Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-16
Roads Commission
Probe Scheduled for
House Vote Today
BY Gene Goodwin
Sfor Ssuif Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 16.-The
House of Delegates was ready to
take a crack today at what has
been the hottest issue of the
General Assembly-an investiga-
ton of the State Roads Commits
sion.
The lower chamber was sched-
uled to take action on two roads
commission study measures, one
identical with the bill defeated
in the Senate, 1913. Monday
night. It calls for a $4,000
probe Of the roads commission
by q legislative committee.
Another House bill up for test
provides for a $4,000 appropri-
alton to finance a study Of the
agency by the Fiscal Research
Bureau, an arm Of the Legisla-
ture. Sponsors Of this second
bill claim It would assure that
the study would be removed from
politics.
The idea for investigating the
roads commission was conceived
in politics. The study bills here
reflect criticism of the commits
sion leveled by Or. n. c. Byrd
in his unsuccessful Democratic
campaign for Governor last fall.
Turnpike Agency Killed
The roads agency was the big
issue before the Senate yester-
day when a 16-to-11 vote de-
feated a proposed Maryland
turnpike authority to build and
operate q toll expressway be-
tween Baltimore and the Penn
sylvania line.
At the same time the Senate
adopted II to 4. a Finance Com
mittee's favorable report on
legislation empowering the State
Roads Commission to operate
that highway as a toll road.
Senator Edward s. Northrop,
Democrat Of Montgomery, fought
hard for the turnpike authority
proposal, but he said he knew it
was In vain because these roads
commission bills are musts for
the administration"
Mr.. Northrop, who headed q
subcommittee which studied
turnpike authorities in New Jer-
sey and Pennsylvania. said the
State Roads Commission has
failed to build one toll road al
though 1t has had the authority
to do SO since l947.
Close Fight, Indicated
II yesterdays action by the
House Ways and Means Com
mittee is any indication, the
lower chamber is in for a close
fight on the roads commission
study bills.
Majority Leader A. Gordon
Boone had to take two votes OF
the committee before he could
get a favorable report for the
bill introduced by Delegate Rob-
ert Canaan, Democrat Of WI
comico. providing for a study by
legislative committee.
In its first committee vote,
with only 81 members present,
q motion for a favorable report
was defeated IL to 10. But the
determined Mr.. Boone called his
committee into session again in
the midst Of yesterdays session
and succeeded in getting q 16 to
10 favorable report for the Cam
non measure. Five Democrats
and eight Republicans voted
against it.
The other bill. calling for a
Fiscal Research Bureau probe,
was approved 10 to 8 in the first
committee session.
Wants Issue for Senate
Mr.. Boone's plan is to have
the House pass both bills and
put the issue squarely" before
the Senate. He expressed belief
that the prestige of House pas
sage might cause some Senators
to change their minds and vote
for q study.
The Senate. In another action
yesterday, adopted D favorable
report on q bin providing q $500
deduction ON State income taxes
for working mothers.
A new bill aimed at sale Of
crime comic books to youths was
introduced in the House. The
new bill would ban sale to per-
sons under 10 of publications ex-
plotting sex as well as crime.
An earlier bin has been bottled
tee.