Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-03-03
MORAL Bill
A|.R''0USES HEAT
IN IN 5. D. HOUSE
Skirrnish Ensues When Sen.
ate Asks Asks For Return Of,
Bill Sent to House.

= AeCte, .. A's march E.-SKtfm1SneS
between the so-called moral" and
immoral" forces which have featured
legislative entertainment for the last
Two weeks were discontinued yester-
day afternoon IN the house, when the
big guns were 'unlimbered and pro-
ceeded to lay down a devastating ba-
rage at close range on the question
Of Sunday baseball and moving bic.
ture shows. Fsguratively at least,
blood was spilled In abundance, ana
before the d%etonations Of the heavy
artillery had subsidized there were
cracked heads, cracked, voices and
bruised fists, which because Of legisla.
tive courtesy, were prevented from
intended victims and were smashed
most numerically upon unoffendinK
desks..
The battle started when Senator
Knight, in the upper house, moved
that the house be- asked to return the
senate bill, which would allow towns
and cities to vote upon the question
of allowing the playing Of baseball
and the showing of moving pictures
on the first day Of the week. The
motion prevailed and the request mes
saged, over.
The. arrival OF the message brought
immediate action and a concentration
Of energies. Representative .Wickre
OF Day moved that the request be
granted, little knowing Of the fight
which was to follow. The motion was
seconded by. Wall Of Butte.
Fast and furious waged the word
war from then on. Clark Of Lawrence
explained the bill had passed the SEN
it had been reported out by the house
state affairs committee. He said the
statement had been made that unless
the house receded from its stand in
not concurrtng in the senate amend
ment to the censorship bill, the Sum
day measure would be recalled. This
threat was made IN the conference
committee" he said, 'by Senator Dam
forth 4of Minnehaha'' r. !
They came to Jus wanting to FIX
the passage Of this bill" said Repre-
turn they promised. to support the
censorship measure"
This laid the Butte county repre-
sentative open to the attack of Allen
of Sanborn.
THE gentleman from Butte asked
me the other day If I opposed the
censorship BILL" he said. when I
admitted hat I did he told me If I
did not lay down on it he would see
tIdl III . SuHOdy Dill WOulO Oe KIlleO,
thatiho habit right there In his pock-
ct and that The would keep It there.
1s:told. him 7 wouldn't stand for his
bulldoz'ng and ~ Won't. Il am inter-
ested in the passagess of this bill more
than, n other that has been before
his body 'butsI would rather see t.
SO down to dafsat%than sibm't to be
ing coerced. The purpose Of this al
tempt to recall the bin is SO that the
censorship forcesswtl1 have something
TO hold over our heads"
s-'rk, held that ii. for no other reason
than out of courtesy, the house should
s. NJ the bill back tofthe upper house,
regardless Of the motives:
!, OlarYEes A~ttcInpted Coercion.
7 81 wish to- corrob6rate the remarks
made by the gentleman" from San
bor-,'' said Representative Bailey o.
Mianehaha. shortly after the vote
on the censorship bill emergency
clause. he gentleman from, Butte told
ire hi hnd the Sunday baseball bill
tain terms that If I not get into
line, he would kill the, bill and also
other casualties. 1 was later
told by a. senator that unless we got
into line the Sunday bill would be
killed along with certain other bills,
inc1ud' ngs. the boxing BILL,
This was an outspoken challenge
that unless we; do as we are. told we
will have to. suffer the consequences ~
The f -ht waxo1 warmer until or
der in any degree" waS r'a'ntained by
tho SPEAKER with difficulty.
Finally Represor'ativc W!ckre Of
Day offered to withdraw his motion
to return the bin. but Rcpresen'at;v c
Wall would not withdraw his second.
Wetnzy or PenrinS'on pointed out
that the bill passed the senate with
only five votes against it, 1T was
mess;nsed over to this house and was
carried around in members pockets
for quite a few days. r caused a SEN
satioh when 7 explained my vote Of
the censorship bill. when I said it was
passed through bulldozing and. brow
beating. I believe several members
now agree with me that it was
through those tactics that it passed
this body. So far as I am concerned
I d,n't care whc'her this bill ever
goes back to the senate"
When +he srcaker nut the. question
Of whether the bill should be returned
or not. there was a loud chorus
against it but less than a dozen voices