Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-05-28
Large Number of Inquiries Being
Made Regarding New Law.
Representative Hook Has
Bill for Soldier Me-
MORALS
CITIES MAY ACT ALONE
OR WITH COUNTIES
Council Must Call Special Election ON
Petition of 15 Per Cent of
Voters. Buildings Must
Have Accommodations
for War Work
Societies


Des Moines.-Judged by the large
number of requests which are COM
ing to state officials with reference
to the Davidson law giving cities and
towns authority to erect, equip and
maintain soldiers and sailors me-
mortal buildings there are many
communities in the state planning
to take advantage of this law and
build public buildings which shall be
in the nature of memorials to sol
diers, sailors and marines OF the
world war Many copies of this law
have been sent out by state otficials
on request since the final adjourn
ment of the legislature.
The law requires the holding or
an election at which the question OF
erection such memorial building
shall be voted on by the people. The
city council must call such an cleo
tion on petition of fifteen per cent OF
the legal voters. II the election car
ries the city council may issue bonds
known as liberty memorial bonds
but cannot authorize an issue which
would incur Indebtedness beyond the
legal limit. When the building is
finished three mill tax may be as
Asssed to sustain 1t.
The law also provides that the
council in case this election carries
must appoint three persons as men,
bers of community civic congress"
to advise with the council and CO.
operate with it not only in carrying
out the provisions of this law but
also with reference to improvements
of a civic nature provided for In
ether state laws.
Open-tO All Branches:
The proposed building, the law
states. "shall have special accomo-
dations and provisions for soldiers
sailors. nurses and other persons
who are or have been in the military
or naval service Of the United States
Such buildings may be or incluoe
military headquarters, memorial
rooms, library, assembly hall, gym
nasium. natatorium, club rooms ana
rest rooms; it may include city hall
ard offices for any county or municl-
nal purpose or community house or
recreation center; or 1T may De d
memorial hispital or it may be Tor
any one or more such purposes' anu
for similar or appropriate, purposes
NAV be extended to general COM
munity and neighborhood uses.
The law further provides that
such building may be erected as an
appropriate annex TO any other Guy
or public building or by reconstruc-
ting the same.
Citv and County May Join.
Another bill similar to this ror
which requests are being sent along
with requests for the Davidson Dill
is the Hook bill by Representative
Hook 1t provides that cities anu
towns which have provided for the
establishment of free public library
may unite with the board OF super
visors for the erection and mann
ienance of a soldiers memorial anu
proyides further for the appointment
of trustees for such building anu
tax levy for its erection and mann
tenance.
Tn effect 1t provides that city ana
county may jointly enter into plan
FOR the construction and mainten'
ance of such building. Such build'
ING Is to have an auditorium where
nnblic meetings of patriotic organi'
zations may be held and where arti'
cles of historic interest may pt
nIaced on exhibition. The trustees
also have authority to collect ano
comni,e a record Of the patrloue
oo,;v;ties of the inhabitants OF the
county during any war in which the
Irriter states was engaged and pre-.
sarve the same. and to compile ana
nraserve a roster of the miiltar.
record of the inhabitants OF saio
county who served in the army Va
tbo United States and in general 10
preserve as a memorial, the recoro
of the patriotic activities OF 'he IN
babitants of said county and especiai'
" to preserve such records as 10 th'
world war"
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