Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-03-23
NAMES PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE
Governor Also Asks Legislature
for War Emergency Fund
Limited Woman Suffrage Bill Advanc-
Administration Board of Con-
troll Bill Passed.
MONTPELIER, March 90.


GOV. Graham today appointed com
mittee on public safety, composed of
SO citizens, to mobilize the human and
industrial resources of the state. He
said he would ask the legislature for
an emergency appropriation for de-
Tense purposes. A bill providing an
appropriation sufficient to uniform and
equip the Vermont National Guard to
whatever strength the government
might require was introduced in the
legislature today.
House bill No. 354, introduced by
George l.. Durham of Brattleboro, to
provide uniform traffic regulations,
passed the senate last night in concur
renee with the house and now goes to
the governor for his signature.
The real necessity for economy, in
view of the extraordinary appropria-
ton for war purposes that the state
will have to make, did not prevent the
introduction this morning by Mr.. Hall
of Isle La Motto of bill increasing
the pay of senators and representatives
from 81 to S. day with correspond
ing increase for the speaker and the
president of the senate to $40 u day.
Another increase of pay bill also came
in from the committee on state and
court expenses, increasing the fees Of
jurors in county courts to So day.
The bill giving the quartermaster gen
cral authority to purchase supplies
needed to equip the state troops was
introduced in the house this morning.
The bill giving the governor power
to appoint county license commission
crs, which passed in the senate yes
terday by the margin of one vote, was
recalled from the house and reconsid-
cred this morning on the ground that
the full membership of the senate
should be present when vote is taken
on such an important matter. 1t is
feared the bill will be defeated if the
opinion of all the senators is regis
tered.
Woman suffrage took another for
ward step in the senate, the Villas bill
giving the women the vote for presi
Dental electors having been forwarded
to third reading by a large majority.
The Morse bill providing for a refer
endum on liquor license was also or
dered to a third reading.
The house adopted resolution. in
expressing the belief that universal
training is necessary to secure an ade-
quate system of military preparedness
in this country, the resolution to be
forwarded to the Vermont delegation
in congress.
Senator Sanford A. Daniels has dis
tributed among members of the house
and senate 100 miniature American
flags which he received from G. r.
Crosby of the firm of E. Crosby G. Co.,
grain dealers of Brattleboro. They
were gratefully received by the legisla-
tors, who now wear them on their coat
lapels.
There is absolutely no question about
the legislatures rallying to the support
of the governor and the military arm in
the present crisis, but the fact that spe-
cial appropriations, departmental in
creases and salary raises have swelled the
budget to a million dollar deficit is giving
the executive and the committees on APP
preparations some uneasiness.
These appropriations will have to be
slashed with ruthless hand in order to
provide for the war emergency, but even
il the impending overhang is cut in half
it means lO-cent state tax, without
considering the military needs of the
state.
1t is also entirely likely that the legis-
lature will be called upon to provide
funds for enlarging the state hospital at
Waterbury, as it is almost certain that
a removal of the states patients from
the Brattleboro Retreat will be indicated
by the report of the Joint committee
which investigated the latter institution.
Senator Leavens and Representatives
Brooks and Stewart returned yesterday
from Waterbury and they will be pre-
raH .,s,t lnt, I'm ataid do in
that institution in case it becomes neces-
sary TO transfer the insane charges of the
state from Brattleboro to Waterbury.
They stated that the per capita cost at
Waterbury is trifle over 81 and that
there is plenty of room for extending the
accommodations of the institution in
case the legislature decides to act and
transfer the state patients accordingly.
Final adjournment next week fades
away to zero in the light of these sterr
conditions and the chances are that the
legislature will remain in session unit
April ID, unless a speedy solution o.
these sudden problems can be reached
within the next few days.
It was freely stated that compromise
would be reached on the court bills pend
ing in the house and senate, and that al
controversies would be subordinated t
the evident desire of the executive ant
the adjutant general to make Vernon
ready for her place in the impending con
fiict.
New bills continue to appear in tn
house from the various committees ant
there seems to be no etup to the activi
ties of the various members in this re
spect.
The suffragists have gained their so
called entering wedge by the passag
by! both houses of the Moore bill
which provides that women taxpayer
may vote in town meetings. The vot
Tuesday in the senate was l6 to II
both Senators Daniels and Dewitt o
Windham county voting in the afiirma
tiv5.
The house has passed the admins