The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-16
SENATE PASSES
COURT BILL BY
BIG VOTE TODAY
Upper House Makes Short Work
of Industrial Act.
Democrats Tried Bitterly to
Force Elective Clause.
TAKE A SLAP At THE P. U. c.
Pointed Out as Evidence Of
Faulty Appointments.
Senator Prices Forces Have
Little Trouble in Passage.
BULLETIN.

After only four hours of de-
bate the senate at 3:15 o'clock
this afternoon passed the COM
mittee industrial court bill by
an overwhelming vote of 33 to s.
The Democrats started rally
in favor of making the members
of the court elective instead of
appointive but they failed to
obtain enough votes to carry
their amendment.
The bill now goes to the lower
house.
The senators voting against
the bill were Delaney, Keene,,
Nighswonger, Montee and
Sparks.
The bill passed as sent out
by the judiciary committee
without an amendment.
| Democrats in the senate today lined
up with labor unions in their fight to
make judges of the industrial court
bill elective officers.
Five of the nine Bourbons In the
upper house INDUCED in speeches ia
voring the amendment, holding the
public utilities commission out as the
| horrible example" of appointive tri-
bunals and lauding the supreme court
to the skies as an example of caliber
of men reached thru "the ballot
an intelligent people,
/ The amendment lost. An attempt
by Malone. of Rawlins. Democrat. TO
place the upper house members on
record by roll call also failed.
Following the first victory of ad-
/ tministration forces, Senator Francis &.
Price, sponsor of the bill, inquired
twhether there would be any more
amendments proposed, suggesting that
a final vote would be taken in the
event the senate was thru with amend
ments Nighswonger, of Wichita,
Democrat. replied that there would be
other amendments. That apparently
blasted hope of a speedy passage OF
the bill held out by administration
Headers.
The Bourbon fight on the appoint
ment of the industrial court bill
opened promptly after the reading of
the bill which went on special orders
at 1890 o'clock this morning. Malone,
CT Rawlins. offered the amendment.
First" said Malone, 'this bill
drives, in the main, directly against la
Dor. 1t takes away the weapon It has
used since the beginning of things TO
assert its rights-the strike. I have
I am not here to confirm stories that
the legislature was called for political
purposes. one man taking advantage
of present conditions.
Let People Rule.
"Yet when we are taking away this
weapon from labor. / believe We
should give labor an opportunity to
voice it's wishes thru the ballot in the
selection of this, tribunal You cant
tell me the people can't select e good
tribunal. / will point to the record OF
our supreme court which is elected
that always it has been composed OF
honest and capable men.
Think OF the power vested In this
proposed Industrial court. Then think
Of the power we place IN one man IN
giving him the appointive power Of
4 the court. Let's permit the people to
say who shall be members OF the tri-
bunal."
Sparks of Cherokee, Democrat. al
ways blunt and to the pcint, spoke
about twenty-five words.
"If labor unions and employers
must be governed by the same kind OF
appointive body that the utilities com
mission has proved to be, God protect
us ALL" he said.
Rally TO Support.
| senator frdnclS ~ FTlce, spohsor Ao'
the bill, rallied to the administration
plan of appointive officers. He de-
clared the election of officers Of the
, court would lengthen a ballot. now so
long, in his opinion, as to be an impo-
: sition on the voting public,
s THE court is an administrative tri-
bunal and has no judicial functions"
said Price. '.To force men in the posi-
ton they must be obliged to hold out
e into state politics at election. courting
: with labor unions. flirting with capi-
, talists and packers and pursuing the
ordinary methods Of elective politics
and then sending them into office un-
l. der obligations to these interests
!. doesn't seem right or fair. That is
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