The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-06
WAR TO death
IS WAGED ON
UTILITY BILL
Measure for Regulation of
Holding Companies Is
Kept Alive, 47-46.
M'KESSON LEADS FIGHT
Plymouth Representative Is
Winner of First Clash
in House.

Utility forces we're bending every
effort today to defeat the Moor
head utility holding bill, passed to
second reading Tuesday, after a de-
bate that took nearly the whole day.
With eleven members of Judiciary
"A committee signing the majority
report for indefinite postponement
and but two members signing the
report for passage, it seemed fore
ordered that the bill would be killed.
But the result of the struggle of
Representative DELPHI L.. McKesson
of Plymouth to obtain passage OF
the measure surprised even propo-
nents of the bill. The house vote
was AZ for passage to 46 for post
ponement.
When the roll call was begun,
wagers were offered freely in the
lobby that the bill would be killed;
and it was rumored during the
morning session that more than
sixty votes would be cast in favor
of postponement.
Four Short of Majority
The AZ votes for passage are, how
ever, four short of the 81 necessary
for a constitutional majority on
third reading.
The two outstanding figures of the
debate Tuesday were McKesson and
Representative j. Glenn Harris OF
Gary.
Harris attempted to show the I'M
constitutionality of the NOOK mead
bill which provides that a holding
company owning more than SO per
cent of the common stock OF public
utility is declared a utility and nee
essarily comes under purvieW of the
Public Service commission.
'In a decision by Justice Brandus
of the supreme court, he has held
that regulation of holding COM
panies is a national matter and con-
gress should make the necessary
legislation" Harris declared, citing
several cases.
Movie Branded Absurd
"And how do you propose to reach
out into another state and AFFECT
the form and purpose Of a corpora
ton in New York? Think OF the
absurdity of the Indiana legislature
doing this" Harris said.
Records of the public service COM
mission were read by Mckesson 10
show how the Southern Indiana. Gas
and Electric Company was mulcted
by the parent holding company OF
II per cent of its earnings fcf Su-
perviSory services.
He then read the Indictment by
the commission of such contract as
existed between the utility and the
holding company, in which the utll-
inv was forced to accede TO the
holding company's demand Tor eX-
tortionate rates.
Although several other members
of the house spoke during the day,
the main battle was carried by NC
Kesson and Harris.
The roll call on the substitution
OF the minority report for passage
wa.
Roll Cali on Bill
R.nublicans 49, Adams, Babcock,
Baker, Benedict, Bouchard. Brown,
Busnebark, Carter, Claycombe, Ed
wards, Eshelman, Mrs. Ferguson
Foster, Garrard, Gray, Groves, E. M.
Hawkins, Hiatt, Holloway, Huber,
Kistler, Lafuze, Lowry, McCalhe,
Markum, Mrs. Misener, Murden, H.
o. Rice, Rose, j. R. Scott. Stauf1er,
Thompson, Trowbridge and Wright.
Democrats-ByerS, Curry, Dentlin-
ger. Denton. H. T. Ferguson, FitZglb-
ION, Thomas Hawkins. Jones, Nc
Griff, McKesson. j. j. Rice, Saun-
ders and Stops.
Against passage:
Republicans - Ahlgren, Ahrens,
Ballard, Bachelor, Batterman,
Bernhardt, Bloom. Bosom, Calvert,
Cantwell, Chamberlain, Evans, Far
rell. Fisher, Freeman, Gerding, Gill
bert, Gilley. Grant, Guard. Guern-
sey, Harris, King. Knight, Kottkamp,
Lowenthal, Malott, Noll. Scatter
wood, j. w. Scott, Shaffer, Smither.
Staples, Stewart, Street, Thiel. Trent.
Tudor, Worley. zieg, Mrs. thinner
man. Democrats-Bennett, Doug
lass, Gwin, Lee, Storen.