1718 VETOES.

Chapter 239 (House Bill 270). This measure provides for
the examination and licensing of Insurance Agents, Solicitors,
Brokers, etc. However, the Attorney General reveals the fact
that in the body of the bill that Life Insurance Agents and
Accident and Health Agents are exempt from the provisions
of the bill. Because the exemption is not set forth in the title,
the Attorney General rules that the measure is defective.

Chapter 251 (House Bill 177). This bill provides for the pay-
ment of a portion of the Magistrates' fees in Montgomery
County to the Library of the Circuit Court. The title, how-
ever, provides that fees and forfeitures shall be used for the
support of the Library of the Police Courts.

Chapter 352 (House Bill 314). This bill purports to repeal
and re-enact a section of the Fair Trade Act with certain
amendments. However, in undertaking the re-enactment, the
main portion of the pre-existing law was omitted, probably
through oversight, and thus would remain repealed if I signed
the bill. Persons interested in the passage of the measure have
since recommended its veto because of the slip-up which
occurred.

Chapter 726 (House Bill 413). This bill, according to the
State Law Department has a "wholly misleading title". The
body of the bill refers to the licensing of peddlers in Kent
County, but the State Law Department rules that there is a
wide variance in the title.

DIVORCE.

Three bills were passed by the Legislature making changes
in the divorce laws of the State. One provided that a pre-
viously existing cause for divorce would be eliminated, which
under the present provisions denied equal rights to women. A
second bill would permit the granting of a divorce where
abandonment has continued for a period of one year, whereas
the present law requires three years abandonment. The third
bill would make it possible for a person to procure a divorce
from a spouse who is permanently and incurably insane.

In order to have the benefit of advice from impartial and
professional sources, I requested the President of the Bar
Association of Baltimore City, Mr. Robert France, to appoint
a special committee to consider these measures and to suggest
whether or not the provisions would injuriously affect present
procedure or whether the bills were faulty.

Pursuant to my request, President France appointed as a
committee, James A. Latané, Esq. as Chairman, Ward B. Coe,
Esq., and Gerald B. Hill, Esq. These gentlemen are Masters
of Chancery appointed by the Supreme Bench of Baltimore