Evening journal., 1919-03-25
STATE COUNCIL
OF DEFENSE TO
REMAIN AWHILE
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gress TO provide funds for completing
the Assawoman Canal.
The indications are that the Sussex
County comptroller bill killed in the
House yesterday viii be called up today
and passed. The bill had already passed
the Senate and it is reported that one
House member who opposed the bin
Yesterday has been won over.
The Republican members OF the
House held a short caucus this morn
ing when it is stated this bill was again
discussed.
The House passed the three Senate
Joint resolutions naming the directors
OF three branches Of the Farmers Bank
for the next two years.
The House killed Representative
Lloyds bill TO make it unlawful for any
railroad company to block the public
highway at any railroad crossing for
more than i've minutes in the State.
Representatives Lloyd and Lord were
the only two members TO vote for the
bill.
Defense Council Stays.
By a vote Of 30 nays % Z yeas, the
Senate tbs morning killed Senator
Palmer's bill TO abolish the State Coun-
Gil Of Defense. The FIRST vote on the
bill. however, was yeas to nays,
which would have passed IL. but SEN
ators Richards and Price, who at first
voted "yes", changed their votes to
mo" owing TO the uncertainty OF
the attitude OF some of the members
toward the bill the chair withheld the
announcement Of the vote until the
afternoon session In order that any
members might change their votes
should they decide TO do so in the
meantime. The final vote was as fol-
lows:
Yeas-Senators Alice, Bennett, Handy,
Palmer, Webster and short.
Nays-Senators Brown, Gormley'
Hollett. Latta, Long. Murphy, Pool,
Price. Richards and Robertson.
In advocating the passage Of the BILL
Senator Palmer pointed out that the
Defense Council was created about a
year ago during a war emergency and
declared that II IL was wise then 10
create 10, it would be equally unwlse
now TO retain it on the statute books
as the emergency was ended. He de-
clared that during the year 1t has been
In existence it has accomplished Moth
ing worth while, and that Of the sjiO0O
that has been expended the only real
benefits accomplished were in the Child
Welfare work, which is taken care Of
by a bill passed in the Senate yester-
day.
lie said that the Compulsory Work
Board was a farce and that the money
expended by 10 was practically thrown
away. He objected to the unlimited
powers that are granted to the Defense
Council under the existing law. point
ing out that il can draw upon the State
Treasury for any amount Of money.
senator Alice remarked that In his
judgement 20 per cent. OF the money
expended by the Council OF Defense was
for administrative work which had ac-
complished no results. lie pointed out
that during the stress OF the war un-
heard OF powers were granted 10 the
council, just as they were granted TO the
National Administration. Now that the
great calamity was over those powers
should be returned to the people, he
said.
Senator Gormley called attention TO
the fact that while these great powers
were conferred upon the Council. yet
the State Treasury had not been de-
pleted during the year it has been in
existence, which he believed spoke well
for the calibre Of the men who com.
prlsed the Council. lie declared that II
was an act Of providence that the State
Council OF Defense had been in exis-
tence during the epidemic Of influenza
Senator Alice declared that Senator
Gormley's argument was not well taken
He did not believe that unlimited pow-