The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-03
NO BLUE LAWS
FOR INDIANA
Session of State Legislature, Just Fin
ished Let Radical Laws Die on
the Calendar.
tey The Associated Pr.ss,.


Two hundred and eighty news laws
resulted from the introduction of
eight hundred and thirty two bills
465 I'm the house and 367 in the SEN
ate-in the 1921 session of the Indiana
legislature. The session, the 72nd,
was marked by effective opposition
to extreme regulatory measures and a
proposed extension of blue laws was
left to die in the house.
Governor McCray counselled Judi
cious scrutiny of all proposed legisla-
ton and enactment of few laws in his
message and at the close of the ses-
sion he expressed himself as well
pleased with the consideration given
his advice. The governor vetoed six
measures and refused to receive Is
others in the final rush.
Treatment of the crime wave occu-
pied much time in the opening days of
the. two months session. A new crime,
defined as automobile banditry," was
covered by a statute which provides
penalty of three TO five years for first
offense and ten to twenty for a sec
ond. Use of an automobile by two
or more persons to accomplish a crime
or to escape from the scene of a crime
constitutes automobile banditry under
the Indiana law.
Severe penalty for robbery with a
deadly weapon is contained in another
new law. For the first offense ten
to twenty years is prescribed and for
the second. life Imprisonment. A de-
termined effort was made TO prescribe
life imprisonment for first offense of
highway robbery or burglary, but it
failed.
Indiana followed the lead of a num-
Der OF other states in adopting option
al commission or commission manager
forms OF government for cities. The
law was patterned after statutes of
other states and contained on original
ideas.
One OF the hotly contested struggles
Of the session conferred abe 1t a mo-
ton picture censorship measure. Three
were killed IN the senate. one pro-
viding for censorship and registration
OF films by the state board OF educa-
ton and another providing for ap-
pointment OF a board Of censorship. A
measure similar to the latter was pass
ed by the lower house. but killed in
the senate. An ammendatory bill TO
bring the states blue" laws up-to-
date and TO leave no loophole for Sun
day movies or baseball was never
handed down on third reading.
Measures sponsored by women's or
CARNATIONS did not fare we'll, although
for the first time I'm history a woman.
Mrs. Julia Nelson, OF Delaware county,
sat as a member of the Indiana house
of representatives, a strong cam
paign was made for a nine-hour day
for women in industry but the bin
was. killed IN the house.
Labor policies. IN the assembly were
not pronounced. A state constabulary
bill. opposed by labor was beaten as
was an anti-picketing bill. On the
other hand full train crew laws were
repealed eliminating a struggle which
lasted for more than ten years.
Supporters of the direct primary sys-
tenn won a victory when the fight for
a repeal was reIinquished after a test
vote in the senate.
The state public service commits
sion was made the target for a vigor-
Gus attack in the lower house but a
bill to abolish the commission was
beaten on second reading.
Perhaps the most unusual law en-
acted was the INDECENT parent meas
ure. 1t provides penalty of fine and
Imprisonment not to exceed six
months for failure OF children to sup
port their poverty stricken parents in
the event they are able to do so.
An echo of rural feuds was discern
sd In the James Law which makes pos
sible criminal prosecution of owners
OF turkeys. chickens. ducks and geese.
which trespass on the land OF others.