of the day in support of the judge
ship bill which he sponsored. He
mustered the aid of several Sena-
tors-for the next session.
Opponents claimed the question
is too important to decide on short
notice. Senator Kimble lost, To-
10. on strictly party-line vote.
Stays in Committee.
The bill to ban Communists
from the polls touched off a House
debate and a series of parlia-
mentary maneuvers which sent
the measure before the judiciary
Committee for a hearing.
It stayed there. Delegate Horace
P. Whitworth, Republican, of Al
legany County, its sponsor, made
no attempt to bring it to the floor
after it received an unfavorable
report by a 13 to 4 tally.
During the hearing Philip