, 1922-02-15
ACTUAL FIGURES
SHOW BIG LOSSES
AUDITORS MAKE REPORTS ON
THE FAILURES OF NoN-PARTi-
SAN SCHEMES.

Nonpartisan League program to laid
the farmers" as put into practice in
North Dakota, proved a wonderful sue
cess. Indeed. there may be those who
still believe Germany won the war,
but
The socialist schemes Of the Nonpar-
tisan League In North Dakota proved
successful just as Germany won the
war.
Certified accountants and auditors
who have been working on the books
of the various socialist experiments In
North Dakota, have presented partial
reports. According to Lewis f. Craw-
ford, secretary of the industrial com
mission who recently filed his annual
report, there is not an oasis In the
dreary desert of failures. When a
government gets out of its domain 1t
loses efficiency. multiplies leaks and
gives opportunity for controlling the
electorate by inflated payrolls. Be
tween the possible and the impossible,
the line of distinction when family
drawn, finds men ready to stake the
taxpayers money on the most ill-con
ceived and visionary projects"
The losses so far absolutely ascer-
tanned in three of the socialist schemes
are:
Bank of North Dakota ......S 225, OSs
Drake mill 74,379
Home Builders Assn ....... 1926
Totals viii Be Greater.
But these are losses only so far as.
certained with the work not complete.
What the final losses will be remains
to be learned Before the Nonpartisan
League officials departed from office
at the request of the people Of the
state through a recall election-they
admitted all the schemes failures but
the Bank of North Dakota, insisting
vehemently this was a success. Fig
ures now obtalnable, however, prove
the exactly contrary to be the case
The actual losses 80 far ascertained,
as given above, does not include what
will be lost through the over So, O0O, OOO
loaned and deposited in failed banks,
and loaned to socialist schemes.
The Crawford report says: "The
losses to the bank seem to have come
largely from an effort to be of serv-
ice to political friends. The poyroll
was overloaded with inexperienced EN-.
ployes, the salaries of some beyond
their worth, the publicity department
was a heavy burden, and efficiency in
handling farm loans was costly. In
several instances it has been fount
that mortgages have been taken OF
land where there was no record Of ii
tle.'
Drake Mill a Failure.
According TO this official report the
state mill and elevator at Grand Forks
has already cost the state $1,121 ,243
and it is estimated before this inst
tuition will be in running shape it vii!
take S1,400,000 more, which amount
must be raised through the sale OF
bonds. The experiment mill at Drake
has been touted as a wonderful thing
for the farmers. They are being told
1 Wyoming how this mill paid more for
wheat and sold flour for less than 9th
err mills. But as a matter of fact the
mill actually lost in cash $74,3T9, or an
average of 500 n day for every day 1t
ran. 1t cost the taxpayers of North
Dakota S15S for every barrel ii flour
manufactured, and "a cents FOR every
bushel of wheat ground.
For a real financial tangle which 1t
win take months TO straighten out,
and the total loss of which can not be
ascertained until the state has sold n
large number of houses, the Home
Building Association leads. This was
a scheme used to tie the wage-earn-
ers of the towns to the farmers in es-
iablishing socialism. Houses were to
be erected for w~age-earners Mt a low
cost and attractive interest. Favorite-
ism here was pronounced. Wage-earn-
ers did not get n look in the houses
built were for socialist workers only.
The loss so far ascertained, according
to Mr. Crawford, is S113,256, which
will be greatly increased as nearly all
of those who contracted for homes now
refuse to accept them at the cost price.
because this price is excessive.
Aid Socialist Propaganda.
But when II came to spending the
peoples money for socialist p~ropagan-
da in other states and charging this to
the people, the Bank of North Dakota,
in its alleged campaign to sell state
bonds, went the limit. This is another
matter the full cost of which cannot
yet be ascertained. However. figures
show there have been paid out In COM
missions about $4,000, while the ex-
pense accounts of the numerous men
and women on the payroll engaged
more particularly in spreading propa-
ganda thar in selling bonds, were ex-
c~essive. Money was spent and bills
allowed by the Nonpartisan League of
ficials for the purchase Of socialist
books, payments to socialist and other
papers for favorable editorials. for ex-
penses to secure delegates to socialist
conferences, for hotel bills, etc. One
woman sent to New York--it does not