Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-25
SPROUL BILLS
ARE UNDER WAY
The Most of Them Will Be
Ready by First of
April

Attorney General w. |. Schaffer
said today that he had prepared
bills for the creation of the depart
ments of conservation and State po-
lice and an anti-sedition act. He
expected to go over the proposed
laws with Governor William {.
Sproul and have the legislation
ready for introduction before the
Legislature adjourns this week.
Thursday afternoon he will confer
in Philadelphia with Harry a.
Mackey, chairman of the Work
mems Compensation Board. con-
cerning the amendments he has pre-
pared for the compensation law.
These bills, together with a blue
sky" act on fraudulent stock pro-
motion schemes and few smaller
pieces of legislation practically con-
clude the Sproul program. as meas
ures to put on the books the other
legislative subjects he advocates are
now before the Legislature. 1t is
the intention of the administration
to take the Hess BLUE Sky" bill
now in the House. The measure is
practically Il re-draft of the Kansas
law. The Banking Department will
make n study of the bill and make
any needed changes. 1t will be COM
pared with the bill on the same
subject introduced last session by
Representative John W. Nickerman
of Allegheny.
Mr.. Schaffer says the administra-
ton bill creating the Department of
Conservation provides for bringing
the activities of the Game, Fish,
Forestry and Water Commissions or
Departments under this new depart
ment.
The Commissioner of Conservation
will have vested in him all the pow
ers these various bodies now have.
There will be deputy commissioner,
ap advisory council of nine and di-
rectors for the Game. Fish, Forestry
and Water bureaus created. All
of the various commissions now
handling these matters will be abol-
ished. The advisory counsel will
be purely advisory, the powers of
the commissioner being supreme.
The new Department of State Po-
lice will take over the present de-
partment and Fire Marshars Depart
ment. Its affairs will be managed
by companies of State police and this
is to be increased to five. The State
Policemen will be given authority
TO aid in fish and game protection,
hut will not be made game wardens.
The reorganization provides for a
detective bureau which will be at
the service of the authorities of the
various counties in running down
rr,tN
cords of crimes and criminals This
will include the establishment of a
"rogue's gallery" and other modern
methods of keeping track of the
men with real criminal records
There are many of the smaller
counties that have no way of keeping
these records together.
The Department of Fire Marshal
will be abolished and its functions
handled by bureau of fire protec-
ton in the Department of State Po-
lice. All inspection as to dangerous
fire risks will be conducted by this
bureau, thus putting an end to the
present duplication of effort between
the Fire Marshal and Labor and
Industry Departments.
The anti-sedition bill provides for
the punishment of crimes subversive
of the governments of the United
States and Pennsylvania. 1t will be
made unlawful to resort to practices
causing discomfort or tending to
overthrow the government. Provi-
sion will be made for the punish
ment of attempts at or personal in
jury done to public officials. All of
thece offenses are now tried under
the conspiracy laws and it is diff
cult to secure convictions. The PEN
alties will range from fines of from
500 to $4,000, with a maximum
imprisonment of fifteen wears.