Evening star., 1951-02-17
Three Senators
Check Needs
Al Maryland U.
Committee TO File
Report on Dir. Byrd's
Building Program
By 3 staff eors.pondsn, Of rs. s.a.

DuiloIn9 TTo9Tom
/ Bye Ss1ff corsspondsn, Of The ssar
/. ANNAPOLIS. Feb. 17.-A three
man Senate committee will visit
the University OF Maryland at
College Park Monday and report
back on the need for new build
ings the university proposes to
finance with bonds.
The three. all of whom are
members of the Senate Finance
Committee, are John r. Fletcher.
Republican, of Prince Georges
County, and Democrats Louis N.
Phipps, Anne Arundel County.
and William M. Shehan, Talbot
County.
They were appointed yesterday
after the committee had voted
8 to 4 against a bill by Senator
Stanford Hoff. Republican, of Car
roll County. to repeal the author
ity granted the university last
year to issue its own bonds. :
Senator Phipps, an advocate of
the university's proposals, was
designated chairman.
Backs Byrd's Estimate.
Senator Fletcher, who also sup
ported the requests of DR.. H. c.
Byrd, university president. said
the institutions growth "has been
due to the foresight. efforts and
lobbying ability of Curly Byrd"
He expressed the belief that
whatever DR.. Byrd considers nee
essory in the way of new construc-
ton is really needed"
Despite the criticism of the
Baltimore Sunpapers and individ-
uals who have interests in other
institutions, results are what
count" he declared.
Meanwhile, the expected vet
erans' bonus bill. which would be
submitted to the voters in 1859.
was introduced in the Senate by
Majority Leader Louis L. Gold
stein, Democrat, of Calver County
and Republicans Harry T. Phoe-
bus. Somerset County, and Paul j.
Bailey, st. Marys County.
Payments of up to $500 to vet
erans of the two World Wars, de-
pending on length of service. would
be paid from proceeds of $50 mill
lion bond issue.
New Liquor Tax Proposed.
The measure is Identical with
one submitted by Senators Gold
stein and Phoebus last year. Al
though it was passed by the Sem
ate, that bill and another indorsed
by the House died when the
Senate abruptly adjourned.
Service charges. including inter-
est. on the bonds would be met
from wstaxes on beer, wine and
liquor at the. retail level. The
rates would include 1-cent levy
on IL ounces of beer and a 6-cent
tax on fifth of whisky.
Senator Phoebus also plans to
introduce Monday proposed con-
stitutional amendment barring
sales Of alcoholic beverages
throughout the State on Sundays.
= Gov. McKeldin's cool attitude,
toward q bonus was announced
just before the Senate convened.
TT is true that the Republican
platform on which campaigned
for election favored submission of
a war veterans bonus law to the
voters" he said. There was, at
the time, a demand for the bonus
among the veterans and the gen.
eral public of Maryland. =
But the Governor reasoned that
the situation has changed, since
then.
Strong Opposition Voiced.
A group of war veterans in the
Senate. including Dewitt S. Hyde,
Republican. of Montgomery Coun-
ty, have come out strongly against
the measure.
Earlier. the House Ways and
Means Committee heard argu-
ments from more than 40 repre-
sentatiyes of businessmen's and
manufacturing organizations urg-
ing favorable action on a bill to
repeal the States 6 per cent tax
on stock inventories. The measure
is sponsored by Delegates Perry o.
Wilkinson, Democrat, and John F.
Lillard, jr.. Republican, both Of
Prince Georges County.
Hervey Machen. spokesman for
the Hyattsville Businessmen's AS
sociation, described the tax as
''inequitable" and charged that it
penalties merchants who pile up
large inventories.
IF storekeepers don't get rid Of
all their stock in one year, they
have to pay tax on the same
stock the following year." he said.
Others Urge Repeal.
He added the District of Col
umbia has no such tax and that,
as a result. "it make it hard for
our merchants to compete with
those in Washington"
Others urging repeaf-of the tax
included the bills two sponsors.
G. Alfred Peters, jr.. representing
the Maryland Council of Retail
Merchants, and John Fitzpatrick.
executive director of the Associ-
ated Industries of Maryland. None
of the speakers could estimate the
total amount of State revenue
involved.
The committee took the matter
under advisement.
The four Republican members
OF the six-man Prince Georges
delegation announced they will
support a bill to restore to Takoma
Park 12-acre tract at New
Hampshire avenue and University
lane. The property was removed
from the city under a 1899 law.
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