Smyrna times., 1945-01-04
LEGISLATURE
IN SESSION
Naming of Committees and
Attaches Principal Item
For First Day
GOV. TAKES OATH JAN. 16

The second wartime session and
10th General Assembly organized
Tuesday afternoon and fixed 2
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 16,
to receive in joint session the
message of Gov. Walter w. Bacon,
who will take oath of office for his
second term on that day. The SEN
ate organized with Senator Harry
H. Mulholland of Milford as pres
ident protein. Rep. Chester V.
Townsend, Jr., near Dagsboro, is
Speaker of the House in accordance
with previously-announced plans of
the Republican majority. Lieut.
Gov. I. ]. MacCollum presided over
the Senate. The majority and min
ority floor leaders in the House,
congratulated Speaker Townsend
on his election as the presiding Of
ficer, and Speaker Townsend urged
that the work of the legislature be
expedited so that it could be con-
cluded within as short time as
possible. Rep. Francis Q. Lemon,
Wilmington, Democratic floor lead
er first congratulated the speaker
on his election and the majority
party on its choice of him. He add
ed his hope that business of the
House will move expeditiously.
Rep. Samuel B. Bird, Centerville,
majority floor leader, who nominat-
ed Townsend, expressed congratu-
lations on behalf of the majority
and declared, I'VE will try to do a
good job and in as short a time as
possible" He presented Townsend
with vase of flowers on behalf of
the House members.
Schedule Arranged
The legislature adjourned until
II o'clock Wednesday morning with
the following schedule planned be-
tween now and Jan. 16: Jan. 3,
regular session; Jan. a, 3 and 8,
skeleton sessions for official vista
tions to state institutions; Jan. g.,
10, IL, IL and Is, if necessary, for
budget hearings before the finance
and appropriation committees; Jan.
16, regular session. Budget hear
ings will start at 1890 a. m.
House Organizes
In organizing the House, Repre-
sentative McVey was temporary
speaker and Rep. Ralph S. Keenan,,
wilmington, was temporary chief
clerk. After the members had been
sworn in by McVey, the officers of
the House were elected without dis
sent and, after a recess, the House
committees were named. Rep. Ben
iamin F. Johnson Dover, Republi-
can, who was speaker of the 1943
House, and Representative Lemon
comprised the House committee to
advise Governor Bacon that both
branches were organized and ready
to receive any messages. Secre-
tary of State William ]. Storey
later delivered the Governors bud
get message. The customary reso-
lutions authorizing state librarian
William D. Denney to furnish the
members, speakers clerk, chief
vlerk, assistant clerk, attorney,
reading clerks and bill clerks with
stationery and other supplies not
exceeding $25 each and the stem
ographers with necessary supplies,
were adopted. At the opening ses-
sion of the Senate, Senator Peorge
w. Rhodes, and Senator William H.
Ayres acted as the committee to
receive the certificates of election
after which the oath of office was
administered by DR.. MacCollum to
Senator ]. Carl McGuigan, George
F. Binder, John R. Butler, Fred S.
Bailey, Irwin 7. Hastings, and Har-
vey H. Lawson, all elected in No
vember.
Senate AttacheS CnOsen
The list of attaches occasioned
some surprise when William F.Wil-
gus of Ocean View, was elected
secretary of the senate, post held
during several of the past sessions
by Mrs. Vera G. Davis of Dover. 1t
was understood that Mrs. Davis
lost out by one vote in the Repub-
lican caucus preceding the organ
ization of the Senate. Other at
taches are: Secretary to president
pro tenn, Panis Clendaniel of Lin
coin; assistant secretary of the
Senate. Hon, John F. Lynn, for
mer Municipal Court judge of Will
mington; reading clerks, Robert L..
Armstrong of Wilmington, and E.
Cogwill Barnard of Woodside; bill
clerk, William P. Pensen of Ken
ton; assistant bill clerk, Mrs. Nan
Law Woods of Richardson Park;
document clerk, w. B. Dorey of
Harbeson; Sergeant-at-arbs; Co
lumbus Januzzio of Wilmington,
James w. Cannon, Jr., of Milford,
H. Rodney Smith of Georgetown,
and H. c. Nickle of Delaware City;
telephone messengers, Harold Hill
of Smyrna, and James Bell of New
ark, chaplain, the Rev. Ernest N.