Evening star., 1950-02-28
G| Bonus Bills
Near Showdown
At Annapolis
Record Lane Budget
Gets Final Adoption
Without Debate
By J. L. MiehoeI
Special Correspondent Of The Sior.

by }. l. Micnoel
Special respondent Of The Sior.
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 28.-Mary-
1and Senators and Delegates faced
showdown votes on veterans bonus
bills before the 30-day session ends
Thursday.
Both houses last night ad-
vanced separate bonus bills to sec
ond reading in lively sessions
which included final adoption of
Gov. Lanes. record S144,203, ,564
budget for the coming year.
The appropriations measure
represents an increase of nearly
So million over current expendi-
lures. 1t was passed by the House
with no debate and only nine op-
posing votes. The Senate previ-
ously had adopted it with two dis.
senting votes.
Food Tax Bill Killed.
In the meantime, a bill to ex-
empt food sold in hotels and res
taurants from the sales tax was
killed by a 16-to-13 Senate tally
while two proposals to revise the
States real estate assessment pro-
cedure were moved to- third read
ing in the House.
The Senate moved the bonus bill
along by 20-to-9 vote. The
House tally was 80 to 81.
Both houses laid the bills aside
until the next legislative day after
a flock of amendments was Of
fered. Margins in both house were
sufficient, if lines hold, to assure
passage on the final test.
Gov. Lane has not indicated
whether he will veto the bill if it
is sent to his desk.
Approval Predicted.
Legislators predicted that if the
measure is submitted to the voters
next November, as provided in the
bills, it will be approved by a
heavy majority. perhaps as mucn
as 4 to /.
Senator Louis L. Goldstein.
Democrat, of Calvert County, CO.
sponsor of bill which would pay
veterans of the last war up to
$500. said if his $89,o98,80O plan
is approved by the voters, it will
be necessary to call a special ses-
sion of the General Assembly to
set up implementing machinery.
The House bill, sponsored by
Delegate John F. McNulty, Demo.
crat, of Anne Arundel County,
calls for a 100 million bond issue.
Both measures provide that re-
payment be made from sales tax
revenues above 20 million a year.
They also authorize dip into
real estate tax revenues if the
sales tax surplus is insufficient.
Lottery Is Urged.
Other methods of financing the
plan were proposed. One amend
ment offered in the House would
advance the sales tax from 2 to
per cent and from the floor,
Delegate Chester G.. Kosakowski.
Democrat. of Baltimore, urged
State lottery.
In addition amendments to ex-
tend benefits to veterans of World
War I we're offered in both
Houses. The total needed for such
q move is 125 million.
Heated oratory resulted when
the bills were brought from COM
mittees by petitions.
Before the Senate passed the
bill to second reading, a motion
to table the measure lost by 19-
toto vote.
The battle began in the Senate
when Senator Harry T. Phoebus,
Republican, of Somerset County,
co-sponsor of the measure, sent
petition to President Joseph
Byrnes' desk.
Senator Henry H. Balch, Demo-
crat, of Talbot County, immedi-
ately made the motion to recon-
nit. He also challenged the votes
of five Senators under provisions
Of the rules which ban members
from voting for bills in which
they have personal or financial
interest.
Byrnes Settles Issue.
President Byrnes settled the
question by ruling that the mat
ter was one for the individual
conscience" of each Senator.
On the House side, Montgomery
Delegate Dewitt Hyde. Republi-
can, said:
"If you wish to do something
real for the veterans, I suggest
that you risk your political life to
save the economic stability of the
State"
Delegate John R. Reeves, Re-
publican, of Montgomery also
spoke against the bill.
1--we been in the Navy" he
said. Il served in the Waves"
He explained that he had been
legal officer for $1,000 Waves in
the city of Washington" He Of
fered the House amendment to
include veterans of World War I.
From Delegate George McLeish,
Democrat, of Prince Georges Coun-
ty came the statement, however,
that if it is political suicide to vote
against the bonus, then let 1t be
suicide. I won't vote for it no
matter what they do to me in the
county"
Tax Measure Overridden.
One of the property tax meas
ures on which majority forces
were overridden would prevent
real estate assessments from being
increased more than 10 per cent
in one year.
Tho 1{1oa, x11.o,,;Jaa