The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-24
COMPANY A
BILL KILLED
BY SENATORS
Vote Is "a to % in Upper
House, After Debate on
Appropriation

The bill to appropriate $500 to aiC
Company A, Bismarck, in appealing
the Armory case was killed by vote
of "a to % in the state senate yes.
terday afternoon, after sharp de-
bate.
Senator Baird, Independent, Stark
chided citizens of Bismarck for nj
lowing such bill to come befor.
the senate, declaring they ought tc
raise enough money to fight the
case by popular subscription in fif.
teen minutes.
Opposing the bill, Senator Baird
said the state had two departments
the encouragement and the ad-
jutant-general-who should have
looked after the interests of Com
pany A if the property were sold
while they were away. The state, he
declared, was not interested in the
property any longer.
1T looks to me that citizens of
Bismarck should be ashamed Of
themselves to letJ the boys come
here asking for this" Senator Baird
said. II am told the expenses of
the transcript and witness fees pro-
badly would not be over $3.50. The
citizens ought to raise it in Is min
utes."
Could Raise Money
He said he believed the money
could be raised right in the state
senate. He said bad precedent
would be established in the passage
Of the bill, as there are 10 other
such organizations in the state, and
it would be appropriating money
for private law suit.
The bill came before the senate
on divided committee report, the
majority Of the appropriations COM
mittee recommending the bill be
killed and the minority. Senator's
Benson and Magnuson, recommend
ing passage.
Chairman Kretschmar of the ap-
preparations committee said the
appertained to law suit in which
the state had no interest, and the
majority Of the committee came to
the conclusion it had no right to
recommend that authority be given
to spend money to any but state
officials.
Senator Benson said he was re-
luctant to make the report in that
he recognized it was establishing a
precedent to make the appropria-
tion.
"But," he said, "it looks to me
that we can do nothing better to
establish a better citizenship than
to show these boys that we who re-
mained at home during the war have
an appreciation of their efforts"
He declared it appeared their pro-
perty was taken from them, said
there were 10000 service men
over the state looking to the action
of the legislature.
Would Show Gratitude
Senator Hamilton said that q,
believe these boys were representa-
tives of the state whatever unit
they were in overseas. l believe we
ought to protect the boys interest.
I have investigated and found the
property was entered into and per-
sonal property was taken away
He declared the soldiers who went
away wereN ready to give, anything.
It was }ingratitude, he declared that
caused Col. Whittlesey, "hero of
the Lost Battalion" to jump over
board and commit suicide-criticism
after "a heroic stand.
Senator Ettestad said he believed
if they stood behind the boys in
the war they should stand behind
them today.
The debate was broken by Senator
Rusch, inquiring how many .men who
served in the World War were mem
bers Company A, and he answered
declaring there were but two.
The vote found "a Indepen6e its
against the bill and 23 Nonpartisans
for it.