The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-06-24
Thompson Leading
Fight on Squeeze
State Educational Chief Con.
dennis Five.Per. Cent Levy
On n. D. Employees
SAYS IT Is BAD POLICY
Other State Departments In.
dicate They Are Not coer-
cling Workers

AVAA96AA6 OONA0A oVAO4A 1AAdV 1IS - OQs
posed to the campaign for obtaining
per cent of state employees salaries
for promotion of political newspaper
was issued Saturday by Arthur E.
Thompson, superintendent Of public
and member Of the state
board Of administration.
Thompson said he believed the
scheme Is against sound public policy
and contrary to the best interests Of
the state.
His full statement:
II have been and still am op-
posed to the s per cent assessment
In the department Of public in
struction or any state institution
for tho alleged purpose Of financ.
ing = newspaper to serve ~ .
propaganda sheet for any political
faction. I believe It Is against
sound public policy and contrary
to the best interests Of the state.
It tends to disturb these institu-
tions and to create q loss Of con.
fidcnce and morale on the part Of
tho employees"
Thompson said solicitors for the
came to his office three
times but were denied admission. The
department has standing rule
against solicitors. Thompson is an
ex-officio member of the state board
Of administration, which controls
North Dakota's institutions.
Tribune Makes Survey
A survey made by The Tribune Sat-
urday revealed that one other state
department has definitely refused tt
allow solicitation of its employees fol
5 per cent Of their salaries for thu
North Dakota Leader" politica
newspaper sponsored by Governor
William LANCER.
A third department has been soil.
cited but no pledges were signed.
Eight departments have not beer
solicited and have given no instruc.
lions to their employees as to what
they should do If the solicitation Is
made.
Two department chiefs declined tc
comment.
Heads of IA departments were out
Of the city and could not be reached
DR.. T. o. Brandenburg, executive Of
ficer Of the state livestock sanitary
board, said: I'VE have not been soil
cited, have always been out OF politics
and refuse to donate to slush funds o.
o,o~,%t ,{,,o ~ fhof c<,rf -
Some Not Solicited
Departments in which officials said
no solicitations have been made and
no instructions given are those Of ag-
riculture and labor, auditor, all divis-
ions of the insurance department
state railroad board, secretary of state
supreme court, state mine inspection
health department and the board OF
administration.
Unofficial advices, however, were
that some employees in the latter de-
partment have been solicited and
that some of them have signed up.
r. M. Rishworth, member OF the
board Of administration and chair
man of the state capitol commits
sion, said: "Our employees are free
white and 81 years Of age and we
do not intend to tell them how tc
spend their money. We have given
no instructions one way or another
Rishworth said he has not signed
pledge card himself.
John HUSKY, commissioner Of ag-
riculture and labor, said he has given
his employees no instructions to sign
or not to sign. He said his workers
know that, II they care to sign, such
action will not be held against them
HUSKY also Is an ex-officio men,
Der Of the state board Of admins
tration. It has been rumored that
he will offer a resolution in that
body pledging it not to discharge
Continued on Page Five)