The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-07-12

If Mrs. Barnes is elected but fails to
qualify, then the autocrats hope to be
able to control enough votes to put in
Mrs. Mitchell, Madam Spring, Frau
Spiegel or even Mrs. Grannis.
If the patrons of the schools wish to
fall for that kind of game, they will
please Madam Davis more than tongue
can tell. But, so far as the commoners
are concerned, a. controlling number
will not fall for it.
DR.. William Eklund, only son of DR..
J. J. Eklund, has been nominated by
the autocrats. Mr.. Eklund is a
talented young man of high character
and ideals. The only fault that can be
found with him is that he is on the
wrong ticket, backed by the wrong
people, and not at all posted on the
situation or the issues, having been
absent from the city for many months.
DR.. Eklund would not purposely
stultify himself nor willingly do any
thing against the public welfare. But,
if elected, these willy autocrats will
throw all kinds Of nets around him.
Financial power and advancement
probably will not appeal in his case
but social position may have a dan
gerous attraction. Already the Me-
phistopholean McGiffert is using the
members of his family to get the young
physician 8 ear and to keep him in the
| control Of the autocrats. To the Nc
Giffert mind, DR.. William Eklund
seems a creditable successor to the
labor hater, the school board fixer and
the willy lawyer who had profitable
adventures with a trusting old Scan
dinavian inventor of log leaders many
years ago.
Already the charming Miss McGif-
fert has been spinning silken social webs
to ensnare the young doctor and he,
like a gallant young gentleman, is
reciprocating. IF elected on the school
board, he may find himself tied up too
tightly to wiggle, although at heart
highly in sympathy with the COM
moners and those who do not favor
Supt. Hoke's further retention.
Fred D. Knight, the chap whose cam
paign workers broke the election laws
at Morgan Park year ago. comes
back for another try at directorship.
1t is expected that he will get credit
able support but the dopsters cannot
figure out any possibility of election.
R. J. Coole, first seen and nominated
by the autocrats, West Duluth ma
chinist Of Swede-Finn extraction, has
no opposition for the short term of one
year, therefore his calling and election
are as sure as death and taxes. He
also has been nominated by the union
labor party. ..
Although party politics never has
entered into school board matters in
previous years, it does this year. The
lnion labor party, confident, burning
with class consciousness and seeking a
new field to conquer, has put up full
ticket. Anyone not carrying a union
card for two years is taboo.
To date, the party is silent as to
What it or its candidates stand for.
No platform of principles has been
promulgated. One so-called labor
leader says that it is not intended to
arouse or put forward any issues.
Mr.. McEwen, the admitted leader Of
the unions affiliated with the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, an avowed
conservative, being a proud follower
Of Samuel Gompers, declares that the
union labor party seeks to break down
the school board autocracy and to
build up a democracy.
1t is most pleasing to see organized
labor awake to its privileges and
duties. In previous years, the union
men have not taken the trouble to
vote. They have ''Let George Do
It." which meant the Rip-saw and q
strong army of commoners not com.
mitted exclusive to the union card but,
as a whole, most regardful Of it.
Mrs. Emil NJ. Erickson, GIL Twenty
second avenue W., is the charming and
graceful head of that ticket. She is
the wife Of state senator Erickson.
She was reared in West Duluth, the
daughter Of Mr.. Alfred johnson, and
received her public school education at
the Fairmont school. She graduated
from the Duluth Business univer-
sity and had much experience
in secretarial work both before and
after her marriage. Mrs. Erickson is
a typical and representative American
woman Of Scandinavian ancestry. She
has proven to be an ideal wife and
mother She takes q deep interest in