The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-31
CONVENTION CALL |S HIGHLY COMMENDED
Voters and Not Legislature, However, Must Pass on
 Proposal
By FRED IT. GORNLEY
 monteomery Bureau Tie Aae-HeraId

E<i-E THst NdttOnal bank buildnq
 montgomery, August 5O.-tSpeciaD-Tele- grams and letters began to arrive at the executive department Monday congratu- latins Governor Kilby on his action in
 including call for a constitutional con vention in his procla anation assembling the legislature in extraordinary session September Il. Several persons also called at the department to commend the gov ernor
 Since 1907 various persons have urged the calling of aother constitutional con yention and for the past five years agita- tion has grown. It has been charged since the constitution was written in 1901 that proper attention was not given the variety of subjects which must be handled in the constitution because of the urgency of the subject of suffrage. At that tine' suffrage was paramount and the conven- ton was forced to devote most of it's time to it while other matters of import ance received little attention. Governor Johnston. in his campaign in opposition to the constitution, charged that cor porate influence was too great and that the common masses did not receive the consideration they deserved,
 Since the adoption of the constitution each legislature has submitted amend ments and every session sees a large number of persons here insisting on the submission of additional amendments. Seven amendments have been adopted and seven defeated. At the November election the voters will be called upon to pass upon three other amendments.
 Before the conventon can be held the voters Of Alabama must call it. It is not within the power of the legislature to call convention. If the majority of the lawmakers believe a convention should be called, the subject must submitted to the voters. Legislation making pro- visions and appropriations for the con vention will be enacted in advance If a majority of the voters vote "copven- tion yes" the personnel will be selected in another election which will be provided by law. If majority vote convention no'' the supplemental legislation will die on the statute books
 Persons who have given the subject study will be called into conference in order that proper legislation may be framed. The number of persons in the convention will be important subject. It is been said in the past that the con- vention of 1901 was too unwieldy. It con- tained one hundred and fifty members. Those consulted since Governor hilby in- cluded the subject in his call indicated that the convention should contain not more than one hundred and that the legis- lation should be so framed as to attract the best men of Alabama into the cam paign for membership in the convention.
 After the convention has drafted a new constitution it must be ratified by the voters. In other words, the voters must call the convention and when it has acted they must approve the work before the constitution becomes effective The gen eral opinion is that the legislature. if it suggests the convention to the voters, will submit the subject in the November election, that if the voters call it special election for the selection of the personnel will be held in 1921, that the convention will write the new constitution in 1922 and that the constitution will be submitted for ratification or rejection at the general election in November, 1922