Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-08
REP. O'CONN0R
FIGHTS AGAINST
SENATE BILL 81
His Grafton of Bill is Most
Forceful Of the
(Herald Bismarck Bureau.

Bismarck, n. D., Dec. S.--Repre-
sentative J. r. T. O'Connor of Grand
Forks. In speaking against the enact
ment of S. B. 81, which gives the
law, delivered one of the most force
ful orations Of the extra session. This
bill gives the governor absolute pow
er over the military forces Of the
state to-" avert any pending disaster
or calamity" 1t enables him to
seize the mines and industries of the
state when. In his own Judgment it
is deemed expedient. Members of
the minority called it return to the
Fmilitaristic form Of government and
condemned it in no uncertain terms
OConnor's address IN, fllT follows:
3s,ss 5SyssH HIS aadrysss.s sla5S la55Ss. 4 =
seHatss Atll ~, lssis perhaps one
Or the; nbst Tai iSaesfrinx measu-es
that has been introduced into this
Legislative assembly. This bill il 1t
becomes q law, proposes to place the
power In the hands of the governor
OF North Dakota. to take any meas
ures necessary to prevent or avert
any pending disaster or calamity
which threatens to destroy life or
property in this state ..
Under the constitution of the
State of North Dakota, the governor
is made the commander in chief Of
the military and, naval forces OF the
state. I shall not address myself to
his duties with reference to naval
forces Of the state, because We are
ties regarding the navy of North Da-
kota. But under our constitution he
has the right to call out the militia
and execute the laws, suppress insur-
rectton and repel invasion.
THE next part Of this section Of
the constitution refers to convening
extraordinary sessions OF the legisla-
ture. Then, the political code section
Z. subdivision Z gives the governor
individuals without. compensation in
military duty. There is another sec
ton Of the code which gives the ages
of those subject to- military duty.
Under the laws as We have them,
Mr.. Speaker. the governor, it seems
has ample authority to protect the
lives and the property Of the people
in certain emergencies. There, has
never been any denial of that. But
this bill attempts to give the COVER
nor the right to take over every pub
lie utility in the state and operate
them without any curb being placed
;on his power.
Return to Autocracy.
cit is a return, Mr.. Speaker, to the
days before fee government and free
institutions; it is a return to the time
before men governed themselves: 1t
is a return to- the ages when auto
cratic power ruled the people. when
those in authority had the right to
take the property and the life of the
people and this is return, to those
conditions. "a
II say that there has been in this
country a feeling among people that
we want to get as far away from
military power and military autoc-
racy and everything savoring OF mill
tarism that it is possible to get away
from in times Of peace. And it is in
deed surprising that the men who
have been advocating such extreme
views perhaps as many Of the lead
ers of the majority party here. would
introduce such a bill placing these
tremendous military powers in the
hands of one man. The debate on
the foor of this house today has in
dicated to your minds the immediate
change that comes across the majori-
ty Of the people in this house when
one man. happens to turn and per-
/, TO m some things that the majority