Evening star., 1951-02-15
MaryIandSe
Group Opposes
Noll-PartisanBi||
Hyde Promises Fight
To Reverse Report
On Council Elections
By J. B. Zotmon
Sscr Stoff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS. Feb. Ex-senator
Dewitt s. Hyde, Republican. of
Montgomery County, today prom
ised to wage an all-out fight
agairhst an unfavorable committee
report on his bill to clear the way
for hon-partisan council elections.
THE Senate Elections Commit
tee yesterday turned deaf ear to
Senator Hyde's plea for favorable
actioh on the controversial meas
Meanwhile, the Senate followed
the example of the House. in vot-
ing tp override Republican Gov.
McKepdin's veto of two bills and
adopted favorable committee re-
port ON the Jim Crow" repeater.
Thel latter, which already has
passed the House, would repeal
the laM requiring segregation of
Negrods and white persons on
intrasthte common carriers. It is
enforced only on Chesapeake Bay
ferries.
Liquor Bill Passed.
The House yesterday approved
and sent to the Senate bill to
establish department of liquor
control In Montgomery County.
The department, to be placed
under ,the county manager, would
exercise powers now held by the
county Liquor Control Board.
pending before the House AL
ccjnolic Beverage Committee is
eanother Montgomery bill to trans
fer the boards licensing authority
to a board of license commission
ers to be appointed by the County
Council. Liquor board members
now are named by the Governor
Elections Committee Chairman
John G. Turnbull, Democrat, o1
Baltimore County. said he woulc
place the report on the non
partisan elections bill before the
Senate today. But Senator Hyde
said he probably would ask that
1t be held up for a day to give
him time to try to swing support
behind the bill.
The measure would repeal the
Lindsay law prohibiting non-par-
tison elections of d county coun-
Gil in counties having a charter
form of government. 1t also would
permit the council to propose an
amendment to the county'S char
ter authorizing the county heads
to adopt a local non-partisan
election law. The proposed amend
ment would be submitted to the
voters in a referendum.
Defeated i'm 1947.
A similar bill was sSfntroduced at
the 1947 session Of the General
Assembly, but was defeated in
the House after its supporters
succeeded in overturning an un-
favorable Judiciary Committee re-
port. In 1949 such legislation was
killed in committee.
In appearing before the COM
mittee yesterday, Senator Hyde
described the proposal as zone OF
the biggest issues in my county
and one of the most important
pieces of legislation to come before
this session of the Legislature.
He told the committee the bill
is supported by many Democrats,
as well as Republicans, in Mont
gomery and was in the Republica
platform during the 1916 and 1850
campaigns.
Basic reason for the bill, he ex-
planned, is the fact that at least
60 per cent of Montgomery voters
are Federal Government employees
who are prohibited under the
Hatch Act from participating
actively in partisan elections. His
measure, he said, would remove
this restriction as far as local
council elections are concerned.
'All this talk about my bill kill
ing the two-party system is just
so much nonsense" he declared
Throughout the United States
Sc per cent of cities and towns
having more than 5000 population
have non-partisan elections. AND
in Maryland, only six cities ano
towns conduct their elections on a
partisan basis"
Senator Turnbull expressed
strong opposition to the bill on the
ground such a proposal might
spread to other Maryland counties
and particularly to his own county
where he said there is strong
movement for a charter form OF
government.
Browning Opposes Bill.
He added he has received a
letter from Warren Browning
chairman of the Democratic State
Central Committee, opposing the
bill.
The Senate action to override
the Governors veto was taken by
a 22-to-6 vote on both bills. AS
result, Gov. McKeldin became
the States first Chief Executive
in so years to have a measure
become law over his veto. Similar
action was taken in the House last
Monday.
Only voice raised in praise of
the vetoes came from Democrat
Senator Bernard Melnicove of
Baltimore. He commended the
Governor for his fortnight, hon
est and courageous" stand in
vetoing the bills while the Legis-
lature was still in session.
The measures require the Gov
ernor to fill vacancies on County
Boards of Commissioners from
names submitted by the State
Central Committees of the party
to which the former commissioner
belonged.
Arlington Police Group
kl NAf