Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-17
GENERAL AsaEMs1YT TO
 HAVE BUSY WEEK.
Governor Heleemb's Veto of Sunday Bill to Bo Taken Up.


 - The present week will see the begin ing of the debates on important issues before the Connecticut legislature. The house of representatives will have two of them, one on Wednesday on the two statutory suffrage bills. and another on Thursday on Gov. Marcus H. Hol- combs veto of Representative Charles J. Martins bill giving towns of 10000 or more inhabitants local option in the matter of regulating Sunday amuse- ments. D
 In this. session, as in past sessions, the big issues have been left until the last. For more than a month both houses have been busy disposing of the perhaps less important, certainly less sensational, matter and wedding out undesirable Legislation. True, some lively debates have developed and some important legislation has already gone through, but the matters which invariably develop the 'interesting de- bates and those which are considered to be important issues have been left to the last. The question is as to how much time they will occupy. A day has been set aside by the house for each of the fights scheduled for this week: When they come to the senate a separate day there also. So there is one legislative week easily accounted for.
 Suffrage Is to have at least two dave Tn the house this year, for after the statutory suffrage bills have been dis posed of there is yet the constitutional suffrage measure, which has not yet even been reported However, while the senate must act upon the former It is exempt from the latter owing to the fact that measures for amend ments to the constitution require separate session in each branch and cannot go before the people on refer endum votes until passed by both houses.
 The debate on the statutory suffrage measures is to have its beginning in the house at 1e o'clock Wednesday having been made the order of the day Immediately upon the receipt of the unfavorable majority reports from the woman suffrage committee.
 If the house downs the suffrage bills there is small likelihood that they will get any further, for the senate is fig ured to be safely against the cause representative Earle A.. Barker of Branford, chairman of the house com mittee on constitutional amendments which has the constitutional suffrage Dill under constdera ton, says that his committee will reach a decision Tues day, which probably means that it's report will be made before the end of this week. The report may be held up until the statutory suffrage mat ters. have been disposed of Chairman Barker says that the indications point
 
 will favor an adverse report.
 Prohibition must also have it's day. One of the statutory suffrage bills pro- vides for gix,nS tfc ballot on liquor questions to- the women, and so We'd nesday's. debate ought to bring out some prohibition sentiment But the oIS prohibition debate will come when the house takes action on the resolu- ton Of Representative Arthur E. Bow CTS of Manchester providing for a state wide prohibition amendment to the state constitution. This Dill, too, is yet to be reported by the house com mttee on constitutional amendments If either of these constitutional amend ment matters should paes the house they will automatically come before the senateNtwo years hence.
 In view of the action which the house took last week in turning doHn the unfavorabie report of the excise committee and passing a bill providing for the closing of saloons on MemoriaI day, it would not be surprising if the prohibltIon vote showed an increase this year. Men who have followed the legislature for many years Saw in the lower branch is more sympathetic with prohibition than have been any of the houses Of the past sessions. But they dare not predict that prohibi- ton will be carried.
 Whatever the interest may be in the
 
 the suffrage matter Wednesday. the chief attraction of the week will be Thursdays debate in the house as to whether the governors veto. of the Sunday bill will be sustained. While Representative Charles J. Martin of Orange, who introduced the bill. has not said directly that he will lead nSht to carry the house over. the gov ernors veto. he has made it clear that he will insist on a free discussion of the matter. He will be backed by Representative Jervis D. Brown. Jr.. Of Milford, who has gained distinction because of fhe neat speech which swung the house into line behind him when he got Milford under the pro- visions of the Martin bill,when speech es and all else failsd to help other representatives who wanted the same exceptions made for their towns. The consensus is that the governor will be sustained by a--decisiye vote. I
 The motor vehicle substitute bill will be ready for action in the house this week It ernbodies a number of inn portant changes and so is expected to jitney regulations. The desire for leg station to prevent the use of dazzling headlights seems to be practically unanimous and for that reason that part of the bill is expected to meet no opposition. The provision for hear ings in each of the eight counties, in cases of accidents or violations of the automobile law, appears to be gener- ally popular. .:- =.
 The Workmen's compensati ton substi- tute bill may not cause as much dis cussion as was at first expected in view of the message from Secretary of War Newton D. Baker advising against the enactment of further radical labor legislation. A number of the suSges- tions made by organized labor have been embodied in this measure and several Of the amendments are of manufacturers origin. Under ordinary circumstances this bill might, have re- quired a day in each of the houses, but this may not be necessary now that the war department request has been received.