Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-18
LEGISLATURE ORDERS
MUNICIPAL PROBE
cen.lnred from rsee one

Notwithstanding Senator Wares rea-
sons for introducing the measure, It Is
fact that the commission, should the
! Governor approve the measure, would
have almost unlimited powers, and could
be used as a club for any political pur-
! pose whatever. 1t would also provide
means for the Philadelphia Republican
Organization leaders, should IT. elect a
mayor next fall, TO take advantage of
| the program of legislation urged at this
session by Mayor Blankenburg and Dl-
rector Cooke.
CoNJECTUREs OF POLITICIANS.
! Politicians here cannot see what ad-
vantage they would gain by bringing
| such commission into Philadelphia for
the campaign this summer and next fall.
Is it the plan of the Philadelphia Re
publican Organization leaders to "investi-
! gate" the Blankenburg administration?
Have the Wares their own candidate for
Mayor, presumably Congressman William
s. Ware, and is this move to scare Pen
rose and MoNlchol into submission?
Have the Wares any serious intention OF
investigating any of the Penrose or Nc
Nichol henchmen as part OF the mayoralty
campaign?
Is II retallatory move to get PACK
at Penrose for the Catln Commission?
Is it a club for the Republican Organi-
zatIon to hold over the heads of the nu-
merous local machines throughout the
state that compose the Statewide ma
chine?
Or is It really what the leaders say,
simply a plan to improve legislative
procedure?
If the Wilson resolution has been intro
tl,. Ing Na1 r11p M
bers OF the Legislature point out today
that there is no reason at all for giving
the proposed committee power to sub
poena witnesses and order the production
of any books or papers, a power which Is
now held only by the courts of the Com
monwealth.
Senator McNichol evidently knew moth
ing about the resolution before 1t ap-
peared When it was read in the Sem
ate chamber early this morning, he care
fully listened to every word. Senator
crow, who Is Republican State Chair
man. did likewise.
Representative Wilson had this to say:
"I dictated the resolution after two
attempts had been made to discharge my
committee last night. on the grounds that
we had passed upon bills which should
not have come to us. decided to put
a stop to the practice of introducing sew
eral bills almost Identical, as Is done every
SeSSlOH, ana SenulnB IneH 10
committees. This committee would In
vestigate what the various cities, bor-
oughs and townships need in the way of
legislation and report back to the next
Legislature"
TEXT OF RESOLUTION.
The Wilson resolution in full is as fol-
| lows:
"A concurrent resolution for the APP
pointment of a joint committee of the
Senate and House of Representatives for
the purpose of considering the subject of
legislation and reporting to the General
Assembly methods for curing the defects
therein now existing.
Whereas, the testimony to correct
matters of minute detail by legislation
has so increased the volume of bills In
troduced by the Legislature as to make
1t very difficult to give proper considera-
tion to all proposed legislation. and
Whereas, at the present session, In
some instances, several separate bills TO
| amend the same sections of existing laws
have been introduced; and
Whereas, at the present session there
were introduced a multitude of bills re-
lating to and affecting the government
of the several cities, boroughs and town
ships OF the Commonwealth, to which the
members of the General Assembly could
not give personal attention. and these
have at each session so increased the
legislative duties as to prevent proper
consideration of such important legtsla-
tion;
Section /. Therefore, be 1t resolved by
the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring) that the presiding officer OF
the Senate be and is hereby authorized
to appoint three Senators and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives be and
is hereby authorized to appoint three
| members. who together shall constitute a
| joint committee on legislation, whose duty
1t shall be 10 generally investigate and
consider all subjects and matters relating
TO and affecting the government of cities,
boroughs and townships, and report to
the next General Assembly plans to carry
its suggestions into effect
Section .. The members of said COM
mittee shall serve without compensation.
They shall be authorized to call upon the
Attorney General for legal advice.
Section 8. Said committee shall meet
| for organization within three months
after their appointment. The committee
| shall have power TO compel the atten,
| dance OF witnesses and the production
| of books, papers and other evidence at
any meeting of the committee, and for
| that purpose may issue subpoenas, signed
L
| cause the same to be served and exc
| outed In any part OF this Commonwealth;
| and IL any witness shall refuse to testify
as to any fact within his knowledge, or
| to produce any books or papers within his
| possession or under his control, or shall
| refuse TO appear the secretary of the com
mittee shall forthwith report the fact re-
| lating to such refusal to one OF the courts
of Common Pleas OF the county wherein
such witness resides. and all questions
arising upon said refusal shall be at once
| heard by said court. II the court deter,
mines that the testimony or evidence re.
auired by such witness is legal and prop
erly competent and ought to be given OF
produced by him, the said court shal
make an order commanding said witness
to testify and produce books and papers
| or both. as the case may be, and II sucf
| witness shall refuse to testify or TO pro
duee books or papers as aforesaid in dis
obedience of such order OF the cour
then the said court shall have power
TO order the commitment OF such wit
ness 10 the county jail OF the proper coun