South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-01
Prohibition and Woman Suf.
rage to Come Up, 0pin-
iOn-COmment On
Capital DOingS.
cns- Times snecLa. Serrlce

a. Hit-@lol oSS0loll VI bue iuQldpd gen.
eral assembly TO fix prices and limit
expectations of Indiana coal.
These democrats are looking
back at the 1917 general assembly
when the democrats in the state
senate ard a group of ant-Good-
rich republicans emectualIy barre1
every move the governor sought TO
make ia legislative way. The coal
problem. of course. is different from
any other problem that was before
the 1917 legislature, and apparently
there is no politics in the subject on
any hand, vet some democratic
leaders here do not believe that al.
viii be as smooth sailing towards
the price-fxins goal i'm a special
session of the legislature as the
governor seems 20 feel
Indiana coal has been a subject
that has inturiated HOosiers for the
last two or three months II proc
ably is this phase of tho situation
on which the governor counts. when
he says he viii call "A special ses-
sion Of the LEGISLATURE unless con-
gress enacts legislation. giving Pres't
Wilson plenary powers 10 deal with
the coal situation.
Coal Prices Outrageous"
Coal prices i'm Indiana unques-
tionably have been outrageous"
This was the word used i'm a recent
report from the public service CON-
mission that Infatuated the coal OPP
orators of the state 10 such a point
that they declared they would have
no further dealings with the COM
mission Then followed a lot OF
juggling back ard forth between
various clements of the state gov
eminent and the coal operators.
ending i'm a draw so far as the con-
sumner was concerned And that's
just the way things stood when the
governors statement was issued this
week. declaring he would call a spe-
ciaI session of the legislature to
consider the coal situation unless
congress acts.
II is not improbable that if tie
session is called-and il seems a
good bet just ROW that it Will be
one of the prettiest legislative fights
in the history of Indiana will be
staged. Such a special session I'M
oestionably would take up the liquor
question again. in some form, and
the same old wet and dry figh-
would be on again in earnest
The constitutional convention de
dsion. t.st handed down in a local
court. and to be passed on by the
supreme court within the next
month or six weeks, unqU estionably
would lie the target of additional
attempts at legislation. and the wO-
men of the state prevented from vOt-
ing for constitutional convention
delegates, unqVestionably would
bring tremendous pressure on the
legislature.
Ghou Of Excise Bill.
The old excise bill-as a means Of
getting additional war revenue for
the probably would stick its
head UP again before the session
got 10 going very far. All in all, If
the Governor should call a special
session. il looks as if more politics
would be played in such a meeting
of the General assembly than has
oeeu true for many years.
somebody slipped one over on the
Indiana people. it IS reported here,
for the federal agreement with the
coal operators leaves tie people or
the state in worse condition as 20
prices than before estigations be-
San For these reasons, it Is be-
lieVed n special session of the IN
diana legislature is in immediate
prospect. with all the politics i'm
miue1t that such a meeting means
az this time
Attack Defense Council.
While the coal situation IS bue-
bling. some others things are being
discussed in Indiana. most OF them
centerfng about the state council
of defense and the governor
For instance, at the meeting here
this week of to- Democratic Edit .
orial association. the very warmes- /
sor. of am attack was made on the
Administrations state council of de-
Tense and charges We're flung back .
and forth that the whole sta;e
council is nothing but a cloak for
political ambitions of the governor .
and William n. HAYS. state chair
man of the council Former rI-
mors were rehearsed again. 10 the
anezt that republican politicians are .
laying their ropes 70 push Goodrich .
forward as "a presidential candidate .
i'm 1920 and that William II. Hays
Is 20 be the choice for governor
Finally. after much discussion.
the editors adopted resolutions pay
n- tribute 20 any public officials
who .unselfshly" are giving their
time 10 the war crisis work. Thus
they avoided cleverly giviEgy amy
.aid or comfort 10 the republican
enemy"
Looking For Secretary.
Charles ~ Greathouse. the new
state chairman o. the democratic
party. still is on the lookout for "A
secretary TO the committee that will
le The risht sort OF man. Mr..
in a private interview
today. said that he has several
youns men under consideration but
SO far has not picked his man
AR Grea-house thinks that local I
matters entirely were responsible /
for the defeat of Finlay GRAY. dem
ocrauc candidate for congress in the