The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-01-30
SoIons Dig Into
Work at Once
Ry Edward ]. Heilman

Ry Edward ]. Heilm1n
/ United Press Staff Correspondent
HELENA, Jan. 27-WD-Mon-
tana's 9th legislature, the most bus
iness-like in years, ended the third
week of its current session with 1T
proposed new laws pending or dis
posed of, and notices of l3 others
to be introduced later
Although both the senate and
house of representatives held brief
daily sessions, there was no horse
play and no long winded debate.
The house, under the hammering
gavel of Speaker E. ]. Stromnes of
Great Falls, and the prodding of
Majority Leader E. ]. Byrne of
Toole county, wasted little time,
and even shortcut parliamentary
procedure to permit faster action
on bills The senate took a more
leisurely pace. but, like the house,
stuck strictly to business.
At weeks end, the house had So
measures actually introduced and
notices of seven more to come. The
senate had 81 introduced and six
notices. This meant Al new bills
were tossed into the house hopper
during the week, and Is into the
senate.
Early in the week. the senate
held an unprecedented secret ex-
ecutive session to consider "a mat
ter of great Importance Newsmen
and visitors were excluded and sem
,~aF.,rnI ,ft ,,<Ir f1 lie
close what had taken place. 1t was
understood from unofficial sources,
however, an attempt was made to
censure u. S. Sen B. K Wheeler
from his stand on defense. but that
the republican-dominated upper
house voted down promoters OF. the
plan
One of the principal bills intro
duced in the house during the week
would create Legislative council
of representatives and senators to
act as a clearing house for proposed
legislation before sessions of the
legislature. Sponsors of the bill,
Reps. Paul Cannon, D., Butte, and
Warren Toole, D., Great Falls, said
they believed such a council would
estreamline" legislative action by
eliminating at their source ill-ad-
vised or duplicating legislation.
Two pension measures-to create
pension funds for state highway pa
trolmen and for municipal water
works employes-Were introduced
| in the house, as was a bill to in
crease license taxes on chain stores.
! Repeal of the state Hitler Act"
as recommended by Gov Sam G,
Ford was proposed in another house
bill The measure would give the
state board of examiners. instead Of
the governor, authority to hire and
fire state employees.
An attempt to speed up court
procedure was seen in measure
which would require judges to act
within 80 days-son matters before
them, and which would hold up
their pay if they did not.
Return to the old convention
method of nominating candidates
for elective offices was proposed
in another house measure which
would eliminate primary elections.
In the senate, bills to close road
houses at a. m, the closing hour
for city and town taverns, were in
troduced The bills would forbid
sales of beer or liquor after that
hour. A companion house bill would
forbid employment Of any person
under 81 in a place where beer or
liquor was sold.
Another senate bill would permit
Indians to use peyote, narcotic,
in religious ceremonials on their
reservations Present state law for
bids possession or transportation of
the narcotic, although federal law
permits its use.
County commissioners would be
required, under terms of another
senate bill, to advertise and call for
! bids on any purchase OF more than
81, 900.
| Companion measures introduced
in the senate and house would per-
init Montana to participate in the
federal governments wildlife con-
servation program. 1t was esti-
mated the state would receive about
$4,000 q year in federal funds un-
der the program.
/. A move toward possible reor-
ganization or consolidation of the
, state government was seen at weeks
end in an announcement by Sen
Charles Mahoney, r., Garfield, that
, he had appointed subcommittee Of
the senate state and counties econ
omies group to investigate state
y payrolls for the past four years. He
, said he believed some salaries were
tout of line