Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1961-01-05
Legislators Get Reapportionnent
appeal From Maryland Committee

appeal Frt
Maryland legislators were
told this week that to oppose
a fair reapportionment of the
General Assembly cor to de-
lay it lis to tinker carelessly
with the capacity of the State
to fully share the power to gov
ern our Union"
The statement was made in a
strongly worded appeal to
reasonable and practical legisla-
tors sent to all members of
the General Assembly by the
Maryland Committee for Fair
Representation. Christian H.
Kahl, State president of the
citizens reapportionment group,
said the statement mailed to all
members of the General Assem-
bly, was the Fair Representa-
ton Committees answer to
Governor Tawes' challenge to
come up with a practical plan.
"Our proposal is far more
practical than the Walsh pro-
posal because it is fair. We
have not sought the ideal, even
though we desire it. We have
proposed a moderate measure
to get Maryland out of the rut
of malapportionment. We hope
the Governor will support it,
said Kahl.
The committee said tn t
people would lose faith in an
unrepresentative legislature,
and that the problem in Mary
land was so serious that "a
little tinkering will not repair
the machine of popular control.
The time has passed for bailing
wire approaches, because the
problem has been left unattend-
ed for so long" In providing
fair representation, the commit
tee said, what clearly is right
is clearly practical"
The committee advocates a re-
apportionment proposal which
would guarantee each county
and legislative district two dele
gates and one senator, but APP
portion the remainder, up to $50
delegates and so senators, on
the basis of population.
In supporting its position the
committee states that from its
Representatives, alone a legis-
lature draws its strength and
the basic rationale for its very
existence" The sta tie m n t
pointed to national concern
over legislative apportionment.
Two cases are now pending be-
fore the U. S. Supreme Court
challenging, as violations of the
Federal Constitutions equal
protection clause, the apportion-
ment of seats in the legislatures
of Michigan and Tennessee. The
committee also has a case in
the Maryland State Courts,
where a jurisdictional question
is awaiting decision by Judge o.
Bowie Duckett in Anne Arun-
del County Circuit Court. Con-
gress viii consider a federal
constitutional amendment to re-
quire state legislative reappor-
tionment. President-elect Ken
nedy has also strongly con-
demned state legislative malap-
portionment as the shame Of
the States"
One feature OF the committee
plan which may be questioned
in the General Assembly Is that
providing for reapportionment
of the State Senate. The COM
mittee pointed out, however,
that Maryland failed to follow
a principle of territorial repre-
sentation by providing six sena-
tors for Baltimore City.
1.-The committee feels it is
essential to provide constitu-
tional hexibility to premit sena-
torial reapportionment to pre-
vent the kind of legislative
atrophy which has gripped
states like Michigan, Pennsyl-
vania, and New Jersey where
the difference in senate and
house bases Of representation
causes irreconcihnble conflicts
on vital state matters. While