Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-15
Harmony Talk Secuted, but
Committee Posts Look
Like Overtures
SCENE SHIFTED TO CITY
Strategy Board to Decide Here
How Far to Press
Brumbaugh

completed in Philadelphia this week.
Senator Penross has abruptly called of
the conferences OF his general war board
and the meeting Of the board Of strategy
composed Of the inner circles OF lieutenants,
which was scheduled to begin here today.
The publiolty given the conferences NJ
the shelburne last week. with tho resulting
criticism Of Penrose and the complaints
that have been registered by members OF
the Legislature who learned that they were
not to have tho committee chairmhnships
they wanted, forced the senior Senator to
adjourn the confabs. They viii be resumed
at the headquarters Of the Republican state
Committee in Philadelphia next Thursday.
In the meantime. the Senator VIII CONFER
informally with his principal heutehahls at
his office in Philadelphia, and viii direct
the drafting of the measures that VIII mako
UP his legislative program
TO SHEAR BROWN or POWER
The Penrose legislative program viii in
clude bills designed to accomplish the tOl-
lowing;
strip Attorney General Brown OF the
power given him by the Legislature OF two
years ago.
Start an investigation OF Governor Brum.
baugh and the present State Administration
that may eventually lead to impeachment
proceedings.
Rip out the Public Service Commission as
now constituted and substitute commission
OF dve members. with the Secretary OF In
terna Affairs its chairman.
All other matters have been left for this
weeks conferences to clear up.
The work still TO be done by the con-
ferees includes determination OF the at
titude of the Penrose forceD on Mayor
Smiths program of legislation; o decision
as to whether Penrose viii carry out the
threat he made during the primaries last
year to ask the Legislature to give Phlla-
delpkia commission form of government
al ripper measure directed against the
Smith administration and the penrOsc ad-
m,nlstrat!on; and the Penros6 election laws
reforms"
The bill to rip out the present Public
Service Commission the first attack
against the Brumbaugh administration is
now being drawn.
= WOULD ELECT SOME
The commission at present is composed
OF seven members all appointed by the
Governor. Senator Penrose and the anti
Rrumbaugh war board propose that the
Governor appoint four members. while the
people of the State elect the chairman in
the person of the Secretary of Internal
Affairs. At present the Secretary of 1n-
ternal Affairs has very few duties. and the
principal one OF these is a member OF
the State Board of Pardons. The office has
become almost obsolete, and during the last
been introduced to abolish it
Senator Penrose hopes to have his pro.
gram favorably acted upon by che Leglsla.
ture through the committees of both the
House and Senate. He controls these conf
mittees and one of the principal subjects
that came up for discussion here during the
last few days was the selection OF the chair
Before the last Of the conferees packed
up. preparatory to leaving today it was
definitely announced that all Of the chair.
men had been decided upon. The commit
tees themselves, however, are stir to be
appointed This will be done late this week,
and they will be announced in Harrisburg
next Monday night
HARMONY" CALLED ROT"
The talk OF harmony that emanated from
Saturdays conferences was declared to be
got by the survivors of the confab who
were here today.
while we are. of course, deslrous of
seeing party unity, any talk of harmony is
unauthorized and premature said one of
TIE members OF the war board"
Concillatory moves may be made toward
the Wares. however. The downtown leaders
have been recognized I'm the Senate COM
nllttee assignments, and will have minority
places on the House Committee This is
being done. ii was explained. to show that
the Governor and tho Attorney General
have been selected the principal objects
of the Penhpse attack
The PenrosS forces will make no effort
TO hamper the finances of the Brumbaugh
administration, however
meeting has been called for Harris
burg this week to discuss the financial CON
hltion of the State and prepare for Iegis-
lation that will provide more revenue, Gov
ernor ;Brumbaugh, Attorney General Brown,
Chairman Buchanan, OF the Appropriations
gommittee OF the Senate, and Chairman
woodward, Of the Appropriations Commit
tee OF the House. will attend.
BIGGER APPROPRIATIONS
The Legislature two years ago appro-
priated approximately $4,000 600, and the
Governor cut this amount to sG7 500. 600.
The present Legislature is expected 10 ap-
propriate about sT5.OO00 600. This amount
will include an increase Of 100 per cent in
the appropriations made in 1915 10 the De-
parfment of Labor and Industry and the
Workmens Compensation Bureau, made
necessary through the new compensa ton.
child labor and similar laws and an in
crease OF one-third over the appropriation
made last session to the Department Of
Public Health.
The plan of the Legislature leaders Is
10 increase the State tax on small auto
mobiles from 25 10 $40 per year. and 10
pas new legislation that viii place a small
tax upon a great variety OF property.
The sudden adjournment of the war
hoard conferences surprised the members
of the board. Senator Penrose asked some
o the members 10 remain over and con.
fer with him today. tomorrow and We'd
nesday. but late last night he sent word
down here that he will not come 70 the
share
Senator william c. sproul and Auditor
Gsneral-eleet Snyder we're ready 70 come
doan When they received word that the
csnfab had been called off. and James r.
woodward. Representative Mecaig, Of ALE
sasnv: Coroner JaIntson and Max Leslie
s Pittsburgh and Thomas H. Gargin.
eAIsf clerk u the House remained over
sanaay 70 take part ia the meetings They
aEs als leaving for home today
Airmsn Victim Of Zeppelin Scare