Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-01-26
(By George Gallarno)

(By George Gallarno)
Des Moines, Ia, Jan. 23-(SpeciaD.
The Thirty-seventh general assembly
seems to be taking in earnest the dec
larations Of Governor Harding and
Speaker Pitt for To-day session. At
least a resolution is now before the
two houses which, if it passes, will
provide for the sine die adjournment
of the law-making bodies on the 10Th
day of March. This is nearly a month
in advance Of the usual time for ad-
journing. The resolution naming the
quitting time of the session was pre-
scented in the senate by Senator
Foster, OF Guthrie county. The SEN
ator is of the opinion that the legis-
lators will be able to accomplish all
that is necessary and all that is ex-
pected Of them by their constituents
within the time limit Of seventy days.
Attention is called to the fact that the
appropriations committee of the two
houses, now earnestly at work, have
begun their task fully four or five
weeks ahead Of the time Of usual con-
sideration of such measures in pre-
vious legislatures. This early serious
consideration of what monies shall
be appropriated for the ensuing bien-
NAL period is made possible by the
budget law adopted by the Seth gen.
eral assembly. Under this law all OF
the various state institutions and de-
partments of state government pre-
pared and submitted to the governor
detailed statement Of monies re-
ceived and expended during the pres
ent biennial period, and also state
ment of appropriations deemed neces-
sary to conduct the affairs of the state
during the 1917-1919 biennial. These
statements were printed and submit
ted to the assembly on the second day
of it's session, by Governor Clarke.
Do Big Things and Quit.
Another factor which will undoubt-
eddy aid in an early adjournment Is
the apparent desire Of the legislators
to agree with Governor Harding that
the assembly can best make itself and
its work felt, if it will do a few big
things, do them right, and then go
home. The big things to be done have
not all materialized as yet, perhaps,
but they will include the adoption of
the prohibitory amendment; the nam
ing of commission to rewrite and
codify the laws of the state; some i'm
provements and changes in the high
way commission law, the re-establish-
ment of the publication of the acts of
the general assembly in volume
called the session laws, in place of
the supplemental supplement to the
code provided for two years ago, and
which has proven unsatisfactory; the
repeal Of the presidential primary
law; perhaps the creation of a state
housing commission; the adoption Of
the appropriation bills and several
needed labor laws.
The legislators are demonstrating
the influence the admonitions Of the
new administration is having on them,
by apparently accepting the dictum of
Governor Harding, in his inaugural
address, that it will be no credit to
any member to go back to his con-
stituents this year with the record Of
having introduced more bills than any
other member. Two years ago when
the assembly was beginning the third
week of it's existence, as it is now,
there was a record of nearly 300
measures having been introduced in
the two houses. This year the record,
up to date, is scarcely 100 bills. Two
years ago the first date for the in
PRODUCTION of bills in the house saw a
flood of more than 100 measures piled
up on the desk of the chief clerk. This
year the first bill day in the house,
saw a total Of 10 measures presented
and lesser number in the senate.
Labor Bills in Early.
The legislative program outlined
sometime since by the State Fedora
ton of Labor, is nearly all before the
assembly. The sponsors for the pro-
gram are Senator Chase, of Hamilton
county, and Representative Tucker, of
Clinton county. Senator Chase is the
author Of the anti-injunction law
asked by labor. Under the bill 1t is
made lawful for bodies of men and
women to band themselves together
as trade unionists for the purpose of
decreasing their hours of work, in
creasing their wages, lettering their
conditions, or carrying out their legit-
innate purposes as freely as they could
if acting singly. The bill provides
that no strike restraining order can
be issued by any court in the state in
any case involved in or growing out of
dispute concerning terms or condi-
lions Of employment unless necessary
to prevent irreparable injury to prop
srty, or to property right Of the per-
Con making the application, for which
injury there is no adequate remedy at
law" The bill would recognize the
right of labor organizations to strike,
to persuade others to do so, to per-
form picket" duty, to boycott inter-
ested parties, to hold assemblies, and
To do ANYTHING to aid their cause cOl-