Evening star., 1951-03-08
Road Fund Use
Urged for Boost
In Teacher Paw
6. .o.lP. Senate Leader
At Annapolis Finds
SIS Million 'Bononzu'
By ]. L. MichoeI
Sfar Staff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar ga Re-
publican Senator has peeked in
States Roads Commission Golfers
and found a pot of gold" big
enough to finance $500 a year pay
raise for school teachers, he told
treasure-hunting legislature
Moreover" asserted Minority
Floor Leader Robert B. Kimble of
Allegany County, "the bonanza I
spotted by telephone divination
would carry the load for a 3-year-
period"
He explained yesterday he
learned the Roads Commission
has a SIS, 100000 surplus accumu-
lated from the 2 per cent titling
tax on automobiles.
The fund is used to pay off
bonds sold to finance the States
500 million road building pro-
gram and for new construction.
Now" Senator Kimble as
serted, 1--WE can give teachers the
moderate increase to which they
are justly entitled. We have. the
money-what we need is the cour-
age to do it,"
Convention Bill Introduced.
In surprise move yesterday a
measure was introduced calling for
a convention to revamp the State
Constitution. A bill to the same
effect was killed in the House
earlier in the session, despite a
majority vote in it's favor in the
last election.
The bill was sponsored by SEN
ate President George w. Della,
Baltimore, and Senators Dewitt S.
Hyde, Republican, Montgomery;
John G. Turnbull. Democrat, Bal
timore County. and Senator
Kimble.
A pending measure, introduced
by the Montgomery County dele
cation, calls for a constitutional
convention in 1854.
Senator Kimble's declaration
on the pot of gold" came as the
question of teachers salaries was
swiftly developing into the sharp
est partisan fight of the current
session of the General Assembly.
There were reports from reliable
sources that Senator Kimble had
learned Democrats were prepar-
ing for surprise move today de-
signed to grant at least part of
the $500 annual pay boost urged
by the State Board of Education.
Unannounced Caucus.
Whether the reports were true,
the Democratic majority was OBJ
viouSly thrown into a dither. They
held an unannounced caucus after
the session but were tight-lipped
about was was done.
The Democrats, apparently see
ing an opening in the political
armor of Gov. McKeldin when he
curtly rejected the pay boost pro-
posal, have searched feverishly for
funds which they hoped might be
obtained without raising taxes.
In response to questions from
his colleagues, Senator Kimble,
who had taken the floor on a
point of personal privilege, con-
ceded that he had not discussed
the matter with the Governor OF
with other members of his party.
He said he had carried on tele-
phone explorations for facts and
figures for four hours and had
not had time for consultations.
He made it clear he spoke "as
the Senator from Allegany County
and not as a minority leader"
The debate developed the fact
Roads Commission surplus funds
had been discussed yesterday at
a meeting of the Senate Finance
Committee. Senator Kimble is
a member of the committee but
he said he was not in the COM
mittee room when the subject was
brought up.
Roads Commission Chairman
Russell H. Mccain told the COM
mittee, it was learned. that
grab" of titling tax funds for
school purposes would endanger
bond issues to which it is pledged
and would force a curtailment o.
road building.