Evening star., 1953-03-03
Bill 10 Open
Relief Rolls in
Maryland Due
Transfer of Control
Of Prince Georges
Hospital Proposed
BY a stoff Correspondent Of The ssar

ANNAPOLIS, March 3.-Legis-
lation was to be offered in the
Maryland Senate today to open
public welfare rolls to county
officials in Montgomery and
Prince Georges.
The two State Senator'S from
those counties said they planned
to propose amendments to in
clude their counties in a bill to
lift from secrecy Kent County
relief rolls. That bill was on the
Senate agenda as a special order
OF business this afternoon.
Hospital Control Transfer.
In another development today
the controversial bill to transfer
control of the Prince Georges
General Hospital from the coun-
ty commissioners to a new hos
pital commission was introduced
in the House Of Delegates. And
at the same time the Prince
Geoges delegation announced
that a group of physicians pro-
testing the omission of doctor
representatives on the proposed
commission will be given hear
ing here at 6 pm. Monday.
The amendments to the Kent
County welfare bill would make
it possible for the Prince
Georges county commissioners
and the Montgomery County
Council, or any county official
they designate. to inspect the
welfare rolls of their county.
State law now forbids the re-
lease by welfare board officials
OF names or case histories with
out written permission of the
welfare recipients concerned.
Recent Federal law permits
States to open their welfare roles
without loss of Federal aid.
Senator j. r. Fletcher, Repub-
lican, of Prince Georges, said he
feels county officials should have
access to welfare records since
they are called up to contrib
ute large sums of county funds
for welfare programs.
Senator Anders r. Lofstrand,
jr.. Republican. of Montgomery,
last week requested that the
Kent County measure be held
over until today because he was
considering an amendment to
include his county.
Seven-Mem Commission.
The bill to reorganize admin
istration Of Prince Georges Gen.
eral Hospital at Cheverly would
put 1t under control of a seven
member commission. four of
whom would be named by the
county commissioners and three
by the Governor.
Many of the physicians who
use the hospital had proposed
earlier that a 12-member board
be set up with three doctor rep
resentativeS.
Delegate j. Frank Lillard, jr.,
Republican, Of Prince Georges,
who wrote the bill introduced to-
day by the entire county delega-
ton, said he is standing by his
guns.
Everything I have read on the
subject indicates to me that it is
a bad idea to have doctor con-
cerned with hospital administra-
tion." he said.
Other Developments.
Other Washington area de-
velopments at the General As
sembly included:
!. Senator Loestrand said lie
intends to introduce a bill per-
mitting sale of mixed drinks in
certain restaurants. He said his
bill would allow the Montgom-
cry Board of License Commls-
Sioners to issue Glass B liquor
permits to any restaurant in the
7th and 18th election districts,
except in Takoma Park and
Kensington, providing the res
taurant has a capital invest
ment Of over $35, 900.
2. The Montgomery delega-
ton approved a proposal by Del
egate Gilbert Guide that a bill
be introduced to allow sale of
beer in all Safeway stores in
Montgomery. Present law, Mr..
Guide said, permits Safeway to
sell beer only in its Wheaton
store, even though other stores
in the county are allowed to
sell the beverage.
8. The Montgomery delegation
voted to introduce a bill pro-
viding for a school board pri-
mary election but tabled a pro-
posa. for a constitutional
amendment to allow election Of
Montgomery school board men,
bers on staggered terms.
4. The Prince Georges delega-
ton held up committee action
on a bill it has introduced to
authorize annexation by River
dale of the property on which
the huge Engineering & Re-
search Corp. is located.
Delegation Chairman Albert r.
Hassall. Republican, was in
structed to get in touch with
Riverdale officials to determine
whether some arrangement could
be worked out whereby the cor
poration would pay an annual
l. T. r..