The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-17
QUEER R POSITION RESULTS AS HOUSE CHANGES ME EASURE
Senate Bill Providing For Three Members Amended
 To Read Nine
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
 THE AG GE-HERALD Monfgomerv- Ala. Sept, 16


 With only five legislative days re- maining in the present session, much interest Is being shown in the final disposition of the state highway com mission bill. As a result of disagree ment between the two houses IS to the manner of selecting the members of the commission, a conference committee is considering the matter, and is expected to report when the iegl stature meets Tuesday.
 Both senate and house have passed bills providing for a highway com mission of three members, but rather awkward situation has arisen over the manner of selecting the person nei of the commission. The bill, as originally passed by the senate, pro- Nided for appointment of the three members by the governor, and 1t was Tn this form that 1t was sent to the house.
 Many Willing to Serve.
 Some weeks elapsed before the measure came up for passage In the house; and in the meantime, 1t was discovered that the number of citi- gems who were willing to take the responsibility of spending the bal ance of the S25, 900, 900 bond issue and drawing salaries of $5,500 and $6,000 per year, was considerably in excess If three Just how many Alabamians possessed a willingness to serve on the commission will probably never be known, but 1t is believed that there must have been at least nine, for when the bill came up in the house amendment was offered from the floor by Representative Ali Tun- stall, the administration leader, pro- viding that the governor shall place nine names in nomination, from fire m which the legislature shall elect the three commissioners. Three nominations were provided for chair man of the commission, and six for the two associate members. It was stated that this plan of election by the legislature was desired by the governor and the house adopted the amendment and returned the Dill as amended by the senate.
 The highway bill passed the house only after a hard fight, which was based, however, not on the manner of selecting the commission, but on the fact that a considerable element In the house preferred commission of ten men instead of three. When the advocates of a ten-man commis- sion were finally subdued, 1t was thought that the question was settled, and speculation was rife as to who would constitute the list Of nine nominations to be made by the governor.
 Senate Rejects Amendment.
 The senate, however, refused py 30 to vote to accept the house amendment, and conference com mittee was named from the two houses. It is recognized that this com- mittee has difficult task in recon sling the views of the two branches of the legislature. With the senate on record by a 30 to 1 vote against ac- .epting the amendment with the elec- i've feature. a practically complete change of sentiment will be needed Tor the upper house to finally accept It. while for the house of represen- .atiyes to recede form it's amendment would be going contrary to what mas been declared to be the wish of the governor Withdrawal of the amend : ment will dash to the ground the nopes of aspirants who might have a chance to get on the commission by neing among the nine nominated, while on the other hand the election by the legislature will mean half dozen defeated candidates who can blame the legislature for thelr ols- appointment.
 Some sort of an agreement must be reached, otherwise no bill Will De passed and the present state hlshWay commission will continue in exist ence. A majority of both houses nave voted for a three-man commission and it is believed an agreement Will be reached on the. pending plli, fhoug1 it is difficult to predict What The final settlement will be.