The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-03-19


VlG0ROUSACTION
Harding -Havnerl Rathbun- Allen Epi
sode Arouses Much Interest and
Creates Action Among Lawmakers
SECRETARY ALLEN FOR HEARING
Undertood That Charges Mhay be Pre-
ferred Against Secretary Allen Now
Serving His Fourth Term
DIES MONIES, March 17-(Special
to the Review)-Much interest and ex
citement aroused the law makers to
vigorous action the past week. The
HardingFHavner 'Rathbun episode
claimed first consideration and after
Z much maneuvering Hon. H., w. Byers
former speaker of the house, later
attorney general of the state and at
present legal adviser for Des Moines.
was selected by the Judiciary commit.
tee of the house to take charge of the
investigation of the Rathbun pardon,
the part the governor took therein,
and certain phases of the grand jury
investigation which concern Attorney
General Havner. Judge ]. l.. Kennedy
of Sioux City, was made assistant to
Mr. Byers, but he promptly declined
the honor, stating in effect that if he
could not have complete charge of
the matter he would have nothing to
do with it. The committee will Sc
lect some other attorney and the in
vestigation will proceed at once.
Right on the heels of this action
came the surprise in the senate when
Senator Holdoegel, chairman of the
committee on departmental affairs, a
newly improvised committee, intro
duced a bill to take from the secre-
tary of states office the automobile
department and place it under the con-
troll of the state treasurer. Several
senators participated in the discussion
of conditions in the office of Secre-
tary w. S. Allen and some very ugly
charges were made It was stated
that clerks had been dismissed because
they gave evidence to the investigating
committee that was detrimental to AL
len; that Mrs. Allen had used the Of
fee force and stationery and postage
stamps belonging to the state in fur
thering Mr.. Aliens candidacy for a
fourth term before the republican pri-
mary, election last June; that Mrs. FL
lott, wife of member of the Des
Moines city council, had been carried
on the pay roll for several months
during which time she had done no
! work for the state, having been fore
IDLY elected from the clerical depart
ment by Mrs. Allen; that Aliens son
who is in charge of the automobile de-
partment, gave neither time nor at
tention to the duties of the position,
but drew his salarly with unfailing reg
ularity; that Allen kept in a Des
Moines bank a daily balance of from
$4,000 to 100000 of state funds, de-
posted in his own name for which the
state received no interest: that thou
sands Of letters containing checks
were unopened for weeks at a time;
that inefficiency and carelessness
marked the conduct Of the Office in all
departments, sample of which was
the defeat of the woman suffrage
amendment because he failed to OBJ
serve the publication requirements
{ All of these things and numerous 9th
ers were heard upon the floor of the
senate and when the bill to take the
automobile department to the state
treasurer came to vote it passed
practically unanimously. 1t was i'm.
mediately messaged over to the house
where it passed the next morning, re-
ceiving only three opposing votes.
Governor Harding signed the bill that
same day and. upon publication in the
pes Moines dailies Saturday the stage
was all set for the transfer Monday
morning.
1t is understood that charges will
be preferred against Mr.. Allen and
Impeachment may follow. He was re-
elected for a fourth term at the last
election by large majority and en-
tered upon his new term of office jan
uary 1st He has been seriously con-
sidering the propriety Of becoming
candidate for governor next year, his
vote getting qualities at the late pri.
mary leading him to believe that he is
a prime favorite with the people of
Iowa. II iM2|
While these exciting events have
been Gppermost in the minds of the
legislators the members of both hous-
es have maintained composure COM
mensurate with the Importance and
dignity of the position they hold and
no personal antagonism has been pro-
jected and all has been harmony and
hard work. .....l.,.....
The non-partisan judiciary law was
repealed by the joint action of the two
houses and hereafter judges will be
chosen by regularly constituted politi
cal conventions. This same bill passed
both houses two years ago but was
vetoed by Governor Harding. He will
hardly repeat the performance this
session.
The bill granting women the priv
ilege to vote at primary elections pass
ed the house by large majority but
was defeated in the senate. Following
the announcement of the vote which
defeated the measure Senator Rule Of
fered resolution providing for sub
mission OF the constitutional amend
nient granting woman suffrage to the
voters of the state and it was passed