Summer Nebraskan
Tuesday, July 23, 1963
Page Four
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or uovemor,
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camera! Legislature admit
that they themselves as
senators might not like the
shift. As one party leader
who has been quoted ear
lier put it, "A guy with a
full house doesn't ask for a
new deal."
HOW THEN DOES IT
LOOK from the other side
of the fence? How does it
look from the governors
office?
As one governor put it,
"In the Unicameral, the
governor ordinarily doesn't
try to take leadership in it.
He is almost entirely out.
If the governor sponsors
something, the Legislature
looks down on it. He only
tries to stay in between
politically and doesn't try
to exhibit leadership."
All six of Nebraska's liv
ing governors agreed that
there could be improve
ments in the relations be
tween the Unicameral Leg
islature and te governors.
Roy Cochran, who was
governor during the transi
tional period from the two
house to one-house system,
describes the change he
had to make in his second
term with the new Unicam
eral. From 1935 to 1937,
Cochran said that his posi
tion of governor was well
known in the two-house Leg
islature through the actions
and statements of the
Democratic party leaders.
"When I came to the 1937
session, I had the problem
of filling this gap," he
added.
Unique Plan
Cochran explained the
unique way he solved his
problem. He said that radio
was comparatively new at
that time, and he began
giving a 15-minute talk over
a local radio station once
a week.
"During the time the Leg
islature was in session, I
talked about my position on
certain matters each Sun
day. "The press services also
got a copy of the speech and
as a result, the Lincoln and
Omaha papers carried it
Monday morning," he
added.
And, according to the gov
ernor, each senator also in
turn had a copy of a news
paper on their desks each
Monday morning.
"Actually it was kind of
a left-handed way of letting
my position be known to the
senators through the peo
ple," Cochran added.
So while Governor Coch
ran managed to solve his
problem, the problem is
stall there. There are still
no party leaders in the Uni
cameral Legislature for the
governors to turn to for
help. Where then does the
governor turn for support
or introduction of a bill?
Who are the leaders in the
Nebraska Legislature?
AD Generals'
As Governor Cochran puts
it, "There is no formal
leadership. It's just like a
Mexican Army ... all
generals."
And Val Peterson be-
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lieves, "The Unicameral
Legislature disc o u r a g e s
leadership per se."
The ex-ambassador to
Denmark and governor of,
Nebraska from 1947 to 1953,
said that there is no ef
fective way to hold the en
tire membership in the le
gislature responsible for
their actions. Instead each
member is elected from an
individual area and does
what the people in that
'area want.
Lieutenant Governor
Dwight Burney feels "one
of the weaknesses of the
Legislature is that there is
no leadership of the group."
Burney served as gover
nor of Nebraska from Sept
ember, 1960, to January,
1961, after the death of Gov
ernor Ralph Brooks.
WHERE DOES THE
GOVERNOR go then for
support if there is no group
leader?
Some Better Leaders
Robert Crosby, governor
from 1953 to 1955, said that
in each legislative session,'
some men by reason of per
sonal ability and to a lesser
extent their experience, are
able to get more accom
plished than other members
are able to do. Talking
about the 1961 legislative
session, Crosby said, "I
would go to the men who
could get the most done be
cause of their abilities." He
explained that leadership
develops along issues, or in
other words several sena
tors may feel strongly
about redistricting, or a
sales tax, and become lead
ers on these individual is
sues. "With only 43 men some
times even a first termer
develops this kind of lead
ership," added Crosby, who
also is a former senator,
speaker, and lieutenant
governor.
A senator also gains re
spect on the kind of bill
he introduces, according to
Victor Anderson, governor
from 1955 to 1959. Conduct
as a loser helps, he said.
If one of his bills loses, he
shouldn't carry a grudge.
Regardless of these other
qualiteis, according to An
derson, if the governor has
a bill he would like to have
introduced, then he ap
proaches a senator who has
interest in that bill and
would fight for it. To do
this, he said, you have to
know the senator's legisla
tive record and his opinion
on the subject.
"This is so he wouldn't
get up before the Legisla
ture and just say that he is
introducing the bill for the
governor, but so that he
would strongly believe in
the bill himself and put up
a good fight for it," he add
ed. Governor Frank Morrison
believes that leadership de
velops along the capacity
of individuals to know what
to talk about and to con
vince others. He said that
the governor can then dis
cuss with the individual
senators matters that they
are particularly interested
in.
And Val Peterson feels
that a governor gets to
know all the senators as
well as he can by visita
tion and then by persuasion
bring them around to the
governor's viewpoint on a
subject. It also helps, he
said, to get other people
close to the legislators to
help persuade them.
Governor's Power
Dwight Burney, who has
watched the legislative pro
cess for more than 15 years
as a senator and lieutenant
governor, feels the gover
nor has some power
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through the process of leg
islative hearings. He said
that the governor can go
before a committee and tes
tify on a certain bill.
"He can also have a bill
drawn up and then ask any
senator to sign it. The bill
automatically then has to
be introduced," he added.
Burney explained that the
usual procedure for the
governor is to first go to
the committee hearing and
testify, and then call in in
dividual senators and ask
for their support on the bill.
He said that it isn't too ter
ribly hard to find out which
senators are in favor of a
bill since each bill' has
three signers.
"The leaders of a bill
then are usually those who
introduced it and signed it.
Also if a committee brings
a bill out onto the floor,
then the committee must be
back of the bill and the gov--ernor
can seek support from
them," he added.
WOULD THE LIAISON
between the governor and
the Legislature be more ef
fective if the Legislature
were partisan?
According to Val Peter
son, "We could improve
membership (in the Legis
lature) on a political basis
only in one area." He ex
plained that this would be
in the area of debate dur
ing the election campaigns
of the senators.
"We would have a more
adequate and full debate of
the issues during the cam
paign, and leadership and
responsibility would be
fixed for the results of leg
islation." 'Bad For State'
About partisanship, Rob
ert Crosby said, "In some
respects it's bad for the
state." Crosby feels that
some issues could be de
veloped and pushed better.
"For example," he add
ed, "the governor and the
Legislature could take a
stand on an issue such as
sales tax.
"As it is, not a single
legislator thinks about a
party platform after com
ing to Lincoln."
Crosby said that as the
situation exists now he
"wouldn't think of putting
the party into an issue un
less you need it in some
thing like redistricting, but
not on education, or high
way programs."
The ex-governor said that
the party plays practically
no role in the Legislature
now.
"When I was governor,
some of my best help came
from the Democrats in the
Legislature," the Republi
can said.
'Weak Link'
Dwight Burney noted that
the "non-partisan part of
the Legislature is a weak
link."
He feels that a partisan
Legislature would tend to
strengthen partisan politics
in the state. In turn, the
party would have a plat
form, and the people would
know what they are voting
for.
"If we had a partisan
Legislature, the liaison be- i
tween the governor and the j
Legislature would be clos-
er," Burney said.
"As it is now, the sena
tors don't run on a plat- ,
form, they run on their
standing in their communi-
ty. You only have to be j
against most everything to .
be elected," he added. i
The lieutenant governor
said that although partisan
ship was indistinct in the
1961 session, it has been
stronger recently. He at
tributed this to the close
race for governor in 1958
rkryi run
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when the Republicans asked
for a recount of the ballots.
"The Democrats felt that
they had to line the people
up," he added.
'Downfall For State'
Victor Anderson also feels
that non-partisanship in
the Legislature is a down
fall for the state."
Anderson said he thought
there is more active lead
ership when there is parti
sanship, because "a man
must run on a campaign
and then deliver."
As it is now, Anderson
says, the governor must
walk a center line and not
show any leadership.
"The legislators some
times feel that the gover
nor shouldn't take part in
legislative proceedings, but
as in business, the head
needs to take active part,"
be added.
Roy Cochran, who says
f s -
Li: if i
r
Lieutenant Governor Burney
Governor
Last week at a special news
conference, Governor Frank
B. Morrison called the third
Nebraska Conference of
Youth to be held the 18th
and 19th of September, 1963,
at the Nebraska Center for
Continuing Education in Lin
coln. The Governor has called
this conference on behalf of
the Nebraska Council of
Youth, and the Nebraska
Committee for Children and
Y o u th, developments of the
1960 White House Conference
on Children and Youth held in
Washington, D.C.
Federal School Aid
11 For Nebraska
Nearly 11 per cent of the
total money outlay for pub
lic school education in Ne
braska during 1961 came
from federal funds, according
to a University doctorate the
sis written by Ross P. Kors
gaard, school superintendent
at Valparaiso.
Dr. Korsgaard, who re
ceived his Doctor of Educa
tion degree from the Univer
sity this month, reported that
of th $95 million expended,
Nebraska public schools were
credited with $10,399,991 in
federal aid to education.
He said, "Federal-aid-to-education
programs have
made a significant financial
contribution to public school
education In Nebraska. Ne
braska has received federal
aid for public school educa
tion since statehood in 1867."
The thesis reported the fol
lowing federal aid in 1961:
Land programs, $3,278,
899.84, 32 per cent; Indian ed
ucation, $116,205.53, one per
cent; vocational education
$246,951.29, two per cent; sur
plus property, $937,342, nine
per cent; school lunch, $2,
276796.13 33 per cent; feder
ally affected areas, m.upo
yiFfot i To
senators,
he is not a strong partisan,
also is in favor of a strong
two-party system. Under
the old two-party system,
Cochran said that if he had
some objections to a bill,
he would call in the party
leader to make certain
changes in the bill. He said
that he' felt this was the
best since the governor
would do what was the best
for the state as a whole,
not just for a district. Coch
ran also felt it was sort of
a paradox the way the gov
ernor is elected in Nebras
ka. He said that now "the
governor is elected on a
party platform and then as
soon as he takes office he
becomes non-partisan."
Governor Frank Morrison
admits that things would
be easier for the governor
if the majority of the Leg
islature belonged to the
same party, but he added.
tx " x y . ,
Calls Youth Conference
For the second year th e
theme of the conference will
be "Let Youth Help Nebras
ka Grow". This year there
will be a special emphasis on
how youth and .adults can
work together in their com
munities for the promotion of
better educational, recreation
al and economic opportuni
ties. Each year about of
the delegates who attend the
Nebraska Conferences of
Youth are attending for the
first time: This year these
delegates at the conference
will have the opportunity to
507.91, 29 per cent; and Na
tional Defense Education Act,
$455,288.32. four per cent.
Among his other findings
were:
Most federal-aid-to-education
programs were starred
during a ' time of a national
crisis. Examples are: John-)
son-0 Malley Act, which re
vitalized federal aid for Indi
an education, was passed in
the depression year of 1934;
Surplus Property Act was
passed in 1944 and strength'
ened by the Federal Proper
ty and Administrative Serv
ice Act of 1949; and the
school lunch and milk pro
gram, an outgrowth of aid
given in the depression years,
received formal legislative
recognition in 1946.
Use and conservation of
national resources are ex
pressed in some federal-aid
to-education programs. "The
federal government now allo
cates almost twice as much
money to Nebraska public
schools under the National
Defense Education Act ($455,-
288.32) designed to strength
en teaching of technical pro
gramsas under the Smith-
Hughes vocational education
program ($246,951.29)."
mo
"partisanship tends to de
stroy the judgment of the
individual and substitute his
party likings."
Which Is Better?
"COLLECTICISM or indi
vidualism, which is bet
ter?", he asked.
. Morrison, who says he is
an individualist, said he
hates to see an individual
submerged in a group, be
cause there are too many
disadvantages.
"The political parties will
destroy themselves unless
they change their approach.
Now a party member goes
against his own conscience
because it is merely against
the party platform," he
said.
"As such, the Nebraska
Legislature is an improve
ment because the men in
it can base their decisions
on their own conscience,
and not as it is in the other
Current Opinions
On Issue Heard
(Continued From Page 1
worked remarkably well
through my term of office."
Lieutenant Governor
Dwight W. Burney said, "I
feel stronger than ever that
the Nebraska legislature
should be partisan for the
good of the people of Ne
braska." Burney has served the
Nebraska legislature as
Lieutenant Governor since
1956, except for about a
year when he filled the
Governors position after the
death of 'Ralph G. Brooks
in September, 1960.
Burney, who will seek the
gubernatorial nomination on
the Republican ticket in
1964, feels that with a par
tisan legislature, "We could
accomplish more in less
time with fewer complica
tions." The Nebraska Federation
of Women Voters, who are
presently circulating a
statewide petition in an ef
fort to convert the Nebras
ka legislature from a non
partisan to a partisan body,
recently received the sup
port of Senator Terry Car
penter of Scottsbluff.
Senator Carpenter said
that he recently changed
hear about the many success
ful projects accomplished as
a result of the 1962 Nebraska
Conference of Youth.
This conference will enable
young people of Nebraska to
learn to help their state grow
by: (1) increasing their
awareness of the problems of
Nebraska (2) acquainting
youth with solutions to those
problems (3) providing an op
portunity for youth and adults
to discuss and share ideas on
projects to help solve these
problems (4) arranging for
delegates from each commu
nity and district to help de
velop plans on projects which
they wish to initiate or fur
ther implement (5) instruct
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robism
case, just to destroy oth
ers," Morrison added.
The Governor concluded,
"It is Te test of the gover
nor in the non-partisan Leg
islature to use the tools the
Legislature gives him, and
then exert executive power
for the betterment of the
state."
liaison between the gover
nor and the Legislature?
The definition obviously de
pends upon whether you are
a governor or a legislator.
The governors would find
partisanship a way to ease
their work. The senators
find partisanship gives a
pleasant sense of independ
ence to their work.
Now, how about the sena
tors and their work? How
do they like the job of being
a legislator in the country's
only one-house legislative
system?
his views on this question,
after having previously op
posed the election of legis
lators as Republicans and
Democrats, because, "It is
my considered opinion that
, a partisan legislature would
certainly be an improve
ment, or' to say the least,
no worse than the non-partisan
system which is now
in effect."
' The Scottsbluff legislator
said that, "The organiza
tional methods used in this
non-partisan legislature are
completely against the pub
lic interest, and, as it now
exists, the control has fall
en into relatively few
hands."
Carpenter then continued,
"For some unknown reason
the present members
haven't been able to undo
this control, either through
fear, circumstances, or lack
of desire, to face up to the
responsibilities of represent
ing the state as a whole in
stead of their own separate
districts."
"It would ' seem to me
that a partisan legislature,
where controls are neces
sary and leadership is per
manent, which is advocated
by the Nebraska Federation
of Women Voters, is cer
tainly more desirable," con
cluded Carpenter.
ing delegates, the adult spon
sors and school representa
tives in methods of leadership
and community action.
Over fifteen hundred youth
and adults from all Nebraska
have participated in the
plans for Nebraska through
the work of the Nebraska
Council of Youth and the Ne
braska Committee for Chil
dren and Youth.
Over eight hundred youth
and adults attended the sec
ond Nebraska Conference of
Youth held in August of 1962.
Hundreds of others participat
ed in the two follow up dis
trict conferences held in St
Paul a nd Scottsbluff, this last
year.
nm awTO u tiro
ST AKTS
TOMORROW
