Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-09
Delegates Smother
.S&L Probe Plea
Grand Inquest
Plan for House
Fails, "a to Il
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 9.-The
Maryland House of Delegates
has rejected by an overwhelm-
ing majority a move for a
grand inquest" into savings
and loan operations.
The move for the legislative
inquiry, initiated by Delegate
Carlton R. Sickles, Democrat
of Prince Georges, was
squashed yesterday by a vote
of "a to 81.
The only legislators from the
Washington area to vote for it
were Mr.. SickleS and Delegate
Blair Lee III, Democrat of
montgomery, who are members
of an anti administration ticket
running for Statewide offices.
Although Gov. Tawes cp-
posed the investigation as I'M
necessary. the main reason for
the rejection seemed not so
much political as a reluctance
to tie the House up on a probe
that might have a questionable
outcome.
Mr.. Sickles said he believed it
was the duty of the General
Assembly to make a tull inves-
tigation of the background of
the savings and loan scandals
and the status of the Maryland
firms. He said the people will
believe we are afraid of the
truth" if the probe were re-
jected.
Boone Objects
/ Democratic Floor Leader A.
Gordon Boone, Of Baltimore
County, said the investigation
would tie up the House and pre-
vent its consideration of other
important matters, would be
costly and likely wouldn't &C
complish anything. He and Del
egate Alger Y. Barbee, Demo-
crat of Montgomery, implied
that Mr.. Sickles' request was
politically inspired.
Better politically inspired
than financially inspired" said
Mr.. Sickles with an obvious ref
erence to heavy lobbying last
year by some legislators against
savings and loan legislation.
Delegate Edward McNeal,
Democrat of Baltimore City
and chairman of the House
. Banking Committee, seemed to
) reflect the feeling of most leg
islators when he said that the
grand inquest procedure Is ''un-
, ruly and difficult to handle"
Mr.. McNeal said he did not
, think the Legislature has done
"all we need to do" to correct
abuses in the savings and loan
industry but he said he felt a
grand inquest by the House of
Delegates was not the proper
way to go about it.
The rejection was a setback
to the anti administration
forces which are headed by
George P. Mahoney, candidate
for the Democratic nomination
for Governor against Mr..
TaWeS. Mr.. Lee is running for
the United States Senate on the
Mahoney ticket and Mr.. Sickles
is running for Congress at
large.
Other Bills Offered
Among other new measures
introduced we're:
l. A bill backed by Gov.
TaWeS to set up a State pro-
gram for insuring savings and
loan associations.
2. A bill by the Dorchester
County delegation to tighten
trespaSs laws. This is aimed at
racial sit-in demonstrations and
was introduced by lawmakers
from the Eastern Shore where
there have been demonstrations
in recent weeks.
8. A bill by Delegate Boone
requiring annual inspection of
autos. The inspection would be
done by private stations under
the supervision of State police.
4. A resolution by Senator
Margaret Schweinhaut, Demo-
crat of Montgomery, urging
private employers not to dis
criminate against elderly per-
sons in hiring.