Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-20
End the Costly Farce.

The State Senate ut Dover, Monday
afternoon, concurred in the House jolh'
resolution ratifying the Prohibition
Amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States. The voice of Delaware,
thereby was fully recorded IN favor oil
that measure.
This action completed the real purpose
for which the special session of the Gen-
cral Assembly was called. All the prattie
about war emergency measures and ar
rangcments for cooperation with the
Federal government for the national
defence was merely "camouilage. III
was Incorporated in the call to impart
effect in the public eye. Everybody
knows that the real purpose, that Tor
which the governor was so strenuousiy
importuned by the prohibition interests
was to ratify the amendment.
Now that this has been done, there is
no longer any excuse for the Legislature
remaining in session. The longer 1T con-
tinues, the greater will be the absolute
So far as the matter of meeting war
emergencies is concerned, 1t Will he ap-
parent TO any intelligent citizen who
will take the trouble TO read the JOINT
resolution adopted by the General AS
sembly at its regular session last year
clothing the governor with extraordinary
powers in respect of this important matter
that it is not necessary TO take another
step in this direction. Under that reso
lution the governor may meet any cmer'
gency in the way that seems proper ant
appropriate, and draw upon the Stat'
| treasury for all expenses incurred. Moth
ing more is needed
1t is apparent, also, that the drasti
| Defence bill so hastily and ignoranti,
passed by the House of Representative
will not meet the approval Of the State
In the latter body it viii be amended
| and no doubt amended out of all sem
blance to its original autocratic ant
dangerous form. What may RENAL
| will be of small consequence.
Also, there is probability of conteS
| between the two houses over the change
the Senate is certain to make in this mea
sure. That would mean = prolongatlo
of the session, piling up OF the waste
full expense.
In respect of other legislation, there
not the slightest necessity for the Legs
lattIre to act Even the very lmportan
subject of paid Fire Department 70
Wilmington NAV be effectively cntere
upon without the aid Of legislation by IN
special Session As was pointed out b
Every Evening several days ago, th
City Council may appoint a capabl
commission 10 enter into negotiation
with the fire companies for transfer {
their real and personal property TO th
municipality, and have everything
readiness for the conforrnatory legsl;
tion that may be necessary in the en-
bv the time the next Legislature assen
bles in regular session.
Then, why continue the special session
which already is degencratlng into far
and very costly ono, too. There
not a single public interest that deman'
legislative attention Al this time.
course. if the Legislature chooses to opt
the doors TO general business, II can dra
all kinds of measures, as molasses a
tracts flies. But what good
There is no evading the plain fact tn
the best service the members Of the &c
eral Assembly could render the peop
OF Delaware would be the immedia
adoption Of a JOINT resolution TO adjoul
| sine die