Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-03-16
HAVE OVER 1000
BILLS TO CONSIDER
Members of Iowa Legislature Work
ing Day and Night to Speed Up
Legislation with Many Bills
I'm
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
TO BF PASSED ON
Want Change So The 2epresen.
tstives Can be Elected f,%,Tour
Years Instead of Two ..
Des Moines-, March IA

Des Moines,' March IA.
BY an amendment tackled on the
Bonus bill in the Senate that mea-
sure is practically doomed for the
rubbish heap. The amendment would
give to the S. A. T. C. the same
bonus as those who fought in France.
American Legion men are up in
arms over the effort to kill the bill
by overlooking it for the purpose of
making it impossible. They declare
that the gulf which has divided the
members of the student training
corps and the American Legion has
been widened and what good feeling
there. has been will be entirely wiped
out. One American Legion man said
that the Legion had been good to the
students and recognized them as part
of the patriotic fighting force of the
nation although there was a question
in his mind that such recognition
should have been given. In recipro-
eating for this recognition the S. A.
L. Z. now comes in to kill measure
which means everything to thous-
ands of soldiers who sacrificed every
thing they had to protect the nation.
The students, he said, had showed
their good intentions but had not
gone through the hardships of the
battle fields or of service i'm distant
training camps. Few of them gave
up jobs or business, but now that
they think they can ride along with
the real service men they load up the
boat which is already loaded to ca
pacity, he said. The incident has
caused intense bitterness and unless
the factions can get together there
will be no bonus.
Over 1000 Bills to Consider.
On reconvening after the March
recess 275 bills were introduced be-
fore the hammer fell announcing that
according to resolution no further
bills other than appropriation, would
be accepted. As result members
are working day and night to speed
up legislation. The Senate has decid-
ed that April 8 the general assembly
should adjourn. This date has not
been definitely fixed by the Senate
and must be approved by the House.
The appointment of a sitting COM
mittee is being held awaiting definite
action regarding the date of adjourn
meEt. Finishing touches are being
placed on important measures by au-
thors and committees and spirited
discussions may be expected daily
as practically all bills will be dis
puted. The legaliZing acts even come
in for opposition and Senator Has
kell has declared war on such mea-
sures. He thinks that lawyers should
be impeached or jailed or any other
kind of capital punishment inflicted
because they allow cities, towns,
school districts, counties and corpor-
ations to break the laws of the state
and then come before the G.. A. for
the purpose of having their illegal
acts 1egalized.
Constitutional Convention.
If the general assembly passes the
Senate bill reported favorably by the
committee and the constitutional conS
vention for Iowa will be held in May
1923, the members being elected at
the general election the Novmber
previous. Each representative district
will have one delegate. Candidates
will have their names on the ballot
at the June primaries and double the
number of candidates names will be
printed on the ballot at the Novem-
ber election. Members must be thir-
ty wears of age. They will be paid
81 900 for the session which is pre-
surned to last three months or more.
Des Moines, March 16.
Change the constitution of the
state of Iowa so that representatives
may be elected for four years in
stead of two, provide for session
of the general assembly in January
after their election and an adjourned
session the month of January and
then skip. two years without ses-
sion," is one of the first suggestions
for the constitutional convention.
This idea Is proposed by former Sen
ator John IT. Clarkson veteran legis-
lator and democratic leader of Abba.
To a group of senator's he declared
that the general opinion that legis-
lature passes too many laws is brot
about because we do not give the
laws that are made a chance to be
tried out. We insist on repeal before
the machinery is organized for en-
forcement. Biennial sessions are i'm
practical for substantial legislation,
he declared, and by giving the mem
bership of a general assembly two
tries at the work and then skip two
years will prove of everlasting value
to the state.
There shall be better work done
at the extra session TO revise the code
than there is being done at this ses-
sion," said Mr.. Clarkson. "The rea-
son is that the members are Just now
gettir~ r~ortairted Mon nnver have