The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-29
PUBLIC DEFENSE
COUNCIL GIFTED
WITH BIG POWER
Senate Passes Bill and Sends it to
the House for Further Con-
sideration
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MORATORIUM MEASURE UP
House Appoints Committee to
Confer With Senate on Soldier
Voting act
MORATORIUM MEASURE UP

Voting act
A new Defense Council bill, remOv.
Ing the power of appointing members
from the governor and delegating it
to the twelve district judges Of the
state, each Of whom shall elect one
member, who, with the governor and
the attorney general shall constitute
the board; comforting upon the men,
bers the privilege Of electing their
own chairman; providing that such
chairman shall serve without pay, but
that the secretary, if his duties de-
mand it may receive not more than
$3.50 the day, and delegating to every
board member full police powers, came
back from the senate Monday for the
consideration of the house.
The Council Powers
The council in this bill is given pow
er to make and promulgate rules for
public safety and to suspend officers
who are derelict in their duty. They
may prescribe rules whereby people
not part of the organized militia
may organize and arm, thus taking
care of the home guard problem. Each
member may exercise the power and
authority Of sheriff in any section
of the state, and it is made the duty
Of all police officers to respond to their
call. The control of the defense coun-
Gil over the work of the Y. NJ. C. A.,
Red Cross and similar organizations
II eliminated fro nthe bill, and 1t is
provided that meetings, to be held in
Bismarck unless otherwise expedient,
may be called by the governor or by
any three members of the board. The
council is created for the period of
the emergency and for six months
thereafter, or as much longer as the
governor may decree by official proc
lamation. 49,
On motion of Anthony Walton, of
Ward, the house declined to concur,
and the chair named committee con-
sisting of Walton, Turner and Lage-
son to confer with the senate.
Moratorium Bill.
The house also declined to concur
In senate amendments to the soldiers
moratorium bill, providing that no &C.
tiOn for garnishment or attachment or
execution may be taken over the OBJ
lection of any soldier or sailor, or any
attorney or other person protesting in
his behalf during the period Of the
war, and decreeing that any action so
had during the period of the emerg-
ency may be>"vacated and declared
void, but that if it be proven the per-
son taking such action acted in good
faith, no penalty or damages shall be
assessed against. him, providing he re-
instates the soldier or sailor acted
against in the position he would have
been In had no action been taken. The
chair named Kurtz, Lang and Sinclair
to confer with the senate on this meas
ure.
New Soldiers Voting Bill.
On request of the senate, the speak
or named Bowman, Cole and Weld, of
Wells to confer with a senate COM
mittee consisting of Gronvold, Ben
son and Allen til draft a new bill as
substitute FOR House Bill II and Sen
ate Bills 10 and 20, providing for the
voting of men in military and naval
service in foreign countries. While
Speaker Wood named neither Reishus
whose two soldiers voting bills pro-
viding for balloting by mail, were kill
ed in committee, nor Patterson, au-
thor of the leagues bill, providing
for $4,000 voting commission, he
named as the house conferes repre-
sentatives who had committed them.
selves in debate to the league meas
ure.
Grain Grading Bill aPssed
Senator browns new grain grading
bill, legalizing the Office of chief depu-
ty inspector, held by J. A. McGovern,
and authorizing the employment OF
such deputy inspector and other nec-
essary clerical help at an expense not
to exceed $4,000 per annum passed
by a vote of SO to 3, 81 not voting. The
act leaves control of the grain grad
ing department with the railway COM
mission, but eliminates features of the
act of 1917 whose legality or consti-
nationality were questioned. The SEN
ate declined to concur in the house
amendments, and the speaker named
Stair, Sinclair and Christensen as
COMMITTEES to confer with Senator'S
Wexford, Kirkside and Nelson.
Expense $14,5oo
The new appropriations bill, amend
ed in the senate to increase the allow
ance for the expenses of the special
session from $4,000 to $14,500, was
passd and is ready for the governor to
sign.
Home Guards Ditched
Senator Englund's bill, -legalizing
the home guard and providing for the
organizing of units of not less than
Is in towns of not less than 500, was
sidetracked when the house unani-
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