Evening star., 1951-02-03
Democrats Meet
Monday on State
Redistricting
Montgomery Bill Asks
Non-Portisun Election
Of School Board
BY the Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 3-Top
Maryland Democrats will meet
here Monday night to attempt to
iron out differences which have
arisen over the question of divld-
ing Maryland into seven congress
sional districts.
The State now has six Repre-
sentatives, but will elect a seventh
in 1852. Results of the 1850
census showed Maryland had
grown more proportionately than
some of the other States, and is
entitled to one more seat in the
House of Representatives.
In another development the all
Republican Montgomery County
delegation introduced a bill for
|non-partison election of SchoOl
Board, subject to a referendum.
At present School Board men,
bers are appointed by the Gov
ernor on recommendation of the
State Central Committee of the
party in power.
Many Arguments Arise.
Both Democrats and Repub-
1icans are agreed it would be bet
ter to redistrict the State so the
new Representatives would not
have to be elected at large. But
just how it should be done has
given rise to many arguments.
Before a bill is introduced the
Democratic controlled Senate and
House will caucus, and members
will be asked to work out an
agreement for redistricting to
which they would be committed.
The caucuses will be held next
week.
There has been some sentiment
among Republican legislators for
a redistricting plan which would
combine Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties into one
district, and the rest of Southern
Maryland. plus the lower Eastern
Shore, into another.
Democrats Don't Like 1t.
The Democrats do not like such
a plan, and as they have major
tiles in both houses, would haye
little trouble in defeating such a
measure if it came before the Gen.
eral Assembly.
Most democratic proposals ad-
vanced so far would give Baltimore
City the new 7th District. This
would give Baltimore three dis
tricts entirely within its bound
aries, leaving four House mem
bers to be elected from county ter
ritory.
Some of the proposals involve
cutting off the South Baltimore
precincts from the 5th District,
made up also of Anne Arundel,
Howard, Prince Georges, st. Marys,
Calvert and Charles Counties. The
Southern Maryland Democratic
leaders want to keep those Balti-
more precincts in the 5th, how
ever, as they regularly turn in
comfortable Democratic majori-
ties.
Bond Issue Killed.
Yesterdays legislative session
saw the death in the Senate FL
nance Committee of a measure
which would have authorized a
$25 million bond issue to help
finance sewage and water supply
system improvements in the towns
and counties:
The committee agreed that be-
cause of the war situation, an
improvement program could not
be carried out at this time.
Meanwhile, the Senate voted
to require the State to buy Mary
land coal for it's institutions.
BY a 1910 vote the Senate sent
the proposal by Minority Leader
Robert B. Kimble, Republican, Of
Allegany County, to the House
for final decision.
The House passed and sent to
the Senate a measure to allow
into evidence concealed weapons
found in spot "frisks" of suspects.
The measure would broaden
Baltimore County statute to ap-
ply to Baltimore City and Alle-
gany. Anne Arundel. Cecil, Fred
erick. Hartford, Montgomery, Tai
bot and Wicomico Counties.