Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-13
GOV. HARRIS CALLS
SOLONS To CAUCUS
ON BONE DRY PLANS
Governors Call Follows An
nOUnCement of Legislative
. Leaders That They viii Not
Follow Mr., Fielder

Lines in the contest for the leadership
IN the drafting and directing of the pro-
posed bone-dry legislation at the ex-
traordinary session of the general as
sembly which assemblies Tuesday, March
20, were drawn tighter late Saturday
afternoon when Governor Harris issued
call for a caucus Of house and senate
members at the Kimball house on Mon
day, March 10, between the hours of
and p. m.
Thomas b. Fielder counsel for the
Atlanta Law Enforcement committee,
had on Friday issued a call on his own
account for a caucus of legislators to
he held at The Ansley MOTEL on the eve
ming OF the same day
The main differences between the two
calls ~ that one is for the afternoon
and the other for the evening. and one
bids all the members to attend while
the otEer invites only a selected list.
Governor Harris has been assured the
support and earnest cooperation of
President ogden Persons. Of the senate
Speaker W. II. Burwell, Of the house,
and number of the strongest pro
hibition leaders in both houses. includ-
ing several members of what was known
as the prohibition steering committee
in the extraordinary session of 1919
when the present prohibition laws were
enacted. These have announced their
purpose not to attend Mr. Felders eau
Gus.
On the other hand Mr.. Fielder claims
that he has received letters from at
least seventy-five prohibition members
VINO have accepted the invitation to at
tend his caucus.
The governor does not expect his eau
Gus to be ready to adjourn by O'clock
htIf Ant. H. E 49,
legislature to arrive in the city after
that hour. and will make his plans to
stay In the meeting until far into the
night
THE GOVERNORS CALL.
The governors call reads as follows:
To the members Of the legisla-
ture:
The governor desires every mem
Der of the legislature, who has ar
rived in the city by the time stated.
to meet him at the Kimball house in
the room occupied as headquarters
of the Harris campaign on the after
noon of the nineteenth of March,
between the hours of and o'clock,
for the purpose of comforting and
consulting together in the prepara-
ton of program by which the OBJ
jects of the session may be carried
through most efficiently and ex-
peditiously when the legislature
meets. The governor desires to
consult every senator and every
member of the house at the time,
and hopes that no one will fail TO
respond TO his request.
At this caucus the governor will sub
nit the draft of the bill which he would
like for the Legislature to pass, and
will ask all members who approve the
1 nd
its passage, so that the extra session
may be held to the shortest possible
time.
The governors action in calling his
caucus is generally taken to mean that
he expects the prohibition forces of
the legislature to follow his leadership
and pass his bill, rather than following
the leadership and passing the bill of
Mr.. Fielder.
Mr.. Felders call is contained in a
rather long circular letter, which con-
cludes as follows:
Let me ask you all to meet us at 8
p. m, March 10, 1917, for caucus in
the memorable hall on the top floor
of the Ansley, where we can COM
plete on the ideas Of March" the
revolution" that you initiated there
on the last days of August. 1915.
without dictation, suggestion, in
trigue or scheming upon the part
OF the secret agencies of the liquor
bund" and their partners i'm crime.
PERSONS DISPLEASED.
Replying 10 question Saturday
whether he would participate in Mr..
I elders caucus. President Persons, one
of the first 10 suggest an extraordinary
session TO pass a done-day law, said:
| do not think that the members
will brook any outside person or set
of persons arrogating unto them
selves the right to prescribe the
character of the legislation to be
enacted. They do not need this as
sistance. To my mind it is Grass
inpertinence. | can say for myself
that ] shall take no part whatever
in any caucus of members of the
legislature to be held at the call of
either Mr.. Fielder or the Atlanta
Law Enforcement league.
| did not caucus with them when
J suggested to the governor that
he issue the cab for the extra ses-
sion, and ] know of no reason why
! should do so now.
There will undoubtedly be other de-
velopments in the situation during this
week. Some of the prohibition leaders
supporting Governor Harris profess to
believe that Mr. Fielder will now call off