The Penn's Grove record., 1921-04-29
May CALL SESSION
70 lid HOUSING
Governor Edwards Receives
Pressing Request From Mem
berS Interested in Problem.
THERE IS NO LIMIT TO ACTION
Assemblyman Nelson Of Hudson Has
Been Active in Movement Since the
Decision of the United States Su-
preme Court on the Matter.

Trenton.-Just as the people Of New
Jersey had breathed a sigh of rel eff
and concluded they were done with
legislation for this year comes the
sad prospect of a return of the legis-
lature. The blow is almost as hard as
bear as the blight of the peach crop,
or the loss of grapes by the bareback
of winter, but it will probably have to
be lived through. Governor Edwards is
giving serious consideration to a press
ing demand for a special session of the
law makers to consider the housing
problem, but what prospect there is for
any more conclusive action than was
given the housing measures in the
regular session ne n can conjecture.
A%ssemblyman Nelson. of Hudson
county, who made the long and hard
fight for his bills and then lost out be-
cause the senate did not consider them
at all necessary or any practical solu-
ton of the problem, has been most
active in the movement for a special
session since the decision of the United
States Supreme Court sustained the
laws of the New York legislature upon
the same subject. Mr.. Nelson claims
that these laws are workable and will
relieve the distressing features of the
housing problem in the c~ongested sec
lions of the upper part of the state if
passed in this state. He says the bills
he presented in the legislature follow
ed the lines of those passed in New
York and he bel ewes that in view of
the decision he may he able to impress
the majority in Treutou-if it is recall
ed-with the need of similar action.
The request of the Hudson assem-
bIyman has been joined by other mem
hers and Governor Edwards stated
that he had the matter under advise
ment. The senate is to he reconvened
in special session in May. anyway. to
receive the appointment of the super
intendent of the new state contabu-
larry, SC that it would be very easy for
him to recall the whole bunch at the
anne time.
The special session could not be CON
fined by any statute or the fundamen-
tai law to any specific purpose, and it
might 60 gallavantiug along lines en-
tirely out of the catalogue to the con
fusion and sorrow of soIne people NOT
looking for just that.
But there is nothing to indicate a
change of heart upon the part Of the
senate with respect to the bills spou-
sored by Mr.. Nelson. He got them
across the assembly, but they stuck on
the Ways in the upper house, never re-
appearing after being consigned to
committee. Mr.. Nelson exerted every
possible effort to GET them moving, and
even presented resolutions in the house
d~enouncing the attitude Of the senate
majority, but that move was looked
upon as discOurteOus, and he was
forced to see the regular session end
with no relief, 50 far as the legislature
was concerned, for those who have
been suffering from the constituencies
greed Of profteering landlords. He
made it one of the big issues Of the
session. but found himself powerless
to get anywhere with the problem in
the face of the opposition.
Whether the governor will care to
risk all a special session might do in
the way of legislation is a question.
He put the veOt AK to a number of
measures in which the Republican ma
jority had more than passing interest,
and it would be possible for them TO re-
i've and pass these measures In spite
Of the demise of the originals. The
governor was greatly relieved when
the session finally adjourned with the
decision not TO come back, and 1t is
very probable that he will hesitate
TO recall them and face fresh troubles.
Political circles in the state are very
busy discussing the selection of Sena-
tor Edwin /. Sturgiss Of Gloucester
county for collector of internal rev.
emu of the South Jersey District, by
United States Senator Edge over the
protests Of former United States Sena-
tor Baird, Congressman Patterson and
their party l~ieutenants. The general
opinion seems TO bthat Senator Edge
is forming a new and formidable line
up for next years campaign, when a
governor and the successor OF United
States senator Frelinghuysen are to be
chosen. Sturgess and his Gloucester
county friends are said to be ready
Ia ioin the Edge lineup, but in this
case there is some difficulty in classi-
fying the party organization powers
In the other lower counties affected.
Nor does it appear easy to place Sena-
tor Frelinghuysen. who has been pre-
sumed to be allied with the Baird
wing Of the organization in his quest
for another six-year term.
II is conceded that Baird and Pat
terson have been most potential in the
South Jersey lineup and when they
pulled former Mayor Harry Bacharach
Of Atlantic City out Of the reckoning
for the revenue dictatorship, for
which Senator Edge was presumed to
be grooming him-and placed him IN
the new Public Utility Commission, II
~ e,,ppnSa6 that they IA perform