The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-13
DIRTY POLITICS.
ARE TARGET OF
ASSEMBLY PLAN
UnicameraI Legislature to
Get First Test In
Nebraska.

bT Hiffd Pres
MCcOK. Neb.. Nov. l3-Nebras-
kas fiftieth state legislature Will
convene New Years day az Lincoln
10 set in action machinery 70 abOl-
ish itself and bring 70 materializa-
ton the second lifetime dream OF
Senator George W. Norris.
Out on the central Nebraska
prairies. the silver haired Progress
sive is making plans for final steps
IN the naturalization OF this dream
his unicameral legislative assem-
bly,. His first vision was one OF a
productive Muscle Shoals. and to
day the city in the heart Of the
great Tennessee Valley Authority
bears his name as a tribute TO his
work.
b. a majority OF more than So
900 votes. 100000 Nebraska citizens
who balloted last week approved his
legislative reform. II remains now
only for the next legislature to
carry out the mandate.
Senator Norris. the Nebraska Re
publican who bOlted MS own party
10 support Alfred z. Smith and
Franklin ID. Roosevelt. visualizes a
new era in which legislators Will BE-
brought closer to the people
$3.50 Proposed Salary
The constitutional amendment
approved by the electorate pro-
vides for a single chamber Of not
more than fifty and not less than
thirty" members. Exact number
must be designated By the legisla-
ture a. the coming session.
Senator Norris has indicated the
broad outlines Of his plan and the
legislators are expected generally to
follow his recommendations He
wants the house 10 be convened
every two years. The number OF
members. he believes. prOba bly,
should approximate fifty. With sal
aries Of about Sl.65O-a figure suf-
ficient. he believes, to attract men
Of high caliber.
Most Of the support for the plan.
he says. came from business men
tired Of dirty politics"
Men Of a high type will offer
themselves for service in this single
house. he said. 4 have received
word already from men Of this class
which gave me indications they will
make themselves available"
Hobbies Are Target
Influencing Of legislators by lob
bies with liquor and entertainment.
abhOrTent 10 the Nebraska statesman
Will end with this new high type
personnel. the senator believes.
Himself an expert in legislative
procedure. Senator Norris is con-
WINGED that the unicameral plan
offers a better way to progress.
Our people are sufficiently civ
ilized and educated TO know what
kind of government they want he
said. IF We now can improve our
lawmaking bodies and give the peO-
pie a more direct voice in their state
why should We not
eliminate some of the things which
have been found unnecessary and
cumbersome
The bicameral conference COM
mittee. ne contends. defeats the will
Of the people in many instances and
is fundamentally undemOcratic In
effect. he SAYS. it represents a third
house and in practice has the real
and autOCratic voice" in holly con-
tested controversies.
Speaking from the viewpoint of
practical legislator with thirty years
experience. Senator Norris said:
Personal Win for Norris
1t Is impossible to defeat legis-
latiOn proposed by the conference
committee and as a practical result
we have legislation not by the voice
of the senate or house. but by the
voice Of five or six men. Those who
clamor for a large legislature. for a
check and balance between the two
houses. do not realize such a cOndi-
ton results in legislation by a much
smaller group Of men than is pro-
Vided for in the unicameral amend
ment."
Whatever the final verdict of Ne
braSka NAV be after the first uni
cameral house sits IN 1887. 1t Is GER
tain citizens are sOlidily behind
Senator Norris in his experiment in
democracy now. When he launched
his initiative and succeeded in plac-
ing IL on the ballot, opposition be-
came bitter.
BY election day A former Nebras-
ka Governor was Stumping the state
against il and virtually every major
newspaper in the state was Oppos-
ING il. The $4,000 ms jority for the
plan was a sweeping personal tri-
umph for the senator who waged
almost a one-man fight for IL
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