Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-01
McKeidin Due
To Sign Bill
This Afternoon
By CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
Star Stan Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 1.-The
Senate early today
passed a seizure bill aimed
at ending the 32-day-old Baltic
more transit strike.
The seizure bill. although di.
rected at ending the present tie.
up, applies to all public utilities.
II authorizes the Governor to
seize the company and, after
a mediation period of Is days.
calls for compulsory arbitration.
The bill dies automatically Is
days after adjournment OF the
1857 General Assembly,
The measure was expected
to move to the Governors ONCE
for his signature this afternoon.
The bill will become effective
Immediately upon signing by
Gov. McKeldin.
Only technical hurdle lay in
the path of the bill, which must
have concurrence by the House
on several amendments to COR
rect errors found by legislative
experts in the House-passed
version.
House Majority Leader A.
Gordon Boone said he would
press for action as soon as the
House convenes this afternoon.
Tense Voting Repeated
Senate voting on the measure
was as tense last night as 1t had
been the previous night In the
House of Delegates, when the
bill at first appeared defeated.
then during nearly an hour Of
voting passed with resounding
majority.
The bill was reported favor.
ably by the Senate Judicial Pro-
ceedings Committee by a 7-to-3
vote.
When debate began last night,
an unsuccessful move was made
for passage of another seizure
bill that lacked a compulsory
arbitration feature.
On second reading, the sue
,cessful bill sponsored by the
Baltimore City delegation passed
only by a vote of is to Is.
The bill then was laid over as
the Senate adjourned for 20
minutes into a new legislative
lday.
Gets Required Vote
On final passage, the bill got
the required IS votes. as four
Senators shifted from nay to yea
and one reversed the procedure.
Among those changing their
votes to yea on the final tally
were Senator H. Winship Wheat
ley, j., Democrat of Prince
Georges, and Edward S. North
rop, Democrat of Montgomery.
The vote came about 1920
am. in a session that ended two
hours later. The Senate ap-
Ipeared to have its deck fairly
well cleared, with Majority
Leader John G. Turnbull pre-
dieting an early closing of the
Assembly tonight.
The bill had been opposed by
two OF the four Baltimore City
Senators.
Passage PleaseS McKeliin
Shortly after the Senate vote,
Gov. McKeldin issued a state
ment asserting his pleasure with
the passage of the bill.
The action of the two bodies,
he said, demonstrates the re-
Spouse Of the General Assembly
to the demands of a people who
have been distressed by this
strike for month" The Cover
nor limited, in a statement, that
he planned to give the Baltimore
Transit Co. and the union one
final chance to settle the dispute
before he invokes the seizure.
The Governor met with union
leaders yesterday few hours
after he had met with company
officials.
Port Bill Passed
The Senate last night also
passed, with several amendments.
a House bill to establish a Mary
land Port Authority.
The vote in the Senate was rs
to 4 on the revised measure,
which excludes Talbot County
from the jurisdiction. Of the au-
lthority. Another amendment re-
quires Senate approval of APP
pointments to the five-member
Authority.
The bill now goes back to the
House for concurrence.
There is some doubt here as
to the constitutionality Of the
bill. which excludes some areas
from its Jurisdiction. 1t may be
necessary to call the General
Assembly into special session
after its closing Of the regular
30-day meeting tonight.
Only bills of a fiscal or State
wide nature can be enacted In
the 30-day session.
The Senate also approved two
amendments that will add $780,
900 to the $8.5 million capital
improvements budget. OF this
$500,000 would be for an audi
forum and gymnasium at Coppin
State Teachers College, Balti-
more, and the remainder for
ground improvement at the Cris-
1