Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-05
IT IS FUNNY. BUT

An audience that had assembled to listen to an
Address by William Lemke the other day had a
good laugh when the chairman of the meeting, in
Introductory words of appreciation, referred to
the services of Mr.. Lenke to. the people of North
Dakota, among others, to the home builders. The
chairman was obliged to pause while the audience
enjoyed itself.
A reference to Mr.. Lemke's services to the home
builder is funny. 1t tends to provoke a smile. But
the thing itself is less humorous than a SPEAKERS in
|advertent reference-to it.
In their essay into the business of home build
ing, MIR. Le1nke and Mr.. Frazier together, with the
assistance of Mr.. Hagan, piled up losses which up
to date have totalled over $4,000 in actual hard
cash. These losses the. taxpayers of North Dakota
must pay. There is no escape for them. These
losses are the minimum provided the state is able to
collect face value on all the remaining assets of the
home Building association, including it's claims
against persons for whom homes were built. 1t is
certain that there can be no such full realization on
the assets. Claims against home owners are now
before the supreme court for determination, and in
the test case brought in district court the decision
was against the state. Whatever further loss de-
velops from this cause, must be borne by the tax
payers.
Even if the home builders are able to have the
claims against them shaded in court, their expert
ence will still. have been a most unsatisfactory one.
Many of them have been compelled to paw out
more money than would have been necessary had
they been dealing with a business-like body, and
their affairs nave been thrown INTO confusion BY the
I%ineptness OF THOSE with whom they dealt, and
through the uncertainty that attended the whole
transaction. III
There are many people, especially among the
wage workers Of the cities, who were led to believe
that the Home Building law was enacted for their
benefit. They were to be enabled to acquire homes
lat moderate cost and on small initial ayments. A
number Of Grand Forks gworkmen thought thev
would try it. They were ready to organize and
comply with every requirement of the law. They
invited a representative Of the Frazier-Lemke-Hap-
an board to inform them as to the details of the; pro
cedure necessary. and such a representative ap-
tpeared. He delivered what was said to be a yery
interesting and illuminating address on the purpose
and the provisions of the law, showed just how to
organize and how to proceed, and then knocked the.
breath out Of his hearers by explaining further that
the association had no more money to loan, and
that if the Grand Forks men wished TO borrow they
must first pay in the money themselves.
Che house of Mr.. Lemke, which cost $4,000
the house of Mr.. Hagan, and several other resi-.
|dences being built for politicians, were under con-
lstruction. Money had been provided for them.
But there was none for the cottages Of laborers.
1t is quite funny for a speaker to blundcr into
praise Of Mr.. Lemke for his services to the home
builder. But the facts in the case are the opposite
|of funny for the North Dakota taxpayer and for the
people who wanted to build homes and were denied
the aid which they had A right to expect.
-r.~cn o>.rS<&.E~- 1890 - .f~.1B..L1..I.IH&s