Evening star., 1952-03-05
U. Bill
Goes 10 Senate
For Veto Test
House Overrides
McKeIdin After
Hearing Byrd
By J. B. Zotmon
Sfor Stuff covvespondans

| ~~NSSN~SS O3SAs~b @N4eSAs Os-\HOVs W.T.
Keldin's veto Of a bill to give the
University of Maryland broad
home rule powers. already over
ridden in the House. headed for
Senate action today.
II the upper chamber also votes
, to override. it will mean victory
for DR.. H. c. Byrd, university pres
dent. in his fight to eliminate
! State restrictions, which he said
are costing the school hundreds Of
thousands of dollars annually.
He made the statement yeSter-
day just before the House voted to
kill the veto by an 86-29 tally.
A similar bill was turned down
by the Governor last year, largely
. on the strength of objections to it
by Attorney General Hall Ham
mond.
In his veto message yesterday,
lGov. McKeldin charged that the
new bill would make the university
"a law unto ITSELF" He denied
, claims by its supporters that it
represented compromise between
1.-THE attorney general and DR.. Byrd.
Sees Abdication as Issue.
"My fundamental objection to
the BILL" he said, "is that it does
mot attempt to deal with any spe-
cial needs Of the university, but
boldly sweeps away all limitations
upon every phase Of the univer-
Isity's operations"
The question at issue, the Gov
ernor asserted, is whether the
General Assembly shall "abdicate
in respect to all of the university's
affairs"
He added that the bill "goes
beyond all reason in setting up an
independent sovereignty, whose
only contact with the State would
be to receive financial tribute"
To support his stand, he said the
measure provides that the univer-
sity:
l. Would be exempt from pur-
chasing procedures required for all
other State departments and
agencies, "to prevent favoritism
and promote economy"
| 2. Could select non-academic
employes outside the merit system.
Freedom on Salaries.
i 8. Could pay any amount it
Ipleases in excess of what the
Standard Salary Board fixes for
tsimilar employment in other de-
partments.
! 4. Would have the right to build
schools wherever it wants.
5. Could use any surplus over
tits general fund appropriations
for any purchase, on approval by
the Board of Public Works.
The way was cleared for DR..
Byrd's appearance before the leg
islators when the House approved
a motion by Delegate c. Clifton
Virts, Democrat, of Frederick
County, to meet as a committee
of the whole to hear the university
president.
It was the second time in less
than a week that the House has
taken such action. The first oc-
Cured Friday when the delegates
invited Nilsson Raver, executive
secretary of the State% Teachers
Association, and DR.. Carl Ever
stine of the State Department of
Legislative Reference, to explain
provisions of a bill for $300-a-
year teacher pay raise. The meas
ure later was passed and sent to
the Governor.
Says Restrictions Unusual.
DR.. Byrd started of by saying:
There isn't a State university
in the country that is compelled
to operate under restrictions like
those under which the University
Of Maryland has to operate-they
hamper our growth"
He also insisted that the bill
"does not take away a single
power from the Legislature. as far
as the University Of Maryland is
concerned. In fact, it gives the
General Assembly greater power
over the university and more in
formation about it."
He said non-academic employees
, at the university should be select
ed without the merit system be-
cause of the greater variety of
, work they do. At the same time,
however, he emphasized the school
: does not want to pay them any
more than the scales fixed by the
standard salary board.
AS for Gov. McKeldin's state
ment that the bill would permit
the university to build schools
wherever it wanted to. DR.. Byrd
lhad this to say:
'The university has no author
ity to build except as granted by
the Legislature in a bond bill"
Hammond Not Satisfied.
Mr.. Hammond, who also was in
vited to the speakers rostrum, was
asked whether he favored the bill.
In answer. he said the measure
was a great improvement over last
Years bill. but that he was not
completely satisfied with it.
Miss Dorothy T. jackson, Dem
ocrat. of Baltimore County, then
posed this question for the At
. torney General:
! "Am I going to be doing the
best for my county and the State
. by voting to override or sustain
the veto?"
Mr.. Hammond's reply, which
drought applause from the dele
IgateS, was:
"You must answer that question
for yourself"