The Wrangell sentinel., 1945-03-30
1945 Senate May Never Adjourn


 Continued from Page Two)
 warned his senators that he, fo- one, was leaving the senate cham Der shortly Senator Collins, fol- lower of Shattuck conservatives, asked if house bill 76 was so i'm portant. how it had happened that the governors deficiency appropri- ation bill for 5000 had been moved to the top of the calendar. There could have been a lot of bills passed if the senate had been allowed to work in it's regular or der" he added. He did not, how ever. explain why the senate was then twiddling its collective thumbs while the house waited, still hope fully. for action.
 Trial Balloons
 Two trial balloons for adjourn ment failed to bring results a Senator Whaley threw a stick of dynamite into the works when he asked that the attorney general be asked to rule on the legality Of overtime action by the legislature. Roden, referring to the organic act, declared that the Z4th hour of the 6Oth day had expired at 1:3O pm. Friday afternoon. He gave his opin- ion that the senators might sit there for 60 years if they wished but would have no authority to act further. This bombshell, if en- forced. could invalidate even he general appropriations bill.
 Following Rod e n s statement Senator Lyng again motioned to adjourn but the motion was lost. Senator Gordon then asked how any business, even adjournment, could be conducted if the session was out of order then Applause came from the gallery and brought from Sena- tor ROgge, This is no sho" house!"
 Gordon asked the attorney gen. eral if action taken by previous legislatures after the 60th day had ever been disputed. Roden said he knew of none that had ever been questioned. More pickering ensueu with Whaley finally moving again for adjournment sine die. Motion lost. 2 to T, with Walker and Cochran absent. It was suggested a recess be taken until morning. Senator Gordon suggested 8 am. and Senator Lyng suggested 3 am. President pointed out that the pay of the help had stopped to which Senator Gordon replied that he, for one would be willing to dip into his own pocket to help pay the employees.
 Two more motions to adjourn followed, one by Lyng to adjourn until am Friday morning and one by Rogge to adjourn sine die. It was the final straw. President Coffey brought down his gavel, grabbed his hat and coat and strOde from the senate chamber saying, "Gentlemen, I'll see you at am" Clerk was ordered to show in the journal that the senate had re- cessed until am.
 As soon as news of the senate's unprecedented adjournment" was known at the house representatives gave up their vigil. There's no use," one laNmaker said, they're not going to do any more." No one seemed to have the answer, from Coffey's last remark. whether the senate had really adjourned or re- cessed
 Queen Bess Adiourns
 Motion was made by Taylor that Mrs. Cross, junior lady member of the house, be invited to adjourn the house sine die.
 Before the motion could be put into effect, Rep. Peterson, followed by Shattuck, Hanford, Vukovich, Johnson, Peratrovich and others made final speeches in which each member expressed the pleasure of having had the privilege to serve in the house in it's 17th session