J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                              255

(c) Definition of "person." The word "person" as used in this
sub-heading means any individual, firm, partnership, association,
corporation, company, or organization of any kind.

419A. SEVERABILITY.

IF ANY PROVISION, SECTION, SUB-SECTION, SENTENCE,
CLAUSE OR PHRASE OF THIS SUB-HEADING, OR THE
APPLICATION OF SAME TO ANY PERSON OR SET OF CIR-
CUMSTANCES, IS FOR ANY REASON HELD TO BE UNCON-
STITUTIONAL, VOID OR INVALID (OR FOR ANY REASON
UNENFORCEABLE), THE VALIDITY OF THE REMAINING
PORTIONS OF THIS SUB-HEADING OR THEIR APPLICATION
TO OTHER PERSONS OR SETS OF CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL
NOT BE AFFECTED THEREBY, IT BEING THE INTENT OF
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND IN ADOPTING
THIS SUB-HEADING THAT NO PORTION THEREOF OR PRO-
VISION OR REGULATION CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE-
COME INOPERATIVE OR FAIL BY REASON OF ANY UNCON-
STITUTIONALLY OR INVALIDITY OF ANY OTHER POR-
TION, PROVISION OR REGULATION, AND TO THIS END, ALL
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUB-HEADING ARE DECLARED TO
BE SEVERABLE.

421. Sale, etc., of certain publications to minors prohibited.

(a)    Crime books prohibited. It shall be unlawful and an of-
fense for any person OPERATING ANY NEWSSTAND, BOOK
STORE, DRUGSTORE, MARKET, OR OTHER MERCANTILE
ESTABLISHMENT to wilfully sell or distribute to any child below
the age of eighteen years, OR PERMIT THE PERUSAL OF BY
ANY SUCH CHILD, or have in his possession with intent to sell,
distribute or otherwise offer for sale or distribution to any SUCH
child below the age of eighteen years, any book, pamphlet, magazine
or other printed paper principally composed of pictures and spe-
cifically including but not limited to comic books, devoted to the
publication and exploitation of actual or fictional deeds of violent
bloodshed, lust or immorality, or which, for a child below the age of
eighteen years, are obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, indecent or dis-
gusting and so presented as reasonably to tend to incite a child
below the age of eighteen years to violence or depraved or immoral
acts against the person.

(b)   Sales of indecent publications to minors. It shall be unlawful
and an offense for any person OPERATING ANY NEWSSTAND,
BOOK STORE, DRUGSTORE, MARKET, OR OTHER MERCAN-
TILE ESTABLISHMENT to wilfully sell or distribute to any child
below the age of eighteen years, OR PERMIT THE PERUSAL OF
BY ANY SUCH CHILD, or have in his possession with intent
to sell, distribute or otherwise offer for sale to any SUCH child below
the age of eighteen years any book, pamphlet, magazine or other
printed paper, specifically including but not limited to comic books,
devoted to the publication and exploitation of sex or of matter of
an indecent character which, for a child below the age of eighteen
years, is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, indecent or disgusting or
which are devoted to the publication and exploitation of actual or
fictional deeds of violent bloodshed, lust, or immorality which are