The Washington times., 1933-02-18
Al STATES CAN
SPEED REPEAL
ACT|ONN
That Many Legislatures Are
In Session; Sentiment of
Country Is for Haste
BY JAMES L. KILGALLEN
Copyright. 1898, by Interna tional
News SerViCel

News Service)
NEW YORK, Feb. 18 QN.SO.-
Legislatures in ii of the 48 States
are now in session, survey by
International News Service re-
vealed today. and prompt steps
toward ratification may be antici-
pated in some States in the event
the House of Representatives on
Monday follows the action OF the
Senate and votes for repeal Of
the eighteenth amendment.
Some Substantially New York,
New Jersey, Massachusetts,. Della
ware, Rhode Island, Iowa, and
Wyoming-may vie for the dis
tinction of being the first State
to call a constitutional convention
for repeal of the Eighteenth
Amendment which has been law
in this country since January IT,
1920.
Sentiment Asks Speed
Advices today indicated that a
strong sentiment is sweeping many
sections of the country to speed
up action in the States which
would wipe the law from the
Statute Books.
The repeal resolution, passed
by the Senate last Thursday and
expected to be passed by the
House also next week, must be
ratified by conventions in three
fourths of the States, or SO States,
before the Eighteenth Amendment
will be erased from the Federal
Constitution.
At present all State legisla,
lures. with the exception of those
of seven States. are in session.
Those seven States are California.
Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Tennessee, and Vir-
ginia.
CALIFORNIA; legislature will re-
sumo its session on February %
after a recess: Florida convenes
on April 3 for so days; Ken
tucky's legislature does not meet
until January 10. 1894; Louisi-
ana's not until May. 1884; Mis-
sissippi's legislature is not sched-
uled to meet until next year. but
it is expected, however, to be
called into special session this
coming April Tennessee's re-
convenes on February 81, and
Virginia does not meet again
until January 10, 1884.
From States where the legis-
latureS are now in session, re-
ports indicate that many of
them are preparing to take quick
action toward putting the ques-
tion up to the voters of their
respective States in the event
Congress takes final action next
week.
The Set-Up
In New York State, for ex-
ample, Republican and Demo-
cratic members Of the legislature
have joined hands in an effort
to have New York become the
first State to pass upon repeal
when the question is submitted
to the States by Congress.
Under a plan agreed upon by
the leaders of both major po-
litical parties in New York State,
the present legislature will enact
a bill setting up the machinery
for a State convention this sum-
mer for action on the repeater.
The convention would be held
at the State Capitol within a
month after the election of dele
gates. 1t would be composed of
1870 delegates three from each of
the IS congressional districts,
and As delegates at large. A
majority vote in the convention
would be binding.
In New Jersey the question of
calling a constitutional conven-
ton will be presented to a joint
Republican conference committee
meeting in Trenton next Mon
day.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 10
GN.SO-Governor George Whis2
today announced that he will
Immediately ask the Ohio legis-
lature to enact law setting up
machinery for a State convention
on prohibition if the National
House of Representatives passes
the Blaine repeal resolution
Monday.