Evening star., 1961-06-01
Pollock Warns
Of Court Test
Over Z Bills
By PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

June 8 to re-enact savings and
loan and Baltimore Municipal
Court measures which are under
attack in a referendum move
ment.
But the leader Of the refer
endum drive, James H. (Jack)
Pollack, said any further legis-
lative efforts to put the bills in
effect before the referendum
is held likely will be met with
a court challenge. He said the
special session is an attempt to
circumvent the right of the
people to petition for a referen-
dunn on legislation they don't
like.
There were these other de-
velopments yesterday on the
Legislative front:
l. Gov. Tawes said the special
session of the Assembly also will
be asked to amend the new
sales tax law which goes into
effect today. This would be to
clarity what foods should be
taxed.
2. The League of Women
Voters filed petitions for a ref
erendum on the Congressional
Redistricting Act passed at the
1861 session of the General
Assembly.
3. Labor leaders filed petit
tions for a referendum on a
1861 bill Tightening eligibility
for unemployment compensa-
ton.
4. Two local bills-one re-
quiring transportation of paro-
chial school students on public
school buses in Baltimore
County and another dealing
with oyster bed leasing in Dor
chester County-were objects
Of referendum petitions.
Automatically Postponed
All the bills against which
petitions were filed had been
scheduled to 60 into effect tn.
day. They were put off auto
matlcally with the filing of the
petitions, which now go to the
attorney general for checking.
After a two-hour meeting
With legislative leaders and ad-
ViserS, Gov. Tawes announced
that the special session would
be called for 1890 am. June
9, providing the Attorney Gen
eral rules the petitions are in
order.
Gov. Tawes said the special
session will deal only with the
savings and loan and munich
pal court bills and the sales tax
amendment. He said nothing
will be done about the con-
gressional redistricting and un-
employment C compensation
matters.
The purpose of the special
session will be to re-enact the
legislation as emergency meas
ures to get them on the books
Immediately. The Governor
and other State officials feel
that it is necessary to curb
abuses in the savings and loan
industry and to get the new
Baltimore municipal court
functioning as soon as possible.
They do not feel an urgency
about the redistricting act and
the new unemployment COM
pensation bill.
ArmOred Truck Used
Mr.. Pollack brought the saw
ings and loan and the court
bill petitions to the Statehouse
in an armored truck.
Nine ladies from the League
of Women Voters brought their
petitions against the rediStrict-
ing act stacked in a cardboard
beer case.
Mr.. Pollack said he brought
the % bundles of petitions in
the armored truck to dramatize
his view that the right of petit
ton by the people needs pro-
lection. He said some officials
are trying to intimidate the
people to keep them from exer-
cising their right to petition. "
Mr.. Pollack told reporters he
was representing someone else
in the savings and loan petit
ton movement, but he declined
to name anyone. He said he
would announce this "in due
course"
Isn't this cute" chuckled
Mr.. Pollack as the bundles were
removed from the armored
truck and stacked in front of
the Statehouse elevator.
Heads Association
Mr.. Pollack, who said he is
president of the Great Ameri-
can Building & Loan Associa-
! ton, maintained he is "for reg
ulationS" but against a provi-
sion of the new law which pro-
hibits associations from taking
second mortgages unless they
also hold the first mortgage.
Mr.. Pollack said that if the
bills are enacted as emergency
legislation at a special session
there probably will be q court
case filed protesting that the
right of the people to petition
for referendum is being
abrogated.
The League of Women Voters
filed 29.750 signatures against
the congressional redistricting
act. Among those delivering
the petitions to Secretary of
State Lloyd Simpkins were Mrs.
Fielding Ogburn and Mrs. Will
liam Carrot of Montgomery
County.