The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-24
LEAGUERS LOSE
IN STR TEGIC
MOVE OF ANTS
Majority Fails to Hold in Eff.
fort to Call the Resolution
Back to House
CENTER OF BIG FIGHT
Under.Surface Battle Over
Highway Commission
Probe Continues
CENTER OF BIG FIGHT


Fight over the proposed in
vestigation of the State High
way Commission today was
drawing into one of the hard
est struggles of the present
session.
After a bitter fight in the
House of Representatives late
yesterday afternoon, the mat
ter went into a lull so far as
official action is concerned un-
til next Tuesday morning.
However, in lobbies and in
conferences it today was the
big topic of conversation of
members of the legislature.
The Nonpartisans, who
voted in caucus for the inves-
tigation of the Highway Com
mission, have been completely
outmaneuvered thus far in
the fight. Their nominal
majority in the House was
broken by the Independents.
1t was reported today that
leaders of the League had made
the Highway investigation a new
subject for Caucus decision.
1t was reported the Caucus had
decided to 60 ahead with the in
vestigatioD but that a full men,
bership was not present at the
caucus.
q. The first clever move upon the
part of the anti-Leaguers came in
the State Affairs Committee, when
a motion that the committee hold a
meeting next Tuesday morning to
receive complaints against the High
way Commission before acting on
the resolution before it calling for
an investigation, prevailed. The In,
dependents proposing the method
found support among some Of tho
more conservative Leaguers, and the
Independents asserted it was not an
obstructionist move, but merely to
determine whether there was any
basis for an investigation before au-
thorizing costly probe.
As Seen by Leaguers
The situation, however, soon De-
came apparent to League leaders,
who believe that few people would
come before the committee to make
charges voluntarily, although they
might if called as witnesses and pro-
tected by being witnesses.
Representative F. A. Vogel, League
floor leader, attempted to call the
resolution back from the state A.
fairs committee. He declared there
was no reflection on the committee,
but that the resolution calling Tor
al investigation should have remain
ed in the House in the first place
and been acted on by it. However.
the Nonpartisans failed to hold, and
the League floor leaders proposal
was defeated, s. to 43. The Bur-
leigh county members of the legis-
lature voted with the Independents.
Witnesses Invited
The row came shortly before the
house adjourned for the afternoon,
when Speaker Larkin announced that
the state affairs committee to which
the investigation resolution had
been referred had decided to hold
public hearing next Tuesday morn
ing, at which time any one who had
any charges to make against the
highway commission might present
them. This action was determined
upon by the state affairs committee
at a meeting held this morning. :
Immediately Mr.. Vogel was on his
feet with an objection. The state
affairs committee had no business
holding any hearing on the matter.
he declared, that was for the inves-
tigation of five, which the resolution
called for.
"We're not trying to usurp the
privileges of any other committee"
replied Rep. Twichell of Cass county
a member of the committee on state
affairs. "This resolution has been
referred to us in the regular course
OF house procedure. Our duty is to
recommend to the house what action
shall be taken on it.. We cannot
make any recommendation for or
against an investigation until we
know whether or not there are any
charges to be filed"
Vogel again demanded that the
resolution should be taken away
from the committee and that the
house should take immediate action.
j. H. Burkhart, the member Of the
state affairs committee who at the
morning session Of that body had
moved that hearing should be held
announced that so far as he was
concerned, he was perfectly willing
to have the house take immediate
action.
Review Demands
Reps. vogel and Hempel reviewed
their demands that the resolution be
withdrawn from the committee and
placed before the house, Mr., voeel
repeating his claim that the state af-
fairs committee was attempting to
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