South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-14


no one is making any rash prom
ises or dire threats in regard 20 the
coming special session OF the In
diana legislature. But ripples that
already are seen on the always
troubled sea Of Indiana public af-
fairs and politics give unmistakable
indications OF one Of the liveliest
sessions OF that husky assemblage
ever held in the state. There Will be
no pOlitics-uo This being the sea-
son Of prohibition in Indiana. poll
tics at the special session also will
he prohibited. But even in a pro-
Eibition state like Indiana bootleg
gCrs infest the commonwealth al all
times and there is liquor 20 be had.
regardless.
And so II will be with this special
session. Political bootleggers viii
abound In both branches OF the leg
islature while il is I'm session. Al
though there is a tacit. tentative and
tmorous understanding among the
leaders Of both parties that politics
Will be avoided. yet such an under
standing cannot in any way bind all
Of the members of the body They
VIII still be free 20 do as they please
and without any restriction on the
action Of the legislature as a whole.
Probably Many Bills.
Thus, even If the party leaders
do agree that they will undertake
to limit the legislative program TO a
certain specified list Of measures.
any other member IS free 20 shoot
i'm as many bills as he pleases, and
there is no way to stop him. And
there is good reason 10 believe that
there are members of both houses
who VIII do that very thing The
list Of bills introduced will probably
look like a calendar Of a regular
session before they get through.
10 is easy 20 say keep politics
out" but who is going 20 keep IL
out2 To is not the habit. inclination
or training 81 a Hoosier TO keep
politics ont Of anything. And there
Is an election coming on next fall
which furnishes another incentive
for politicians 20 play politics i'm
the legislature tt viii not be a
oue-sided affair at that. There viii
bee just as much politics on one side
as on the other
Ia is interesting TO note that tho
republicans are the ones who are
shouting keep politics out" They
vociferously shout chat there should
be no politics i'm legislation during
the war And vet they are playing
politics with both hands and both
feet in the congress at Washington,
where they are denouncing and
hopping on the democratic admin
istration at every possible oppor-
tuuitv.
Indiana democratic leaders are
aware OF this situation. and they are
preparing TO show up the whole
business when the special session is
pulled off
Democrats Ward Loyal.
THE democrats viii go into this
special session fully determined TO
stand by the governor I'm everything
he asks for that is needed To meet
emergency conditions one promi-
nent democrat said in discussing the
situation. THE democrats Of In
diana stand ready TO do anything
and everything and TO support the
governor 10 the fullest extent II is
our p8tTlollt NNlN as IoAdt amen
cans 10 do this. and we shall not
lose sight OF that fact. And we be
Heve TOO. that the republicans owe
the same loyal and patriotic allie
glance 10 the president that we pro
pose 10 give to the governor.
"In congress they hop ON every
thing the administration does on
does not do. and they are playing
politics as it never was played be-
fore Therefore it sounds rather
extraordinary TO us 20 hear these
same republicans insisting that we
shall keep stll and raise no political
questions in the legislature. They
are openly inconsistent They have
no greater or better right To play
politics than We would have II We
wish 10 play the game. and they
should not ask us 20 lie still and
permit Them TO ride owe us i'm their
own way.
Charles a. Greathouse demo