The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-02
LESLIE FACES
BOOMERANG IN
SESSION CALL
Governors Action Is Viewed
as Inviting Defeat for
G. O. p. in Fall.
BY BEN STERN


Leslie has pulled Hanly' in issu-
ing the call for a special session OF
the general assembly on the eve Of
an election, was expressed BY lead
ers OF both parties today.
II is known that the highest lead
erS Of Leslie's own party view the
call with particular disfavor, and
point out that in September. 1908.
Governor J. Frank Hanly convened
a special session to enact county
local option liquor laws.
AS a result of this thirteen-day
session, the G. o. P. was slaughtered
and. through a quirk o. circum-
stance. James E. Watson, the Re
publican Governor nominee, was de-
feated.
Today Watson is a candidate for
reelection to the United States sem
ate and his friends fear that history
will repeat itself.
Watson in Dark
Washington dispatches declare
that the senior senator asserts he
was not cognizant of the plan for
the extraordinary session until the
call was issued by Leslie.
Managers of both parties declare
the purpose of the session is two
fold. The first, they say, is TO toss
the heat of drawing an acceptable
tax equalization program on to the
Democratic house, where all tax
bills must originate; and, second, that
those interests opposing an income
tax, but desiring relief only through
the slashing of public expenditures
and pay rolls. feel that with Leslie
using his veto power they can halt
any liberal tax equalization legisla-
ton and still reach their goal
Credit for formulating the plan
for the call is given to Henry Mar
shall. Lafayette publisher, and
Leslie's prime minister" and other
conservative Republican editors.
In commenting on the call, Mar
shall showed his hand with this
statement: I have every confidence
in this legislature cutting the cost
Of government in Indiana"
Pressure Too Strong
Several months ago Marshall. in
front page editorial written by
George Stout. Lafayette editor. it
is said, also drew the proclamation,
Endorsed by special session for tax
equalization.
AT that time IL was known that
Leslie could not oppose the pressure
that was being put on him.
Tuesday afternoon, accompanied
by Marshall and Stout. Leslie went
to a private room in the Claypool
and called Ivan G. Morgan, G. o.
P. state chairman, from his COM
mittee rooms.
When Morgan arrived, Leslie, it
is said, held out the call and said,
There it is"
1t is said that the Governor then
declared he could not stand the
pressure"
A special session called for the
benefit of the Republican party to
lift the onuS of the failure of the
G. o. P. senate to pass remedial
legislation in 1881 may prove to be
a boomerang.
Recall Leslie Veto
Democratic managers in planning
their program for the special session
will recall that Leslie vetoed the
"anti-yellow dog contract" bill, the
measure forbidoing the use of in
functions in labor disputes; old age
pensions, and that he signed House
Bill s, which would have given the
utilities complete control of bus OPP
Grafton in municipalities.
Similar labor bills again may be
introduced and, if defeated by the
G.. o. P. senate or vetoed by the Re-.
publican Governor, on the eve of
campaign, will make political
thunder for the opposition.
The Democratic house, adhering
to its 1880 platform pledges, may
reintroduce measures placing a levy
on personal and corporate incomes
as the only fair and equitable"
method of taxation and let the Re-
publican senate fight it.
There also is the possibility that
a million dollar unemployment re-
lief bill will be urged by thousands
of unemployed.
The workers, farmers and small
home owners Of the state are uani-
nous in declaring for the income
form of taxation. and it would be