Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-28
TUNNEL Defence
BILL PASSED BY
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Senate Substitute Went Through
Lower House This
Afternoon.
THE VOTE WAS 80 TO a
special Dispatch 20 Every Evening

where in Every Evening today, was
called up in the House for final action
Shortly before noon today.
The House passed the Senate substi-
tute by a vote of so TO f. RcprcScn-
tatives, like Senators. questioning the
constitutionality of section 10 which
provided a blanket appropriation.
Attorneys Harman and Tunnell were
called and repeated opinions they gave
the Senate yesterday afternoon Mr.
Harman said the bill could he amended
IN few minutes and its constItutionallty
would not he assailed later. Mr.. lun-
nell said il could he all ended in FIVE
minutes. but il might not be amended
IN five weeks
Requesting Representative Culver ~
preside. Speaker HALL descended 60 the
noor at | / 35 O clock and called M the bull.
Representative Connolly moved that
action he deferred until Monday morn
ing and that the House then give pub
he hearing on ;hc substitute The mo
tion was defeated hv vote ~ p to 4,
Representatives Ahrcn, buckingham. Bur
ris. Chapman. Culver Daty, EllIson,
Gregg. Grlwell. Hall. Hutchinson. Jones.
kersey, killen, Lewis, Loose, Marvel,
Messick. Poet. Prettyman. SWAIN. ar
burton. Tindall. Webster and Speaker
sentativcs Connellv. Cross. Downward,
NcNabb. Pritchett, Rash and Nelch
in the affirmative
While the substitute was being read
Representative Connolly interrupted and
called attention To seeming conflict uf
section with section
1T shall be the duty of every male
resident Of this State between the ages
of is and ~ wears. Sc. said section 4.
and ANY resident of this State who shall
refuse 10 obey" Sc., said section 5
Representative Connolly asked whether
section ; would apply tn female residents.
and Representative Peet asked whether
It would apply to residents under II
and more than - wears Of age.
Speaker Hall and Representative Bur
ris, who IS a lawyer, said section would
take precedence
Attorney Robert q Harman stated
that subsequent statutes repealed Pre-
vious statutes and subsequent sections
might repeal previous sections. He slg-
gested amendment Of section ), but
his advice was not needed
During vigorous discussion Represen-
tAtive Burris said the members Of the
House were making asses of themselves,
10 which declaration Representative Me
Nabb replied We can't complete ma
lures work
Reading Of the substitute was resumed
and at section $ Representative McNabh
interrupted
Section $ said The said council shall
employ such agents. assistants and clerical
forces as it shall find necessary or cN-
pedient
Representative McNabb asked where
the agents. assistants and clerical forces
would be gotten. would they all he reg
ular" Republicans, all Democrats or all
Independent" Republicans or would
thev be subjected to civil service cx-
animation He accused the RepublI-
cans of creating a political machine and
suggested equal political division with re-
spect to agents, assistants and clerical
forces.
Representative Downward SAID the
General Assembly was simply hacking
up a Democratic President Of tho United
States
Such talk as that makes me nervous,
Representative McNabb stated
There Is no politics in tho substl-
tutc, Representative Downward de-
clarCd
Representative AIcNabb said politics
did not figure when the srignaI bll went
through the House, bur Republicans
oaucused in the Senate and made the
Senate substitute a Republican party
measure.
Representative Connolly SAID the sub
stitute contained SO much regular Re
publican politics that you could almost
ieel the powder.
Speaker Hall stated: AS Democrat
I will say that the remarks TO which We
Just listened were inappropriate. dc
piore the attempt to inject politics when
the guns arc laundering over there
Representative Connolly said there
was no provision for Senate confir1na-
ion Of the appointments to be made.
Speaker Hall appealed for the pas
sage of the substitute.
Representative McNabb said the sub
stitute was the "'Ineanest conscript labor
oil he ever saw" ''lt was not defence
bill, but a slave-driving labor act, fren-
zied attempt by the farmers to get cheap
labor Tie predicted revolution would
follow attempts to enforce the provisions
OF the bill. let revolution come then,
half a dozen Representatives shouted
Representatives Boycc and Nelch adj
vocated the BILL and the latter referred
briefly to resolutions adopted By Viii
mington NJ. T. Conference. which COM
mended Governor Townsend and mem
toned a liquor lobby and criticised
the attitude of the press. Mr.. Welch said
the '1iquor lobby and the press should
be lined up In front of guns if they spread
German propaganda
Representative McNabb thought con
ferences and preachers should wash their
own dirty linen instead OF interfering
with the General Assembly
Representative Connolly said the Sen
ate passed the substitute yesterday while
under the spell ola Republican pow-wow
held in Wilmington Tuesday night
Speaker Hall returned to the Speakers
chair, and the House passed the Senate
substitute by vote of 80 to 4. Represcn-
tativcs Connolly, Cross/ McNabb and
Rash voting in the negative.
During a brief session the Senate made
the Senate bill relating to school appro-
priations a special order for 2 O'Clock
this afternoon.
The Legislature accepted an invita-
ton to attend performance in The
Playhouse, Wilmington, tomorrow night.
Fort du Pont Band gave a concert in
The State House early this afternoon
Some legislators hope final adjourn
ment will occur today, but others think
Continued on page 8