Evening star., 1955-01-06
sosscer CREDITED With Political CouD II Upset and uer
Maryland Senote
Meeting Today as
House Recesses

00Ae&AAH - - N4gHAAA2 - b4AS = ACoA7
dents chair Of the Maryland
Senate today becaiise of . sur
prising political coup engineered
In part BY former Democratic
Representative Lansdnle q. Sass
Ger Of Upper Marlboro.
In the House, meanwhile, dele
gate John G. Luber. Democrat.
Of Baltimore City, yesterday was
reelected speaker, o post he
has held since 1851.
The new Senate and House
leaders we're installed by the
Democratic majority as the Gen.
eral Assembly opened It's 90-day
session here yesterday.
The Senate was meeting today,
but the House recessed last night
until Monday night. The House,
with its larger membership,
wanted to give State House aides
time to put names Of the new
delegates on its automatic voting
machines before it attempts to
take UP any serious business.
Neither Favored to Win.
Neither Mr.. Luber nor Senator
Goldstein had been expected to
win to top positions In the upper
and lower chamber.
In the past week, an agree
ment on top legislative positions
had been worked out by Inn
portant Democratic leaders, In
cluding. It was reported, Mr..
Sasscer. State Controller J.sMil-
lard Tawes. q supposed power on
the Eastern Shore: Baltimore,s
Mayor D'Alesandro and James
H. Pollack. Democratic leader in
Baltimore's 4th district.
Under this agreement, a coali-
ton Of votes from the Eastern
Shore, the Western Shore coun-
ties and about half Of Baltimore
City was supposed to put Sena-
tor Layman Redden OF Caroline
County In the Senate presidency
and Delegate Perry o. wilkinson
Of Prince Georges in the speak
er's chair.
Senator Goldstein was to re-
main as majority leader. q post
he has held for four sessions,
and Senator George Della Of
Baltimore City, the president
since 1851, was to accept chair
manship Of the Judiciary Com
fnittee.
In the House. the coalition
planned to install Delegate A.
Gordon Boone Of Baltimore
County as majority leader, and
Delegate Lloyd L. Simpkins Of
Somerset County as House Judi
ciary Committee chairman.
Shsremen Jump Traces.
But the rs Democrats Dele
gates from the sEaStern Shore.
broke the traces and voted l6
to 8, in q caucus early yesterday
TO go for Mr.. Luber instead OF
Mr.. wilkinson for speaker, They
already had agreed to cast their
votes as q unit.
That gave Mr.. Luber enough
votes. with what he already had
IN the city and here and there
In the western counties, to edge
Mr.. Wilkinson out in the Demo-
cratic caucus yesterday.
Mr.. Luber adopted the origi-
nal coalition choices for his two
Top lieutenants. however, and
named Mr.. Boone majority lead
er and Mr.. Simpkins chairman
Of judiciary.
Upsets Senate End.
The Eastern Shore bloc's re-
fusal to back Mr.. wilkinson
repeatedly set Mr.. Sasscer to
work upsetting the Senate end
of the original coalition, agree
ment. The four Southern Mary
land Senators Senator Gold
stein was left out because he
was committed to the Redden
group) and Senator Edward s.
Northrop Of Montgomery County
met and decided they weren't
about to put q shoreman In the
presidents chair.
Five other Senator'S who had
reason to be unhappy with the
original agreement were per-.
suaded to join the Sasscer group.
They were Senator'S John Grason
Turnbull Of Baltimore County.
William s. James Of Hartford,
Frederick C. Malkus Of Dor-
chester and Joseph A. Bertorelli
and Anthony r. Didomenico of
Baltimore City.
With votes Of 10 Of the 81
Democratic Senators. the now
Sasscer bloc offered
Senator Goldstein the presi-
iency. provided he would name
Senator Turnhull majority leader
and Senator Malkus chairman
of judiciary.
The Calvert County Senator
agreed to 60 along. giving the
5asscer group the majority Of
II votes.
g. o. r. Has No Trouble.
The Republicans had no
.rouble naming their leaders.
Senator Robert Kimhle Of Al
legany County was reelected
eader of the eight-member Re-
publican minority in the Senate,
Ind Delegate Melvin H. Derr Of
County became leader
If the IS House Republicans.
Mr.. Wilkinson was named
speaker pro. tenn, q post he has
held for IS years, As such, 1t
was his task TO swear in MI.
Luber and the other l22 mems
,ers Of the House.
This session marked the first
n Maryland that Negroes have
'erved In the Legislature. Three
we're elected from Baltimore
city In the November election
Senator Harry A. Cole and Dele
rates Emory r. Cole and Truly |
'1atchett.