Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-21


have been subsequent requests for this
from the Federal authorities, according
To information on file in the office of
Governor Townsend. \ representative
of the National Council Of Defence has
visited Delaware number oi times
since the request was innde, both on
invitation To do SO and voluntarily, |
each time making n survey OF conditions
here and nsccrtainIng whnt WIS being
done and what could be done to better
cooperate with the government. Each
time he approved the voluntary work
that was being done in the State, Ills
last visit was two months ago.
From time to time National Council
Of Defence officers have discussed with
Governor Townsend the latter says. the
matter of n special Session To rlotle the
State defence appnciea with the authority
that the national body considered nee
cssary tn make their work effective
l'heRe conferences were followed bv
oucstonnairc directed to each State IN
the Union. on this particular subject.
inuuiring what had been done IN the mat
ter in each State, how the councils were
selected. how the projects were financed,
etc.
George A Porter. secretary OF the Ma
tional Council of Defence, according Ia
the governor. advised the calling of
spocal session Of the Legislature for the
cxprpss purpose Of placing the State
Council Of National Defence on stat
utorv basis on the ground that experience
had shown that the best results could not
be obtained without snch council
clothed with statutory authority
Twcntv-onr States replied ta the ques
fionnaircs that such cnnncils had been
formed therein and money had been
aprropriatcd for thor disbursement, IN
some instances up to Sl.WUW Nmlc
IN sonc instances the tuno unlimited.
being left Ia The discretion oi the Council
Various aiipgcetions were received from
these alestionnairez rs 70 how The councll
should he formed. The chief thought being
tn have IL named by tho governor AMI to
comprise from 30 "a ~ civilians, selected
without regard to political affiliations.
Some of The States N their torncil of
Defence acts. had included nothing about
the cunsrriptinn If labor. while MARYLAND
and Now Jersey had passed compulsory
labor laws
Secretary of War pakfr recommended
that the legislatures delegate IL tho
governors the power to suspend 0f modify
the labor laws IN thu statute books, when
requested Nv tho Council of National |
Defence to do So There were other stig |
pcstions from the government that war !!
labor laws he enacted 10 he administered |
hy the Council nf Hefcnrr This was |
factor ~ shaping the formation 81 the |
Defence bill offered ~ The Delaware Iegls |
laturc which was passed fy thn itotise last |
week The Federal authorities had recon-
mondotl The " eei Virginia law, which was
enacted al a special war session II the |
. ~ 1-t.sr tKF.s--
over. ,or4 not include the lahor provision |
After Governor Townsend had decided |
10 call special scsslnn of the Legislature. |
the latter states. he collected al ~ tho |
correspondence which led M e. Il and /.
copies ,d the Weet Virginia Natyland |
and New Jersey laws On tho subject aud |
plarod them ~ The hands af William NJ |
Hone. r,nInaeI for the Senate. and asked |
him tn draw NJ mll fnr consultation
Accordingly he prepared rough draft.
which was sent IN James NJ Funnel |
ono of the ATTORNEYS for the House. tor
him tn gn nver and make Suggestions
Mr. Tunnel did So making thrrc % tour
changes, MI td which were accepted and
incorporated ~ The hlll Rhcn II WAS re-
drawn THIS being done tho lnll vas shown
by the governor Ia Hcrvcy / Hall. speak
or al tho House of Representatives., and
to President Pro Tenn Barnard 1T the
senate for their consideration, aud.
being an administration measure the
governor SAYS. he asked the speaker to
offer Il m the House.
When Governor fownacnd was asked
about the disposition 10 change the blll
from IT'S original shape, he sad he had
no objection 10 II being amended, provided
its yitals were not extracted. Section >.
|. -
pointed ont. could bt eliminated without
affecting the situation, rs the governor has
the same authority under a resolution
passed by the last Legislature
1t has been suggested that section I.
relating to the Interpretation OF what
constitutes q useful occupation, could
bc amended So rs 10 place the intcrpreta-
ton with tho court. instead at with the
Council Of Defence, which. It ~ contend
cti. would strengthen the general program
aimed AT
The governor received advlces ycstcr-
Iav from Acting Secretary Of Labor john
" AbcrcromhIe, at Washington, cx-
pressing pleasure over the fact that Del
aware intended to place it's Defence Coun-
ell on statutory basis and telling how
much good this cooperation would he
IN safeguarding the State and In helping
to safeguard the nation.
HOUSE ACCoMPLIsHEs NOTHING
Nothing was accomplished IN the House
Yesterday, after IT had decided, at the
morning SESSION, not 10 consider the blll
amending the income tax law or any other
not included IN the governor proclama-
tlon 1t awaits the action of the Senate
on the Defence bill, being ready 10 quit
and go home as soon as both houses
have disposed of this matter
While IT had been hoped to end the
Legislative session tomorrow, tins does
not seem possible unless the new De
fence bill can he disposed OF bv that
time which seems impossible, IN view of
The new development Therefore the
session may run into next week
Following is the patriotic song with
which the House was convened yesterday
morning:
God save our noble men.
Send them safe home again
God save our men
Keep them victorious,
Patient and chvalrouS.
They are so dear to us,