Evening star., 1961-03-25
Delegates Approve
Slots Referendum
Anne Arundel
Bill Gets Vote
Of Reluctant
BY a Star staff Writer


ability Of slot machine forces
to garner support outside the
four Maryland counties where
slots are legal was demon
strated yesterday in the House
Of Delegates.
Up for a final vote in the
House was a bill providing for
"a referendum on outlawing
slot machines in Anne Arundel
County. 1t finally passed, but
not until enough abstaining
delegates were talked into vot-
ing for it.
The bill was a piece of So
called local" legislation which
had the backing of the six
delegates from Anne Arundel
County.
The House almost always
goes along with the majority
of the local delegation on bills
which do not affect other
areas.
The two Anne Arundel dele
gates opposing the bill -
John F. McNulty and Charles
Brockmeyer-said they object
ed to the timing of the ref
erendum. They said it should
not be held during the Novem-
ber, 1862, general election but
in the "off-year" election of
1864. when candidates for
Statewide offices will not be
running.
When the lights went up on
the voting board, there were
not enough votes to pass the
bill.
There's something very
sinister about that board" said
Delegate Blair Lee III, Demo-
crat of Montgomery.
Causes Wonder
II am amazed at the power
and influence of the slot ma
chine people in this State -
not just in Anne Arundel
County" said Ridgely Melvin,
chairman of the Anne Arundel
delegation.
i With majority Of the dele
gates of Baltimore City rec
orded against the bill on the
tally board, Delegate Joseph
D. TydingS, Democrat of Har-
ford, asked the Speaker to ring
the bells to summon missing
legislators and to urge those
sitting out the balloting to cut
their votes.
II am deeply shocked and
disappointed that the mem
bers Of this House would fail
to go along with a local dele
CATION" said Delegate Charles
w. CeSs. Democrat of Wash
ington County. THE best rea-
son I would know Of for q
Statewide referendum (on the
slot machine issue) is tn a. t
board right there" he said,
pointing to the score board.
THE votes on that board
not allowing our residents the
right to vote on this issue are
outside votes. it is a graphic
Illustration of the problem we
have on this matter" said
Delegate John Whitmore,
Democrat of Anne Arundel.
Passed, "a to % Z
AS they talked, delegates
who had been sitting it out be-
gan to cast their ballots for
the bill. When the tally was
finally taken, the bill passed
by a vote. of 74-23 and was sent
to the Senate, twenty-six
members did not vote.
OF the % against, 18 were
from Baltimore City. Eight
from the city voted for the bill
and 10 did not vote.
c. Philip Nichols, Democrat
. Of Prince Georges, was the only
member from Montgomery or
Prince Georges to vote against
the bill.
Two bills which would ban
slot machines in the State
have been introduced in the
, General Assembly but are still
, in committee. One Of them
would provide a Statewide
referendum and one would ban
the machines without a vote
of the people.
Gov. TaweS has called slot
machines an "evil" but has said
the matter is a local issue which
, the counties should handle
| themselves. Slots are legal in
Anne Arundel, st. Marys, Cal
vert and Charles Counties.