The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1917-05-05

Santa Fe. May 2.-The organization
of the special session of the third
state legislature and the reading of
the brief message of Governro w. f.
Lindsey, setting forth the need for the
special session, took less than two
hours after Secretary of State Antonio
Lucero had called the house to order
at 1915 p. m. Tuesday. The spectators
were comparatively few, less than 100
in the house and less than fifty in the
senate. Some of the members arrived
at the last moment on stub train
from Albuquerque, while others did
not arrive until this evening on be-
lated trains Nos. 10 and 2.
The senate organized with John s.
Clark as president and J. ]. Kenney as
clerk. In the house Representative
Overson placed in nomination Col. w.
H. H. Llewellyn, seconded by Enrique
Mares and Narcisco Francis. while
Representative Vesely, seconded by
Representative Melhop. nominated Rep
resentative Turner. The vote resulted
in q votes for Llewellyn and IA for
Turner. Bias Sanchez was nominated
by L. @. Ortiz for chief clerk and elect
ed unanimously, as was Vicar General
The governors message follows:
To Members of the Third State Legis-
lature, in Special Session Assem-
bled:
1 have for you at this time only a
brief message. When the regular ses-
sion adjourned on the tenth of March
last, after enacting several laws of far
reaching consequence, greatly progress
sive over any that had heretofore been
accomplished, probably none of us re-
allied the even then hazardous situa-
tion of the world with reference to the
defeat or survival of the principles of
democratic government
Even then, for thirty-two months, the
four main central autocratic European
governments had been waging ruthless
warfare in order TO put Germany
over all"
Declaring the position of neutral,
the United States, relying upon the
laws of nations. adopted policy of
patient forbearance awaiting the time
when the principles of peace should
again triumph in the world. She has
not been accorded the rights of a neu-
tral. The unlawful character of the
submarine warfare waged by Germany
has resulted in the wanton destruc-
tion of lives of our citizens. Germany
has, from the beginning of the war,
covered our country with spies and
has melted neighboring nation to
make war upon US In this instance,
a nation bordering the state of New
Mexico, a nation whose answer to such
incitation would doubtless precipitate
death and destruction upon the people
and property of our state.
More than all to US and to the sur
vival OF freedom in the world, it began
to appear that this ruthless submarine
warfare by Germany was about to
bring starvation upon her enemies, thus
compelling their surrender; in which
event the British and French navies and
fleets falling into her hands. the next
move in order would be to compel the
United States to pay the debt of the
war, now approaching the inConceiv-
able sum of a hundred billion dollars.
Since you last met here events of a
world moment have rapidly transpired
On April , last the congress met on
extra call, the president delivered TO
it his striking and memorable message
In rapid order of time there followed
the declaration that. since the imperial
German government and the people OF
the United States of America, Il state
of war existed between them. The
enormous sum of seven billion dollars
has been voted towards it's prosecu-
tion, laws adopted providing for this
enlistment and equipping of two mil
lion men for the battle line; for en-
listing. equipping and quickening the
army of production. The whole peo-
pie seem resolutely to be backing UT
the president and the congress with q
show of steady but reslstless power.
Two prime requisites for the sue
eessful prosecution of the war come
to the notice and attention of the peo'
pie of the state of New Mexico:
1. The recruiting Of the full quota
OF soldiers.
3. The production af .-ditional food
stuffs.
1t appeared TO us iaa' the existing
state of the law does not provide
either a route or means Tor the accom-
plishment OF these ends.
Therefore you have the call for the
special session. Happily perhaps fol
us as a state, 1t appears now that thu
general government is about to ma
tlonalize the army and navy. Even 30
1t is essential that we conform by leg
isIAtive act to the provisions OF thu
acts of the congress relative to the en-