River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-05-29
REVEALS COST OF
DEFENSE COUNCIL
Phillip Tells Legislature Expense
to State Was S73,9 1884.
RENDERED VALUABLE SERVICE
Executive Declares in Special Message
That Organizations Expenditures
Were Lower Than Any Other
State Except Missouri.

sage to the legislature Governor Phil
ipp submitted statements showing that
the expense of the state council of de-
Tense in Wisconsin to date has been
S73,984.25. A full itemized statement
of all expenses in excess of 500 to
any one person is submitted. The lar
gest salary expense was A. FL. Mel
vile, who acted as secretary of the
state council for a time. He drew 3d.
1866. A number of the members of
the state council received varying
Sums as a per diem.
"The council has been in existence
rs months and during the period of
the war rendered valuable service to
our state and country" says Governor
Phillip in his message.
'There has been some discussion III
the press of the cost of carrying on
this organization, and it has been sug-
gested that the legislature should be
advised regarding the expenditures"
Governor Phillip called attention to
the expense of the Wisconsin council
as compared with other states, show
ing that Wisconsin's is the oldest or
ganiZation and, with the exception of
Missouri, spent less. He said the
state of Michigan spent 100000. He
called attention to the activities of the
council in saving money to the farm
ers through the furnishing of seeds in
order to increase production. w. S.
Heddles, the present council of de-
Tense chairman, refused any pay fol-
services and expenses.
81 would not wish to dismiss this
subject without calling your attention
to the fact that there has been a we'll
organized council Of defense in every
county of this state and that by far
the largest per cent Of the services
was rendered by the people without
cost" says the governor in conclusion
"The record of the institution will
stand as lasting evidence to the fine
patriotic spirit of the people of our
state during the period Of war;"
Three of the biggest measures OF
the legislature were indefinitely post
poned when the assembly, by vote
Of Al to 81 killed the M. e. Johnson
bill for an eight-hour day and the SEN
ate, by vote of II to IA, killed the
two bills, one for the elective railroad
commission and the other for an cleo
tive tax commission.
Assemblyman w. FL. Edwards, Wau-
,ho off nHrn0 Y,f
to the M. e. Johnson eight-hour day
bill which would bring all classes Of
laborers, including farmers, under the
eight-hour law and subject them to a
time and half pay for overtime. The
amendment was defeated by vote
Of 48 to 20.
Charges that the Republican party,
the Democratic party and the Farm
ers' Equity were not living up to their
party platforms If they rejected the
eight-hour bill featured the debate in
the assembly.
All amendments which were offered
to the bill were finally rejected and
the vote on the measure narrowed
down to the original committee meas
ure, which provided that from and af-
ter January /, 1920, eight hours in any
one calendar day shall constitute a
days work; no person shall be hired
or permitted to work for wages for
more than eight hours in any one day,
unless he be paid at the rate of at
least one and ope-half times the regu-
lar wage for all such time worked in
excess of eight hours in any one day.
The following classes were exempted
from the provisions of the bill: Fire
men, police officers, farm labor, high
| way work outside of cities, canneries,
or logging operations Or where not
more than four men are engaged In
the manufacturing of butter, cheese
or in the distribution of milk and
cream. +.
1t was in this form when Assembly
man T. S. Nolan, GAINESVILLE, moved in
definite postponement, and his motion
carried by a vote of Al to SO.
Without word of debate the SEN
ate, on two successive roll calls, de-
feated by identical votes the Severson-
Roethe bills to make the railroad and
tax commissions elective. The result
| was Ia to II on both bills The past
week both measures were engrossed,
the railroad commission bill by vote
of Is to and the tax commission bill
IS to s. Two Republicans and two So
cialists who voted for the bills on en-
grossment voted against them on final
passage.
| Thank Women Welcomers.
Both houses of the legislature have
passed resolution thanking the Wis
consin committee of women at New
| York for their service to returning
soldiers. This has been volunteer
committee composed of former Wis
consin women. When notice came that
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