Montana labor news., 1937-02-18
SIDEL|GHT5 OF THE
LEGISLATURE
Continued from Page 81

Stimatz said that he had been as
sured by county clerks that if the
bill were enacted it would save
5000, 900 in election costs.
=
A measure that would have made
all inmates of Montana State prison
at Deer Lodge subject to emolu-
ments from the workmen's compen-
sation act in the event of injuries
received while employed in convict
labor, was killed when the house
adopted a motion made by Rep.
Smith of Lewis and Clark, to strike
the enacting clause from the
measure.
Why should the taxpayers of the
state aid and assist those who have
violated the penal laws of the
state?" Rep. Smith said. He con
tended that the act was 'all-sweep-
ing and would add an unnecessary
burden upon the workmen's COM
pensation fund.
ut is like a father whipping his
son and then giving him a dollar if
it hurts" Rep. O'Connor of Carbon
said.
The motion to strike the enacting
clause of this measure, introduced
in the house of representatives by
Rep. Mulholland, chairman of the
labor committee, prevailed by a vote
of 43-18. Among those who sup
ported the proposed bill were Reps.
Finnegan of Deer Lodge, Burns of
Flathead and Mcleod of Cascade.
The lower assembly declined to
concur in senate amendments to H.
B. 1853, an emergency measure to
provide for the state payment Of old
age assistance benefits for those
counties now delinquent in order
that beneficiaries may receive their
February checks from the federal
governme III, and a conference COM
mite was named.
Proof Readers BIunder
This committee was ordered be-
cause Of an apparent blunder on
the part of the many proof readers
employed by the legislature. 1t was
the intent of the bill to read that
it would "be in full force and effect
from and after its passage and APP
proval until May l, 1927, after which
it shall become imperative"
Proof readers decided that it
should be 'in full force and effect
from and after its passage and APP
proval until May 1, 1887, after which
it shall become imperative" This
would have nullified the measure.
On Sunday afternoon, February
IA, one Of the most important mea-
sures which had been presented to
the legislature appeared on general
orders for consideration. This was
the silicosis measure. The bill re-
ceived several minor amendments by
the labor group to overcome the OBJ
iections which had been advanced by
the corporations.
The opposition used every argu-
ment that they could put up to de-
feat the measure but the labor group
stood fast. Statistics were quoted by
Spiegel and Finnegan showing that
the cost of operation would be in
finitesimally small. 1t was argued
by the proponents of the bill that
this measure should have been
placed upon the statute books the
same time that the present work
mems compensation act was adopted.
The proponents were ably assisted
by Burns of Flathead, Mulholland OF
Silver Bow, Mcleod of Cascade, and
others. The Committee of the Whole
recommended the bill for passage
as amended. Upon arising from
committee of the whole, the report
was adopted by the House.
A roll call by Spiegel on this mo-
ton showed that only O'Connor and
Toomey voted against it.
Immediately after the vote was
announced, Mulholland moved that
a reconsideration be taken and
hoped that his motion would be vot-
ed down. The calling of roll and
the motion to reconsider was just a
piece of strategy so that the bill
could not be r%e-referred back to gen.
eral orders again.
+ = y
The fight on Senate Bill II was
somewhat bitter. In addition to the
remarks attributed to Spiegel fight
ing this bill, he also called the at
tention to the House in the follow
ing statement:
"It seems peculiar that every time
that the Governor wants some spe-
cial legislation, all he has to do is
to call some of the boys into his Of
flee and say he wants it. And the
peculiar part of it is that this spe-
cial legislation adds to his own pow
er. No man has a right to sit in the
legislative body unless he is capable
of thinking for himself. Under the
present system adopted by the Gov
ernor I do not believe that the people
receive the legislation that is due