Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-03-23
SESSION IS ON
THE LAST LAP
Nest of Committee Work is
Done and Bills Will
Move Faster.
Truck Bill p S S e S House
and Income Tax Bill
About Due.
BY HJALMAR PETERSEN
Representative from Pine County

Representative from Pine County.
March ID to 1S)
Now that about two-thirds of the
legislative session has elapsed ana
the greater portion of the important
bills have had their airings in COM
mittees and in public hearings, final
action is being taken daily in both
Senate and House. From now on
there will be less committee meet
ings and less commotion created by
large public hearings, the 1SS mem
beers of the Legislature will settle
down to more sober thought and nnai
roll calls on legislation affecting the
state In general.
A resolution was passed Monday.
memoralizing Congress to give great
er power to President Roosevelt in
cutting federal expenses. including
appropriations to former service men.
Considerable discussion ensued and
the argument was brought out that
war veterans expenses especially
could be reduced Others argued that
if federal appropriations to veterans
were materially reduced it would
throw the burden of taking care OF the
disabled onto the state. Federal eX-
penses are paid largely through fed
eral income taxes and inheritance
taxes while state appropriations are
created mostly through general prop
erty taxes. Several speakers also de-
clared that real wealthy people were
largely those who profited during the
income taxes paid by the wealthy
should be used to defray such Obli-
cations.
The House recessed for half an
hour and listened to short talks given
by Scoop" Lehman, commander OF
the State American Legion; Owen
Galven, state commander Veterans
Bureau; John B. LaDue, senior vice
commander Veterans of Foreign Wars;
and State Auditor Stafford King, past
commander of the State American
Legion. Mr.. King who speaks clearly
and distinctly, commanded the very
close attention of the House members
clearly outlined the program carried
out in behalf of disabled veterans.
He stated that if federal appropria-
tions were cut $400,000,O00 it would
mean that between three hundred and
four hundred men would have to be
taken care of in local state owned
institutions Veterans or civilians
must be cared for if sick and dis
ab1ed, either through public funds or
charity Mr. King also brought out
that about s10.000,000 was paid into
the federal treasury through federal
income taxes from Minnesota last
year. The last of the speakers in be-
half of the veterans was the Rev.
Claude Ireland, resident pastor of the
Old Soldiers Home, Minneapolis.
Truck Bill Passed House.
The truck bill passed the House
early in the week, after it had been
argued during two afternoon sessions
and an evening session of the week
before. There was a continual stream
of amendments in trying to better the
bill. Proponents and opponents de-
sired to maintain the regulation pro-
visions but opponents attempted to do
away with the rate making. Only few
of the amendments were adopted but
enough so talk was going around that
the truck bill had reduced to a BIZ
cycle bill.
Representative Wangensteen of
Chisholm, stated on the floor of the
House that if the truck bill, H. F..
331, became law, it would automati-
cally place rate making with the In
terstate Commerce Commission. He
maintained that while the Minnesota
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
has Jurisdiction over intrastate rail
road rates and would also have juris-
diction on truck rates, the Interstate
Commerce Commission regulates in
terstate rates and therefore the two
have much in common. The Iron
Range fighter maintained that the
bill would take away home rule
through its fixing of minimum
charges. There must be competition,
especially in these days. He further
stated that the fixing Of rates would
be of benefit to the railroads in that
1t would work toward elimination of
competition. He also stated that the
government must not stand in the way
of progress, it is o. X. to regulate
the trucks and provide for more safe
ty but not to set the rate for hauling
charges. The railroads were subsi-
died some years ago by big land
grants. The bill as passed by the
House with substantial majority,
provides for supervision and regula-
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