The Hope pioneer., 1921-02-10

90 IAC SAAOuA1SIuACSS Will
the ultimate and essential facts to
be by each witness disclosed"
Investigators Invited
To Scan Records
The Industrial Commission as the
ultimate executive authority over
the state institutions frankly
warned officers and other employ
ees that the investigation was de-
signed to throttle the state institu-
tions in their operation.
A resolution directed to all en-
ployees of the various state enter
priSeS says:
at is the opinion of the governor
the attorney general, and the COM
missioner OF agriculture and labor,
constituting the Industrial Commits
sion of North Dakota and represent
ing the executive department of the
state of North Dakota, that the ac-
tions adopted by said (investigat-
lng) committee were taken and ad-
opted for the purpose OF preventing
a full and honest investigation OF
the North Dakota state Industries
and are in the nature of a third de-
gree or star chamber proceedings
unheard OF in the annals of the
courts or legislative Investigations
of the United States, or in the order
ly processes of civilized govern
ments.
"A compliance with the demands
(of the committee) to produce the
books and records OF the state in
dustries **** would stop the oper-
alton of said industries and destroy
them.
"It is the opinion Of the govern
or, the attorney general and the
commissioner OF agriculture and
labor, as members of the executive
department of the state and as mem
bers of the Industrial Commission,
that such proceedings are taken,
not with view to securing evidence
or inspection of such books, records
and documents, but for the purpose
of stopping the operation of said
industries and of destroying them;
and that such action was taken for
no fair and honest purpose and is
in violation of the constitution and
laws of the state of North Dakota
and is an attempt to usurp the per-
ogatives OF the executive depart
ment of the state
Seeking to lend full and reason
able assistance to any investigation,
however, the Industrial Commission
after ordering employees to refrain
from taking books or papers out of
the institution, delivered the fol-
lowing order in the resolutions:
"You are *++* ordered to permit
any person duly authorized by a
resolution duly passed in either
House of the Seventeenth legisla-
tive assembly, or persons duly del
egated by said resolutions, carrying
proper credentials, showing such
authorization, to examine and in
spect any of the above mentioned
items or property which are in
your possession, under your control
on in your use at any time during
business hours on business days,
provided, however, such inspection
shall only be permitted when your
managing officer of the particular
industry in which you are employed
is present in person during such in
spection, or has authorized Or del
egated some other person to act in
his behalf in that respect.
You are further hereby ordered
not to permit any person so inspect
ing any of such items or property
to change, alter or remove any of
the same.
"You are ordered and directed
to DO everything in your power con-
slstent with this order to assist and
cooperate with such persons in Sc
curing for them such information
as they may be seeking by such ex-
animation or inspection, so that it
will be possible for such committee
or committees to obtain all the real
facts concerning the said industries
if they so DESIRE"
every avenue to prevent the throt-
Ting of the states industries and
the states credit by this political
conspiracy. The success or failure
of the Commission in this struggle
rests with the people. Will public
opinion rise up and condemn for
all time tactics of politicians, who
for the price of fieeting partisan
success, would strike at the founda-
tlons upon which North Dakota is
builded as one of the sister states
OF the union; would bring poverty
and suffering to the hearthside of
thousands of homes; would des-
troy that confidence upon which the
state must live in relation to the
other states Of the union?
The Industrial Commission be-
lieves that public opinion will an
swer the conspirators in only one
way, once the facts have been plac-
ed before the peole.
eNho poo,,lo ChoM Knox.,