The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-05-01
ST 4 COUNCIL
ND l'XlP'ENSE IS
q Il HING OF PAST


| ~ asix
The, state bouaci gof, defense after
a tempestuous career; in which it sue
ceeded in making It's shara Of trouble
for Governor Fraat foModsits tents
and quietly ssasae, ialystss 4 n Wednesday
evening, unmtssed an,nt ~ aadsand un-
sung. Si .9Ws'Aaj .9WsssAf' ss3
Secretary Thomxs lEliaasBsxWas' in
the city for the ebss John B.
Brown executive secretary, was the
licensed embalmer, in charge C. M.
Casey, head of the film department.,
officiated as chief mourner. Mr.. Casey
| is the only man who will remain on
the job at the capitol. He will con-
tinue to occupy the state Offices
whence he will conduct the film buAE
ness. in which he and Mr.. BrOwnslfA
associated. Mr.. Casey intimated yesa
terday that this department. had about
two weeks to CO.
y Much sputter; Little opume.
The new council of defense, with a
$l5,0 900 appropriation and great bang.
ing OF tom-toms, started on it's way a
year ago. Governor Frazier was chair
man ex-officio; there was an execu'
tive committee of fifteen prominent
citizens, principally leaguers, and an
inner committee of five, which really
did the business. Thomas Allan Box
was named secretary.
There were long, flowery addresses
to the public, encouraging patriotism;
there were orders prohibiting the
| speaking, reading, writing, snoring or
| sneezing of German, issued with great
pomposity by one member of the coun-
Gil and repealed by another. Probably
the most famous act Of the council
was the seizure at the close of last
years seeding season of idle land for
crop purposes. Some good idle land
was plowed up in desultory fashion.
Some good sod was spoiled; grazing
lands ruined, and fine crops of wild
mustard started. There were num-
ber of lam suits, in each of which the
council lost or compromised.
That Famous Oroer
Then came the famous pronuncia-
mento of last July, in which Attorney
Dorr Carroll Of the council announced
it's intention to take over all the ele-
vators in the state, paying their own
ers what the council regarded as a
reasonable return on their Investment.
The council was to form within itself
a million dollar holding company, and
it looked forward not only to Operat-
ing elevators and flour mills, but to
confiscating Ignite mines and banks
n everything. The plan was discussed
for weeks and then released in full
prematurely. The short and ugly
word was used by various members of
the council in their comment on GER
tain other members, and the fiat went
forth that there should be no further
meetings of the unwieldy executive
committee of Is, but that thereafter
the work of the council should be done
by the select committee of five. and
these orders were very strictly
obeyed.
There was a spasmodic effort short
ly after the primaries last June to es.
tablish political censorship of the
press. Editor Tostevn of the Man
| udH lOuCcI, VIII udu Sdlu oOhiC uil
kind things of the league, was called
before the council, with the governor
presiding, and asked whether he
would suspend if the council COM
manded him to, and he calmly inform
ed the council he would see it in hell
first, and that was the end of that in
cident.
Johnny on the Spot.
Thomas Allan Box lost interest in
things about this time and John B.
Brown, whose federal farm labor eX-
pertship had petered out, was given
job. john and the rest of the force
thenceforth devoted most of their time
to running the moving picture shows
the council had established and to
session of 1918 had appropriated, the
latter of which they did so well that
when the 18th assembly convened last
January it was asked for some $500
more to keep the outfit going until
May |. This the legislature kindly
provided, and the councils peaceful
existence was extended until this date
Secretary John Brown, who is now
secretary of the workmen's compensa-
tic nbureau, has moved the force down
to his new job. The force is or are
Miss Clara M. Jackson of Fargo, Miss
Jennie Minder of Crystal, Governor
Frazier's niece, and Miss Lillian
oBehlke Of Dickinson,