Evening star., 1934-07-01


Norris will leave Washington
to its own devices this Sum-
mer while he tries to sell the
people of his home State of Nebraska
his idea of nonpartisan one-houSe
State Legislature, with not more than
so members.
"A unicameral Legislature would be
cheaper, less subject to manipulation
by lobbyists, free from the domination
of conference committees" Senator
Norris argues.
But a blast of opposition comes
from experienced legislators of both
political parties.
None of it for me-" said George
w. OMalley of Greeley, veteran legis-
lator and Democratic Speaker of the
1888 House. Il think it's step back
ward
Sees Lobby Entertainment.
sit would entrench the lobbyists, I"
declared Walter r. johnson of Omaha,
Republican floor leader of the 1888
House. Il haven't found single
legislator of more than one years ex-
perience who favors it."
Its pre-Revolutionary War
Theory" observed Jackson B. Chase,
legislator, chairman of the Repub-
lican Central Committee of big Doug
las County and a candidate for attor-
ney general. Colonial Connecticut.
Maryland. Massachusetts,, Virginia,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, the
Carolinas tried it. They junked it,
anG substituted the American bicam-
eral legislative plan. Progressive Sem
ator Norris is in reverse when he tries
to take us back to a discarded form
Of government"
Mr.. Chase has gone to the records
to refute Senator Norris statement
about the tyranny of conference COM
mittees. In the four Nebraska legis-
lative sessions from 1925 to 1881, he
finds S,466 bills were introduced. OF
that number e1 finally drifted into
the hands of conference committees
and only 10 died in the hands of those
committees.
Supported by Bryan.
Only two Nebraska political leaders
have come to the support of the Nor
rls plan: Charles w. Bryan. Demo-
cratic Governor, who is now a candi-
aate for the nomination for Nebraska S
Junior senatorship, and former Attor-
ney General c. A. Sorensen, Repub-
lican and one-time protege of Senator
Norris. Mr.. Sorensen now seeks the
gubernatorial nomination.
MaSSed against them are the other
fTn aodino e..
Governor, former Lieut.. Gov. Theo-
dore Metcalfe of Omaha and Dwight
Griswold of Gordon; at least two of
the three leading Republican candi-
dates for United States Senator, in
cluding former State Chairman Robert
Smith, who long has been a Norris
lieutenant, and virtually the solid
Democratic organization. Ranged
with the Democratic opposition are
Arthur F. Mullen, former national
committeeman and still a power in
State and national politics, and his
successor on the National Committee,
former Gov. Keith Neville of North
Platte.
The Norris amendment, specifically,
provides for a one-house Legislature
OF from 80 to so members. The exact
number would be decided and the
State districted by the next Legislature
after approval of the plan. The pres
ent Legislature, with 100 members in
the Lower House and 33 in the Senate,
costs Nebraska $l04 1000 in salaries for
one session per biennium. The Norris
unicameral Legislature would meet
yearly and have an annual salary limit
of S37,500. The biennial cost thus
would be not more than $4,000.
Dissenters pooh-pooh that saving
and say it isn't drop in the bucket
of State expense. In fact, they are
inclined to pooh-pooh most of the
Senator's claims. And so far they
have had the debate practically to
themselves.
But in September Senator Norris
says he will go from county seat to
county seat, from village to village if
necessary, to sell his idea. Since he