Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-02-19
Minnesota Legislature
Weekly Review by
HJALMAR PETERSEN
Representative From Pine County
February 8 to IA, 1881

one, including the calm introduction
and reading of bills, lively committee
meetings, honoring the memory of the
great emancipation. Abraham Lincoln,
and the stOrming of the capitol by
agitators accompanied by unemployed.
Electing members of the legislature
on a party basis as was done Is years
ago came up on general orders in the
House Monday After brief discus
sion sponsors of the bill decided to
lay it over for amendments which
will include more elective offices to
come under party designation. Min
nesota is the only state in the Union
that elects its members of the legis-
lature on a no-party basis. There are
ton and the proposed change will be
hard fought 1t is believed that most
of the progressives will vote to leave
it as it is, on a nO-party basis.
Mob Breaks Tn.
About Is minutes after the session
opened Tuesday afternoon a mob of
unemployed stormed the House and
business was at a stand-still for nearly
three hours. The mob was led by
George Powers who has filed as Com
munist candidate for mayor of Mime
apOlis He acted as chairman and
called upon nearly dozen members
of the group to speak. He demanded
that the legislature appropriate $685.
,oIi loft oil hn
ployed, kept on shouting about that
amount and said that the gang would
stay there until they got some salts
faction-an answer from the legisla-
ture- they would stay all night if it
was necessary. Representative Oscar
A. Swenson, speaker of the House, to
whom Powers appealed for a reply,
said that he nor no other member of
the legislature had authority to give
out the states money except in an
orderly and legal manner, adding that
he did not have any strongbOx in his
desk from which he could take money
and dish out promiscuously. Mr..
Swenson suggested that they interest
some member of the House or Senate
to introduce bill in their behalf, for
the legislature must act according to
parliamentary rules.
Not being able to get their huge
demands satisfied Immediately the
mob went on with their speeches. An
elderly woman in the group who said
she was the daughter of Civil war
cta in no
World war, said 1--WE want something
to eat, or we will take it." She called
all the legislative members fakirs and
chair-warmers. The speakers in
cluded also a IL year old boy, negro,
young woman representing the Com
and several others. The legislators
were called such other pet names as
parasites, yellow ours, tools of CAPT.
talism. liars, thieves and crooks.
President Hoover was severely criti-
cised repeatedly, Senator Shipstead
came in for criticism and even Floyd
B. Olson who has just been elected
governor, principally by the farmers
and laborers, was called cheap and a
fakir. A like demonstration had taken
place in the capitol on January 7th,
headed by some of the same leaders.
One Legislator Speaks.
Representative Emil S. Youngdahl
of Minneapolis, who classes himself
as Socialist, was the only legislator
who tried to address the gathering,
but he was Kissed and heckled and
was told that he also was fakir and
not true to the workers. He did get
the opportunity however to tell them
that they should go about their task
he was preparing bill for relief of
workers to the extent of $1O,0OO,O0O
and would prepare a resolution for
American recognition of Russia He
added that eventually workers will
take over waterpower and mines and
that the capitalist system is bound
to go. Mr.. Youngdahl said that the
workers are justified in making dem
constructions and that there is cause for
such actions but that they should go
at it in an orderly manner and work
together with those who are their
friends.
Following the Youngdahl talk OF
only few minutes there were several
other short talks by members of the
mob, Mr.. Youngdahl being unable to
command their attention but a short
time. The mob however did not stay
all night as they had threatened to do
but tired about p. m. after nearly
three hours of demonstration and then
went to the cafeteria in the basement
of the capitol and helped themselves
to food. Leaders had also announced
that international unemployment DEM
onstrations will take place on Feb
ruary Is.
Lincoln HOnOred.
On Wednesday, the day before the
birthday anniversary of Abraham Lin
co., n, Representative George w. Roden-
berg of st. Paul. called upon Repre-
sentative John B. Hompe of Deer
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