The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-29
PRAISE GUSTAV WIDELL
SENATOR OF BLUE EARTH
DID GOOD WORK
National Guard Officers Are
Pleased With the Efforts In
Militia Behalf

The session Of the state legislature
that closed last Thursday was one Of
the most important sessions held Tor
years in Minnesota. A vast amount
of work was done and large num-
Der Of very important laws were
passed. One Of the real leaders In
the legislature was Gustaf Widell.
senator for Blue Each county. He
was chairman of the senate commit
tee on towns, counties and munici-
palities and also served on the fol-
lowing important committees: Fin
ance, military affairs, public institu-
lions, public highways and state and
county fairs.
The finance committee is perhaps
the most important committee in
very prominent member Of this
committee which gained so much
favor by its careful investigation OF
all appropriation bills and their con
sentative policy of retrencnment
which enabled them to lower the
state tax rate to one and one half
mills for 1921 and one mill for 1922,
which is the lowest for several years
past. AS member of the public
highway committee Senator Wideil
was instrumental in framing the
legislation which puts the Babcock
amendment into action and which will
TENS of public highways in the coun
try. Senator Widell also fathered a
bill for the improvement of Mime.
opa State park, one of the natural
beauty spots of Blue Earth county
and of Southern Minnesota
Work For National Guard
During many other sessions of the
legislature, the military affairs com
mittee has had little to do but not
at this session. The re- organization
of the peace time army has given a
large and important place to the
national guard. The federal govern
in its power to make the national
units, but it works through the
states and requires their CO opera
ton. To put the national guard of
the state Of Minnesota in good shape
and give it the support necessary from
the state, 1t was necessary to entire
ly revise the military code of the
state and this work fell upon the
military affairs committee. Senator
Widell was one Of the most impor-
tant members of this committee. He
has always been friend Of the ma
tiopal guard and has taken an active
interest in all military affairs and
has become thoroughly familiar with
their needs and with the plans they
are trying to carry out. 1t was
largely the constant and untiring eff
forts of Senator Widell that brought
about the passing of the new mill
tary code which is much praised by
all the Minnesota officers Of the ma
tional guard and by those most deep
ly interested. Among other impor-
tant features It provides a fund for
maintenance Of headquarters for each
regiment. The Headquarters Of the
fifth infantry Is at Mankato. The
code also provides for the erection
of Armories in those cities not hay-'
ing armories or whose armories are
inadequate such as the armory at
Mankato.
Senator Widell has always been a
booster for the national guard and
has worked especially hard in the
interest of the fifth Infantry which
is the country regiment and has its
headquarters at Mankato. He has
backed them up in every possible
way and has come to be known among
the officers and men of the regi-
ment as the Father of the Regi-
ment" When interviewed to-day the
Mankato officers of the regiment ex
pressed themselves as very much
pleased with the new military code
and are all loud in their praises OF
Senator Widell for his efforts in be
half of the code and the interests
which he has taken in the fifth regi-