The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-09-06

ferers' association seems to be after
Col. Hubert v. Eva, state forester
William T. Cox and even the socalled
Washburn commission with sharp
stick.
As a great many citizens do not
know, the Northern Minnesota Fire
Sufferers association was organized a
few months ago by actual victims of
the terrible forest fires of last Octo-
Der. Today, that association has much
more than 5000 members and new
members are being added daily.
As most people we'll know, Col. HUI
bert V. Eva, fondly called Little Eva
by some and the Boy Scout Soldier by
others, is the chief executive of the
Northern Minnesota Forest Fires Re-
lief commission. There has been much
dissatisfaction on the part Of the &C.
tual forest fire sufferers because of
the Eva administration Of the relief
work.
AS some know and others do not,
William T. Cox is state forester. His
work is kept before the public by a
clever publicity engineer who touts the
ideas and doings Of Mr.. Cox through
the columns Of a complacent daily
press.
Fire Victims Blame Cox.
A goodly number of the victims OF
last October's forest fires firmly be-
lieve that that disaster was greatly
augmented by the failure of state for
ester Cox to enforce the laws against
the lumber barons in northern Mime.
sofa, and that he was derelict and
blamable to an extent that should cost
him his very delightful job.
The so-ca1led Washburn commission
was appointed by Gov. Burnquist to
investigate cause, extent and charac-
ter of the forest fires. It was headed
by Jed L. Washburn, very prominent
and wealthy lawyer-capitalist of On.
luth. Thousands of the victims Of the
forest fires believe that the Washburn
committee made only superficial in
vestigation; that its report was more
of whitewash than a real investiga-
ton; that interests Of the Fat Boys
and the state politicians, particularly
Gov. Burnquist, were more considered
than those Of the impoverished resi-
dents Of the devastated hinteriand.
Hold First Annual Meeting.
The Northern Minnesota Fire Suf-
ferers' association held its first annual
meeting at the city hall in Duluth on
Monday evening, August Is. The mem
bers were heavily represented by
proxy but about $50 were actually
present. They came from far and near,
throughout the devastated sections Of
Carlton, st. Louis and Aitkin counties.
AS stated, this association has for
its members only actual victims Of the
was effected in quiet way last win.
ter, during the session Of the legisla-
ture. Fer a couple Of months the Rip
saw office was its temporary head
quarters. Today, offices are main
tanned at No. 204 Manhattan building.
The membership now is over 5000 and
is growing steadily and rapidly. It is
expected that the enrolment will be
doubled, if not tripled, and the organ
ization is not unlikely to have a
marked influence on the politics of the
ensuing year.
The Daily Papers Wake Up.
Although the Rip-saw has specialized
On news concerning the fire sufferers,
relief work, state forestry matters and
the welfare of the forest fire victims,
the daily papers only recently awoke
to the situation. For some weeks,
now, they have been printing as new,
notable and highly important news,
facts and figures that were published
weeks and months ago by this great
family journal. This shows that where
The Rip-saw leads, the others follow,
but that's another story.
The Northern Minnesota Forest Fire
Sufferers association took q whirl at
Little Eva that pleased everyone in
northern Minnesota except that little
warrior and, possibly, few Of those
responsible for his present sinecure.
Even the daily papers gave the action
OF the meeting high publicity. Here
Is the Little Eva resolution, viz:
Resolution on Eva.
Whereas, the governor Of the state
OF Minnesota deemed it necessary to
name commission to administer tenn
porary relief, SO called, among the
thousands Of fire sufferers Of north
ern Minnesota as q result Of the ter
.ible forest fire catastrophe Of Oct. IL,
1918, and
Whereas, the commissioners 30
named by the governor selected one,
Col. b. ". Eva, to take charge Of the
distribution and handle the affairs Of
the commission at the Armory in the
city of Duluth, state Of Minnesota,
and
Whereas, the fire sufferers Of the
stricken community were handled and
dealt with in a manner most repre-.
hensible under the management Of said
d. v. Eva, and
Whereas, the system of distribu-
ton Of the relief employed by said a.
V. Eva was conducted in q most unin.
telligent and unfair manner, and
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