Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-14
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY IS, 1918.
No Demand Yet for Special Session.


II is only natural that Governor Town
send should do as he is doing in respect
cf calling n special session of the Genera
Assembly of Delaware, TO convene dur
ing the early spring or summer. Requests
have been made of him TO take this step
IN the form Of resolutions adopted by
Grange and other bodies, but the governor
very wisely is holding the matter under
careful consideration.
4 session of the Legislature Of State
isa matter of no idle moment. II Is, aside
from the formal program of legislation
that confronts every regular session, an
event Of great importance. No one can
forctcl what a legislative session will
bring forth Frequently session viii
,iraw near the limit with nothing Of inn
pnrtancc arising aside from the regular
routine then, almost in an instant,
there will be Good Of rabid legislation,
some of which may promise good and
much of which threatens evil. And the
haste with which this volume of upcxpect-
ed business generally is disposed Of. by
reason OF lack of time for careful considera-
,ion. naturally leads to the danger of en-
acting laws that should not be enacted,
and losing sight Of measures that might
we'll serve the public interests.
In view Of all the uncertainties. it rs con-
ceded that biennial Legislative session Is
amply sufficient for the needs Of the State.
We doubt il any well-lnformed citizen
can, after a careful review of the field,
point out single instance wherein the
people arc suffering, in person or estate
for single item Of legislation at this time.
Indeed, there is nothing now apparent in
the way OF new legislation excluding, OF
course. the neyer-dying demand for 8
modern and effective charter for the city
OF Nilmington-that promises 10 greatly
concSrn the regular session that viii open
next January. Then, why a special ses-
sion?
No special session OF our~ieneral As
sembly should be called except for the
purpose Of meeting palpable cxigency,
one that is not possible Of solution in any
other manner. And even in such condi-
tion the governor naturally would fee
reluctant 10 take she step. Unlike the stu
alton in some other States, where the busl.
ness OF special session may be confined
10 the purposes for which II is called, IS
specified In the governors proclamation
no limit Is set upon the business that may
ne transacted at special session of the
Delaware Legislature. The Constitution
Of the State Is somewhat indefinite Ii re-
spect OF special sessions. ''T'he Genera
Assembly shall meet on the first Tuesday
OF January, biennially, and at such other
times as the governor shall convene the
same, it says in one place. And III an.
other: He (the governor) may on extraor'
binary occasions convene the General
assembly by proclamation The only
limit established by the Constitution l.
that for special session the members
shall receive compensation for not more
than thirty days.
Should grave war emergency require
the calling OF special session, the governor
would issue a proclamation for one. He
would, naturally, set forth in the proc
hmation the purposes Of the special
session, but that would not bind the mem
bers IN their actions. After meeting the
emergency, they could attend TO any other
business that might be brought forward
and continue IN session far beyond the
thirty days specified for compensation,
If they we're willing to work without pay.
They could receive. consider and pass upon
legislation Of any kind, just as at a regular
session
Therefore, as We have said, IL is only
natural the governor should hesitate and
ponder deeply over any suggestion of call
ing special session Of the General
Assembly There Is no telling what a
Pandora 5 box Of trouble and confusion
such move might open. And so it is
reasonable to believe be will not take such
a step until it shall become imperatively
necessary, by reason of some grave
emergency arising from the war, which
cannot be met effectively in any other
manner.
There are Russians in New York City