Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-15
TWO LAWMAKERS
CLASH ON FLOOR
George Brown ReSents Wilson'S
Action on Health Board Res
oIution and "CaIIs Him."

A sharp and sensational clash be-
tween Representative vinson of Bald
win. and Representative Brown. of
Fulton occurred on the floor of the
| house this morning. but not as a part
of the recorded days proceedings, aft-
er Mr. Vinson, in the absence Of DR..
| Brown, had succeeded in having reae
olution fathered by DR. Brown, report
ed favorably to the house, recommitted
to the committee on hygiene and SAM
tation for a rehearing.
Dr. Browns resolution provides for .
joint committee to investigate the
state board Of health, and has been
reported favorably in both the house
and the senate. It seeks to air some
of the inside doings of that committee.
some of which have been aired before,
1t is said, and some OF which have not.
Soon after the house met today Mr..
Vinson asked that the resolution be
recommitted There was no objection,
and the bill was sent back to the COM,
mittee
In few minutes DR.. Brown came In,
and, In ignorance of what had hap
pened asked that his resolution ibe
called up for consideration.
The speaker informed him thatg his
bill had been sent back to the comnit-
tee for rehearing
Calls Down Mr.. Vinson.
DR. Brown was visibly astohished,
but said nothing more on the floor
He walked down to the reading clerk
and inquired as to the facts Of the sit
uation
When DR.. Brown had satisfied him
self as to what had happened and how,
he went to Mr. vfnson andisaid;
IT consider such methods as you
adopted in blocking my resolution this
morning as questionable 1 shall keep
my eyes on you in the future"
Mr. Vinson flushed. and said he
guessed that would be satisfactory to
him, and that he was not answerable to
DR. Brown for his conduct.
Speaking of the matter laten Mr..
| Vinson said; Il wanted this resolution
recommitted because ] wanted to be
heard by the committee on the merits
of the proposed investigation. think
there is no real merit In 1t. This board
has been investigated once, and moth
! ing wrong was found Why should it
be Investigated AGAIN. There is more
spleen and malice in the matter than
anything else. I do want TO kill the
resolution because / think 1t should be
killed"
DIR. Brown, discussing the incident,
said: IT have known for some time that
|
block my resolution providing for an
investigation into the doings of the
state board of health / found out to-
day who 1t was. and must say j was
estonished at the methods he used.
The plea that Mr.. Vinson wants to be
heard by the committee comes mighty
late. Why hasn't he been heard here
tofore? He has had abundant oppor-
tunity. The plea that the department
has been investigated before is silly. It
Investigated itself, and found itself all
right. / want real investigation held
and the committee agrees that 1t should
be Investigated. What Mr.. Vinson ia
trying to do is to block an investiga-
ton The secretary of the health board
has influential relatives in Baldwin,
county and the gentleman from Bald
win seems determined that the board
shall not be Investigated. If he is SO
sure that everything is all right why
does he undertake to head off an in
vestigationT'
Live Session Expected.
A more than ordinarily sensational
session Of the committee on hygiene
and sanitation Is expected TO follow
today's clash between Vinson and
Brown
The proposal to investigate the stats
board OF health by a legislative joint
committee evidently will be bitterly
fought
This fight is, in some of its aspects,
continuation of an old controversy
between DR.. Willis Westmoreland, Of
| Atlanta, former member of the board
and it's chairman and DR. H F. Harris
the present secretary.
! Several months ago DIR. Westmore-
land resigning the Craftsmanship of the
board. filed charges OF extravaganza
and maladministration against Secre-
tary Harris These charges the board
absolved itself and its secretary of, but
there has never been legislative in
vestigation
1t is this legislative investigation
that Dr. Brown is seeking to bring
about
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