The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-07
Legislative Progress
TALCOTT POWELL

II
harmless to health this is not a pleasant
thing to contemplate. In fact, the whol
situation suggests barbarism rather than
civilization. The need remedying this is so
obvious as to need no special pleading.
The Legislature has before it a sound bin
for cleaning up Indianas streams. We believe
that the present Legislature will pass it. We
can not see how any self-respecting member
of either house can oppose it and thus brand
himself forever as a proponent Of downright
filth.
THE State Police bill is also awaiting
l. passage. 1t is a good bill-not perfect,
perhaps, but a mighty long step in the direc-
ton of relieving this state from future Dill
fingers. Al Feeney opposes giving the Cover
nor power Of removal over the head of the
State Police force.
Mr.. Feeney is an honest, consecrated pub
lie official. He has given all of himself to
his job. Yet we can not agree with him. The
p-olicy-making official of the State Police
should be removable at the pleasure of the
Governor, who appoints him. Below the
superintendent of police both officers and
troopers should be fully protected in their jobs
by every safeguard that can be thrown about
them.
But the superintendent should be response
BILE directly to the Governor. Otherwise the
state would be liable to the petty tyranny of
a minor official. We can not always expect to
have Al Feeneys at the head of our State
Police.
A s yet, no bill has been introduced reorgan-
- izing the whole welfare system of the
state. Last summer The Times printed a
series of articles pointing out that all of the
state institutions should be under one depart
ment. This applies particularly to our penal
farms, reformatories and prisons.
Proper provision should be made for the
paroling of prisoners by a competent board
made up, not of political hacks, but of sound
men and women at least one Of whom should
be a competent psychiatrist. At present con-
troll of our prisons is scattered throughout
numerous boards. There is no centralized con-
troll. no clearinghouse for information. Let
us hope that a bill dealing adequately with this
problem will promptly be introduced.
TWO pieces of purely social legislation merit
= consideration of the legislators. One is
Mrs. Roberta West Nicholson's bill for the
abolition of breach-of-promise suits. It has
already passed the House by an overwhelming
majority. A dozen other states are already
initiating it. TIN only opposition has come
from the female racketeer and a small minor
iy of lawyers who are afraid of losing BUSH
ness, The Senate should pass this measure.
The other is the bill providing for divorce
after thirty days residence in the state. This
is a touchy subject, although we can not
understand why. If we are to have divorce at
all, h difference does the time of residence
make? Two people who have made up their
minds to be divorced are going through with
it whether it takes 10 days or 10 years. Per-
haps the wise course for legislators would be
to make marriage harder, divorce easier. 1t is
worth some thought.
CHILD LABOR, stream pollution, state po-
- lice, Capitalization of state welfare, the
elimination of sex racketeering-these repre-
sent a full program. The Legislature has its
work cut out for it. We believe that it will
solve these serious problems. We believe that
the spirit in which our present; legislators have
tackled their job is a splendid harbinger of
hope for liberalism in Indiana-which. by the
way, is merely another way of saying that hu-
man rights shall prevail over special privilege.