The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-17
LANCER TO CONTROL
TWO ASSEMBLIES IN
SESSION THURSDAY.
Faction to Lack Necessary Two.
Thirds Majority In Sen.
ate, However
HEATED BATTLES FORECAST
Principal Aim Of Special Call Il
Investigation Of Federal
Trial
(By The Associated Preeo)

S100OAs0O0O
Supporters Of Gov. william LANCER
are expected to be in control Of both
assemblies Of the North Dakota legis-
lature by comfortable margins, al
though they probably will lack two
thirds majority in the senate, accord
ing to q survey conducted by LANCER
partisans preliminary TO the conven-
ing Of the special session Thursday.
The house membership numbers lis,
but death has reduced 1t to LIP, while
OF the 40 state senators two have been
removed by death and one, w. Z.
Matthaei, now in Washington. has in
dicated he Will absent himself, leaving
q membership Of 46.
LANCER forces claim IS house MEM
bers. whereas rs constitute q two
thirds majority Of the elected mem.
bership. In the senate, the LANCER
group expects to have 28 members,
five short Of q two-thirds margin Of
the elected majority. but lacking only
three OF such q majority OF the MEM
bers who will sit.
Impeachment Actioa Seen
As reports Of possible Impeachment
proceedings circulated throughout po-
litical circles. the lineup In the two
branches took on added significance.
These reports were to the effect that
state officers who have opposed Lam
ger may be subjected to impeachment
which could be voted In the house II
the LANCER group Is solidified on this
issue. Only simple majority Is
necessary to impeach, but q two
thirds vote Of the elected membership
of the senate, which would conduct
the trial, Is needed to convict.
Further significance attached to the
two-thirds majority because that
margin is required to enact emergency
legislation. Two-thirds Of the men,
bers present are needed to attach an
emergency clause on measures by vir-
tue Of which the law would become
Immediately effective.
II q two-thirdS vote cannot be
mustered In the senate to adopt
the emergency clause, 1t was the
opinion Of lawyers here that the law
would not become effective until next
July /. The constitution provides that
all legislation enacted becomes effec-
tive on July following the legislative
session, unless an emergency clause
Is attached setting . prior date.
LANCER. In calling the assemblies to
convene, set out in his proclamation
that he desires an investigation Of his
conviction by . federal court Of con-
spiracy to defraud the United States
government.
The proclamation also states that
utility tax legislation should be con-
sidered along with relief legislation.
Program Kept Secret
From the LANCER camp, there came
no definite reports Of the possible
program beyond that suggested by the
governor in his proclamation. but It
Is known that . variety Of proposals
have been discussed.
How the investigation Of the gov
errors conviction viii be carried out
also remains doubtful. It has been
indicated that Z friendly" impeach-
ment Of the chief executive, to give
him an opportunity to explain the
charges on which he was convicted,
has been abandoned. Instead the
governor may outline his explanation
in his message and leave it to the
legislature to express itself by resolu-
ton.
Impeachment Of state officials UNI
friendly to the LANCER administra-
ton offers several possibilities which
have drawn discussion among the
LANCER group. BY voting impeach-
ment in the house, these officers
would be suspended from office until
their trial In the senate Is completed.
This would give the governor IN op-
portunity to appoint successors to
serve while they are under suspension.
However, there has been nothing
definite forthcoming from the LANCER
faction to indicate that any such move
IN CONTEMPLATED