The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-20
Rotarians Entertained by Leg
islators at Noon Meeting.
Mock Legislature "Took on
Complexion of Real Thing"
BRING STATE FAIR TO Topeka
Rotary Wishes This Bill Could
Go in "ReaP' Session.
Lieut.. Geo. McDermOtt Speaks
on League of Nations.

measures rode thru the session of a
mock legislature safely mounted on
the topmost seats of an omnibus OF
the non-breakable variety. That is to
say the bills were enacted into law
if the uncounte votes nays were SUI
ficient to make the snowstorm COM
plete.
1t seems from the announcement of ,
the program of the meeting of the
Rotary club at which the legislature
held session today that certain MEM
bers of both the house and of the SEN
ate had taken occasion to offer the
standard program of the Rotarians
severe criticism. They were politely
informed by the officers of the To-
peka Rotary club that If they felt they
could do better to "go to it, They
did-and the mock egislature-which
the Rotarians called to halt because
sit is too much like the real thing
was planned and put forth as the eff
fort of the SolOns in the entertainment
line.
Bills To Hopper.
At the legislative session held at
Rotary this noon four bills were
introduced as follows: Senate bills
Nos. 23 and Til and house bills Nos.
10 and A.
Senate bill No. 2s provided that the
office of state bank commissioner. now
held by Walter L. Wilson, be abol-
ished for the reason that he has sum-
marily put a stop to the practice OF
some promoters selling the wide blue
sky, and for the greater reason that
he allowed the banks of the state to
demand security for loans. The bill
was given a front seat on the omni-
bus.
Senate Bill No. Til provided in its
original form that the University of
Kansas be moved to Quindaro in
Wyandotte county for the reason that
that town is alleged by the gentle
man from Lawrence" to be both IN
regenerated and unsegregated." The
original bill also carried a provision
that the fraternities. sororities and
other social organizations connected
with the school be left at Lawrence
when the move was made This bill
was also given good, comfortable
seat on the omnibus
For Topeka State Fair.
House bill No. 10 was a measure
| introduced by a representative from
| Shawnee providing that the state fair
at Hutchinson be consolidated with
the free fair at Topeka, that the COM
bined fair be held now and forever
| in Topeka, that all buildings and prop
critics of the state fair become imme-
diately the properties and buildings OF
the free fair at Topeka and that the
managers of the Topeka free fair have
the privilege of doing with the Hutch
inson equipment as seemed best to the
! interests of the consolidated fair. and
| that Hutchinson be forever prohibited
from even so much as having mere
county fair. Free seat on the omri-
bus was provided for this one.
House bill No. A provided for the
| removal of the Santa Fe shops and
| round houses, now located in Topeka,
to the town of Spearville, Ford county,
| for the reason that the laborers on the
| railroad at Dodge have acquired SO
| much money that they have bought
automobiles and persist in running
over the towns pet poodle ana pug
| dogs. The bill provided that the state
| auditor be instructed to issue war
| rant for sufficient funds to enlarge the
| Ford county Jail to meet the demand.
| The bill was declared of local inn
portance and provided with passage
ON the omnibus.
Omnibus Truck.
AT this point somebody cranked the
motor-the omnibus was ore OF the
| modern yariety-and the bills rolled
| to either a yea or nay vote-no one
| knows which tho, the Topeka Ro-
| of the bills introduced in the real
] legislature and have it provided with
| a nice, easy ride on an omnibus.
McDcrmott In Speech.
Lieut.. George p. McDermott, who has
just recently returned from overseas,
was called upon for an impromptu
talk at the close of the meeting. Nc
Dermott took occasion to sneak of the
alleged casualties in the 35th division
and to express his idea of "a league or
nations.
Broke Hun Heart.
Speaking of the casualties ana the
alleged cause of the Thirty-nfth
losses in the Argonne. McDermott said
simply that that is war" He said
that not always did things run smooth
ly in the war zone and that on many
occasions the artillery to which he
was attached was forced to cease fir
ing in battle for the simple reason
that the line of communication to the
front was broken and the ofncers
could not direct the fire with any GER
tainty that the shells would drop on
the Germans and not the Americans.
He commended the American dough-
boys on their impetuosity in attack
and said that it was the discovery
that Americans not only would fight
but that they actually late it up that
broke the Hun heart and made an
early peace possible.
Needs More Than Contract.
Speaking of the proposed league of
nations, McDermott said that he per-
sonallY did not see any reason to be-
such nations as Germany from going
to war He said: "The treaty with
belgium did not stop them and there
is no reason to believe that any other
scrap OF paper would either"
The legislators who took part in the
mock legislatiove session this noon wer e.
VIII H. Thompson, Hutchinson.
wilder s. Metcalf. Lawrence, from the
senate: Charles Mosher, Dodge City:
r. c. Howard, Arkansas City: Matt
Weightrnan. Topeka, representatives.
e. z. Brookens of Topeka acted as
reading clerk.
Vote It Down.
Before the mock legislature took
charge of the proceedings this noon
the Rotarians of Topeka unanimously
voted against any division of the Sew.
enteenth Rotary district as has been
proposed by some of the national Of