The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-12
n. D. MAY HAVE
MAN WORKING
WITHOUT PAY
Situation May Follow Veto Of
Appropriation For Indus
trial Body Secretary
GAMMONS TO KEEP JOB
Reference Is Made to Former
Case Concerning State
Tax Commissioners

49, Possibility that North Dakota will
have full-timc state official work.
ing for nothing after July / existed
here today as the result of the action
of Governor Sorlie in vetoing part
of the appropriation for the state in
dustrial commission.
The prospective donor Of his ser.
vices is John Gammons, secretary OF
the commission, and political arch.
enemy of the executive who Topped
$500 off the general appropriation
bill which had been intended to pay
GammOns' salary.
The legislature rejected recom-
mendation by the governor that Gam
mons office be consolidated with
some other office on the ground that
there is too little work to keep the
industrial secretary busy. The gov
ernor's avowed purpose in cutting off
the appropriation was to reduce ex-
penses but it is known that there was
no sorrow on his part at the thought
that Gammons would be left without
an appropriation for his pay.
Former Case Cited
Speculation was current as to
whether or not Gammons could force
shN SN0Sc w pa HIS S0LuIN anu IClcI-
ence was made to case which de-
veloped some years ago in which no
appropriation was made to pay the
salaries of state tax commissioners
then three in number. The statute
provided that the tax mpissioners
should draw salaries Of $1,000 u year
The matter was appealed to supreme
court which ruled that the salaries
must be paid as provided by law.
The instant case differs. however
in that the law creating the office
Of industrial commission secretary
does not specify what salary he shall
receive. That point was left to the
judgment of the industrial commits
sion which employs him.
The point is made that the gov
crnor's vote in insufficient to control
the industrial commission of three
members, the other two being politi-
cal opponents Of the executive. A
peculiar quirk in the law, however
gives the governor power. to veto any
affirmative action on the part Of his
two opponents.
This was interpreted to mean that
any impasse may result il the COVER
nor attempts to remove Gammons or
if the majority attempts to find a
means of paying his salary by a
transfer from some other fund.
GsmmOns May Stay on job
Political supporters of Gammons,
however, definitely indicated that no
matter what action was taken to pay
his salary he would continue on the
job, at least officially. They point
out that there is no law providing
for the consolidation of that office
with any other and that no other
state official or cmploye could be
forced to assume the duties Of the
office.
It was definitely indicated that the
majority Of the industrial commission
will not consent to a transfer of the
duties to another state employe. The
result may be to make Gammons a
man with a job but without q salary.
It was considered possible that the
case may be taken to the supreme
court as was that Of the tax commits
sioners in times past.
Another factor is the control by
the industrial commission Of the
Bank of North Dakota. It is consid-
cred possible that Gammons may be
given job there. the duties of which
would permit him to continue, more
or less as a sidc-line. his work as
secretary Of the industrial commits
sion.
Refuse to Comment
Gammons refused to comment on
the subject Of his future pay and
status as did Attorney General
George F. Shafer, one Of his political
supporters on the industrial commits
sion.
1t is known, however. that members
Of the commission opposed to the gov
ernor feel that his veto of the secre-
tary appropriation indicates an ef-
fort on his part to dominate the COM
mission. which they are prepared to
resist to the utmost. In some quar-
ters it was considered possible that
the governors action and resulting
situation may become an Issue in the
next North Dakota political campaign.