The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-02-13
Solons Get
Down To
Real Work
PurtY Bolt And
Locol Option
Bills Head List
OBJ The Associated Press

sissippi's Legislators while beat.
ing the drums of revolt within
the Democratic Party took time
out this week to get down To
work on serious legislation.
They began the week with q
memorial to the late Senator
Theo G. Bilbo and adopted a res
olution calling for the erection
of a memorial to him in the new
capitol.
The House received a stringent
bill to regulate Child Labor, re-
fused to consider it Immediately
and ultimately sent 1t back to the
Committee on Labor for recon
sideration.
Liquor held the spotlight
numerous times.
In the Senate a Bill was intro
duced by Senator William Nc
Graw of Bentonia to legalize the
sale of liquor on a local option
basis provided voters approve on
a statewide basis. Under the bill
voters would ballot on two prop
ositions: Should the state legalize
local option and If it does shall
the particular county be wet or
dry.
The Senate Finance Committee
approved a bill by Senator Rob-
ert E. Lee Gentry ardent dry to
repeal the Blackmarket Tax. The
bill has been set for special or
der next week.
The committee killed another
bill to repeal the Black Market
Tax ard reriRce IL with a 20 per
cent penalty but held for further
consideration a measure to re-
place II with a is per cent Pen
atty"
In the House Rep William c.
Thompson tried unsuccessfully TO
take from the Ways and Means
Committee his bill to repeal the
tax. Two days later the COM
mittee killed the bill.
Approve Local Option Bill
The House Temperance Com
mittee meanwhile reported favor
ably tho Price-Ross Liquor Legal
ization Bill. II provides for local
committee changed provisions of
the bill which would bring in po-
iiticai subdivisions a portion of
the profits. Under the commit
tee change all profits would 60
TO the state.
A Senate Committee approved
"a bill to allow women to serve
on juries If they choose, killing
one which would have made ser-
vice mandatory.
The Senate voted to amend the
Federal Constitution so as to
limit any president to two terms
In the White House. The measure
has been sent to the House for
action.
The House passed a measure to
change the method of collecting
taxes on motor vehicles. Under
the measure such vehicles would
be exempted from all ad valorem
taxes but license tax rates would
be upped. Political subdivisions
would share in the state collec-
ton.
The Senate passed and sent to
the House a bill to reduce mo-
ton picture show admission tax
es from 13 percent TO two per-
cent. The bill was steered to pass
age by Rep. John Farese of Ben
ton county despite hot opposition
from President Pro Tenn Oscar
Wolfe of Duncan.
The House received a bill to
require that public agents of all
labor organizations register with
the secretary of state, be a quail
fled elector for five years and
not be a member of any party
advocating overthrow of the Re-
publican form of government.
The Senate received a measure
which would terminate the Mis-
slssippi Bureau of Investigation.
The NIB was established at a
special session of the legislature
last November to combat vio-
lence during a strike of employ
ees of the Southern Bus Co, Inc.
The Senate today passed and
sent the House a bill 10 allow
Biloxi, Gulfport, Hattiesburg and
Meridian to establish retirement
systems for city employees. EN-
ployees would contribute four
percent of their earnings and the
cities would levy a half-mill tax.