Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-28
NATIONAL PROHIBITION
AMENDMENT RATIFIED
by STATE ASSEMBLY
All Resolutions, Bills and
Speeches in Senate and
House on Opening Day Con-
Germ War Matters

Georgia Joined her sister states of the
union in voting for bone dry" United
States when, at the opening session of
the general assembly Wednesday morn
ing, both branches of the legislature
voted TO ratify the national prohibition
amendment to the constitution Of the
United States. Georgia is the thir-
teenth state to ratify the amendment.
In the senate the amendment was rat
| flied in the record time of four and
one-half minutes, with only two sena-
tors, Denny and Townsend, voting in
the negative. In the house there was
a prolonged debate, but the amendment
was finally ratified, after the members
had voted down a proposal to make the
action of the legislature contingent on
a vote of the people.
The senate adopted the resolution for
a bone dry" nation a Few minutes after
the session was called to order. Trans
mitted Immediately to the house, the
senate resolution was substituted for
similar resolution just introduced by
Representatives Wright, of Floyd, and
Culpepper. of Meriwether. 1t was re-
ferred to the rules committee and i'm
mediately reported back to the mousse
with the recommendation that 1t be
passed. Before any action could De
taken, however, the point was made as
to whether the house could vote on the
question before it's attention could be OF
fcially drawn to the action of the ma
tional congress by the governor of the
state. A prolonged discussion ensued,
finally settled by hte action of Governor
Dorsey himself, who sent the very not-
6cation which formed the bone of the
debate An hours debate on the merits
of the national amendment followed
Speaking against it were Representa-
tiyes Hail. of Bibb, and Atkinson OF
Fulton, who contended the adoption Oh
the amendment would be the surrender
Of the. sovereign rights OF the state
Speaking for the amendment were KEEP
resentatives Burwell, OF Hancock, and
Wright. of Floyd.
REPRESENTATIVES, Pickett, Of Terrell, in
+ro5nced an amendment TO she~ senate
resolution, providing that the. action Of
the legislature not become effective un-
til approval by a vote of the people,
The ayes and nays were called for ana
the call was sustained The amenu-
ment of Mr.. Pickett was then voted
down al to As. The roll call on the
resolution then began and it was
adopted.
On the call of the ayes and hayes,
the senate resolution ratifying the
amendment was finally adopted by a
vote of 129 to "a.
War Legislation First
While action on the national prohl-
bition amendment was the principal
event of the first mornings session of
the assembly, the entire tone of the
proceedings indicated that the 1918 ses-
sion will be devoted strictly to war
measures.
In both houses the bill known as the
compulsory work bill was introduced
in the house by Representatives Arnold,
of Clay; Morris, of Cobb, and White, OF
Fulton, and in the senate by Senator'S
Merry and Andrews. The bill, fathered
by the State Council of Defense, would
compel all able-bodied males between the
ages of eighteen and fifty to engage in
some useful and necessary labor. regard
less of their status or their income.
The war temper of the assembly was
also shown by a bill introduced III the
house by Representative McCrory, OF
Schley, prohibiting the teaching or
hpeaking of the German language in any
school. academy or university in Geor-
gia, or the sale in Georgia of any Ger
man textbook.
Other interesting bills introduced IN
the house were a bill by Representative
Wright, Of Floyd. providing for munich
pal ownership of public utilities and de-
fning the method of acquiring and IL
nancing such utilities; and bill by rep
resentative Buxton, of Burke, proVldlhS
for a Joint committee of the senate ana
house to take steps toward negouauns
for the sale of the present governors
mansion at Peachtree and Ellis streets
Indorse Wilson Administration
The house also adopted, amid cheers,
a resolution by Representative Jones' Oh
Coweta, indorsing the administrator OF
President woodrow Wilson and pledglnS
the resources of Georgia without stint
or limit to the winning of the war
Among the interesting measures intro
duced in the senate were: n resolution
bv Senator Brown indorslnS hatloA@I
woman suffrage; a resolution by senate.
Brown prohibiting the manufacture OF
Coodstuffs into beer during the war anu
urging the United States to influence Us
allies to take similar steps; eugeniCs
hin bv Senator ]. B. Moore, of the Thlrd'
re1nirin~ all males to present a doctor
certificate of health before procuring
marriage license. -,
president Sam Olive introduced Dill
:, the senate authorizing administrator
guardians, trustees and receivers 10 vi
vest funds IN their hands in Liberty
bonds of any issue and IN war oaNl"sS
Stamps. No.
In the house one new member Repre-
sentative L. w. Reville, OF Richmond
who succeeds the late Mr.. j. +. Bell was
sworn in by Judge Marcus Beck, OF the
state supreme court. In the senate TWO
new members were sworn in, Senator
c. H. Peabody, of the Fifteenth, ana
Senator w. w. Monday. OF the Thlr-
tieth.
Sounds Patriotic Keynote
The patriotic keynote of the session
was sounded in the house by Speaker
John y. Holder, when he made brief
speech in calling the session to order.
Speaker Holder paid a glowing tribute
to those members of the house who
have gone into service since the last
session, but the continued service of the
present members is a patriotic necessi- ,
ty, he declared. He knew he expressed
the sentiments Of his fellow members,
he said, when he asserted that the Geor-
gia general assembly stands ready to
serve the nation to the utmost of it's
power and is always at the call of the