The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1919-05-09
STATE COUNCIL
OF EXPENSE IS
Thing OF PAST
FEW TEARS SHED AS OPERA
BOUFFE N. D. GOVERNMENT
FADES INTO OBLIVION
SPENT LARGE SUM OF MONEY

GOT AWAY WITH APPROPRIATION
AND NEEDED EMERGENCY
TROUBLE FOR FRAZIER
The state council of defense after
a tempestuous career in which it sue
ceeded in making it's share of trouble
for Governor Frazier, folded its tents
and quietly stole away Wednesday,
unmissed, unmourned and unsung.
Secretary Thomas Allan Box was in
the city for the obsequies, but John B.
Brown, executive secretary, was the
licensed embalmer in charge. G. 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 capital. He will con-
tinue to occupy the state offices,
whence he will conduct the film busl-
ness in which he and Mr.. Brown are
associated. Mr.. Casey intimated yes
terday that this department had about
two weeks to 60.
Much Sputter; Little opume
The new council of defense, with
$4,000 appropriation and a great
banging Of tom-toms, started on its
way a year ago. Governor Frazier
was chairman ex-officio; there was an
executive committee of fifteen promin-
ent citizens, principally leagures, and
an inner committee of five, which
really did the business Thomas Allan
Box was named secretary.
There were long. fowery 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Gil and repealed by another.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 unm-
ber of claim suits, in each of which
the council lost or compromised.
That Famous Order.
Then came the famous pronuncia-
mento of last July, in which Attorney
Dorr Carroll Of the council announced
its 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 opert-
ing elevators and, -four mills, but to
conficating 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 15, but that thereafter
the work of the council should be done
by the select committee of five, and
these orders were very strictly obeys
ed.
There was a spasmotic effort short
ly after the primaries last June to es-
!. tablish political censorship of the
4 press. Editor Tostevin of the Man.
dan Pioneer, who had said some un-
kind things Of the league, was called
before the council, with the governor
! presiding, and asked wheather he
I would suspend if the council com: ON,
]; ;anded him to. and he calmly Inform
q the council he. would see It III hell
s Est, and that was the end Of that in-s
& hent @ &
3 EThomas Allan Box lost interest in 4
dngs about this time, and John sB::
EpWn, whose federal farm labor ex-5
spertship had petered out, was given q
/: job. John and the rest Of the force
theneeforth devoted most Of their time
i to running the moving picture shows
the council had established and to.
spending the funds which the special
session 81 1918 had appropriated, the
/, latter 81 which they did 80 well that
4 when the 18th assembly convened last
January Il was asked TOR some s, 500
more to keep the outfit going until
May l.. This the legislature kindly