Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-21
.Judgeship Bill Gains,
But Faces Big Test
Buckers Need
Single Vote to
Pass Measure
BY GENE GOODWIN
Staf STAFF Correspondent

russ M6OSuIS
BY GENE GOODWIN
Star staff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 2l.-South-
ern Maryland has passed the
first hurdle in its campaign be-
fore the Legislature to increase
the number of judges on the
Court of Appeals from five to
seven. But the big test is still
to come.
The State Senate last night
voted, 10 to II, to accept a fay-
Iorable report on a bill sponsored
by the five Southern Maryland
senators to put a proposed con-
stitutional amendment for the
larger court on the general cleo
ton next November.
One of the senators voting with
the majority. Senator James
I Weinroth, Democrat of Cecil.
told the body later, however, he
intended to vote against the bill
when it comes up for final pas
sage later this week.
/ Is Votes Needed
. Since 10 votes are needed to
pass a measure proposing to
amend the constitution, the
Southern Marylanders are going
to have to win over at least one
of last nights negative votes to
send their bill across to the
House.
/ Southern Maryland's interest
in the legislation lies in its pro-
vision that one of the new judges
would come from Southern
Maryland. and the other, from
Baltimore City.
Senator H. Winship Wheatley.
jr.. Democrat of Prince Georges.
led the floor fight.
4 Quoting population estimates
from recent article in the Sun
day Star. he argued that the
Second Appellate Circuit. which
the bill would split, now has
more than 100000 persons. The
bill would put Baltimore and
Hartford counties, with a COM
bined population of over 400, 900.
in one circuit, and the i've
Southern Maryland counties,
} also with a combined population
of over 100000. in another
circuit.
] The First Appellate Circuit.
: consisting of the nine Eastern
Shore counties, now has only
$4,000 population, Senator
Wheatley alleged.
Need Questioned
!, Opponents questioned the
, need for increasing the high
State court bench. which was
reduced from eight to i've under
Ia 1914 amendment to the con.
lstitution.
Opponents have said privately
they believe the bill stems from
resentment In Southern Mary
land over the 1854 election. in
which Second Appellate Circuit
voters selected Judge Hall Ham.
mond of Baltimore County to fill
q vacancy on the high court over
Circuit Court Judge Charles c.
Marbury of Prince Georges
County.
, Senator Wheatley, in another
action, introduced bill that has
, prompted spirited debate in be-
, ing narrowly defeated in pre-
vious sessions. 1t would provide
, that shares in public utilities be
taxed in the city or county where
their property is located, rather
than where they maintain their
home offices.
Costly to Baltimore
Since most big Maryland utili-
ties have their home Offices in
Baltimore, that city would be
1.-THE big loser by such a change.
Senator Wheatley said Prince
Georges would pick up about
5000 a year from the bill.
! Over in the House, the Prince
Georges County delegation put
in bill to correct an error made
in 1855 act. which has prevent
:. ed the Glenn Dale Volunteer
Fire Department from receiving
revenues from a l0-cent fire tax
IN the Bowie Election District of
that county.
! Delegates Perry o. Wilkinson
and Hervey G. Machen. Demo-
Gratis Of Prince Georges, intro
duced resolution that would
give the University of Maryland
authority to use faculty salary
increase money in next years
budget for initiation of social
security participation for mem
bers of the university's staff.
University employees have voted
overwhelmingly to join the Fed
eral Social Security program. but
the State administration declined
to appropriate the money needed
for the State share of the pro-
gram on the ground other State
departments would want to fol-
low the university's lead.
State Senator Edward S.
Northrop, Democrat of Mont
gomery. had ready for introduce
ton today a bill that would ex-
tend Public Service Commission
jurisdiction to "any public au-
thority, Federal, State, district
or municipal transportation
agency"
Aimed at ID. C.
He said his bill was aimed at
regulating the Maryland opera
tons of any public-owned transit
system that may be started IN
the District of Columbia after
the Capital Transit Co. moves
out on August IA.
Delegate Margaret C. Schwein-
haut, Democrat of Montgomery.
last night introduced a resolu-
ton asking a legislative study
of the feasibility of establishing