Evening star., 1956-12-31
Path Cleared to Sustain
Mcke|din Beer Bill Veto
Measure Burs
Canada Brewery
From Maryland

ANNAPOLIS. Dec. 81 (R.--
Maryland's General Assembly
returns to work this week, and
one Of its first items Of busi-
ness will be the controversial
beer bill which had the 1865
Legislature In a froth last
February.
But this time the measure
aimed at blocking a Canadian
brewery from locating in the
Baltimore area should be only a
Isudsy echo of arguments once
heard in Washington and Mon
treal.
Maryland brewers who lobbied
for its passage have dropped
their fight for it, clearing an
easy path for the legislature to
sustain Gov. McKeldin's veto Of
the bill.
The beer bill will be taken
up with 10 others vetoed by
Gov. McKeldin after the last
session. They will be considered
shortly after the Senate and
House organize for business at
their 90-day session which gets
underway Wednesday.
Vetoed Bills Described
There is little controversial In
his other vetoes. Five of them
were of bills which duplicated
other acts. Another, to permit
carnivals and games of chance
in Wicomico County, was turned
down as unqualified for consid-
Grafton at a session restricted
to the budget and emergency
matters.
This leaves for consideration
wednesday vetoed bills which
would:
Permit physically disabled per-
sons to be accompanied into a
voting machine booth by any
| person rather than just an i'm
mediate member of his family
or the two clerks at the polling
place.
Expand the State Planning
Commission into two depart
ments with one devoted to eco-
nomic development Of the State.
Abolish the boards of man.
ayers for the States four train.
ing schools for delinquent chill
dren and place the general OPP
Grating management of the
schools in the Department Of
Welfare.
Exempt from State income
tax the pay a nonresident re-
ceives for services performed in
Maryland. Gov. McKeldin said
this would cost the State $780,
: 900 a year and would exempt
residents Of States which do not
have a reciprocal law for Mary
J boundaries.
Beer Bill Provoked Storm
None Of these provoked any,
thing like the storm that swirled
around the beer bill, which
would have prohibited any for
eign-controlled corporation from
producing beer in Maryland.
Specifically it was aimed at
Carling Brewing Co., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Canadian
Breweries. Ltd. who wanted to
locate plant in the Baltimore
area.
Maryland brewers attacked
business practices Of the Cana
dian firm, and Canadian news
papers fired editorial barrages
at Maryland's attempted re-
straint Of trade.
, The United States State De-
lpartment got into the act with
request that Gov. McKeldin
veto the bill as dangerous TO
/ foreign relations and he COM
piled.
Last November a spokesman
for state brewers wrote to legis-
: lators who voted for the measure
D saying it had already served its
q purpose. He said Canada had
lowered its tariffs against Amer
lean beer as a result Of the in
cident and the publicity given 1t.
! Measures Proposed
' After disposing OF vetoed bills
/ and nearing Gov. McKeldin's
' state Of the State speech, the
: legislators can get down to work
\ on new legislation. They already
1 have a stack OF 1t waiting in the
/ form Of 70 measures drawn up
by the Legislative Council. the
between-session study arm Of
the General Assembly.
Among the more far-reachinR
Of these proposals is a package
|. of 27 bills calling for a sweeping
: revision Of motor vehicle laws.
/. They would require re-examina-
Ntion every three years for drivers,
licenses. annual inspections Of
$ cars and trucks and sitter PEN
! alties for traffic offenses.
!, BY January % the legislature
: will receive from Gov. McKeldin
his new budget for State opera
E ltions in the year which begins
5 next July /. This Is expected 70
total around 1885 million. COM
, pared 70 1909 million for tbs
/ current year. and will require
! extra tax revenue Of about 81
million to balance II unless rev.
enue estimators come up with
: higher forecasts during the sas-
sion.
Another and bigger possible tax
increase lies In a proposal to give
public school teachers and $500
across-the -board pay increase.
This would require raising t22