The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-02-24
Chief
ASSERTS n. D. men
FAVORED ON WORK
Charges Terrible Misstatement
Of Fact to Majority Of
Probe Committee
SAYS QUERIES MISLEADING
Says All We Have Been Able to
Furnish Have Jobs on
Construction
nv The Assoctated Pressl

Declaring that citizens Of the state
Ito my own certain knowledge are
being employed on the capitol build
ing In all capacities where we have
been able to furnish them" Roy q.
Arntson, president Of the state fed
Grafton Of labor, Friday took issue
NTH a finding by the majority Of
the legislative investigating commit
tee that their records show only two
North Dakota residents are employed
on the state capitol building.
He termed the finding "the most
terrible misstatement Of facts" and
said he was never called to "refute
the misleading questions" by the
committees attorney.
Arntson's statement read:
press dispatches February 22nd
gave the following as part Of q state
ment by the investigating committee
having to do with the capitol build
ing commission. I quote as follows:
SO far as this record shows, only
the Waterman and the son Of the
president Of the commission are
North Dakota residents
Il can hardly believe 1t possible
such q statement was issued by the
Investigation committee, but II It Is
q fact 1t Is both comical ana tragic.
It Is the most terrible miSstatement
of fact, as far a. the true condition
of labor on this job goes, that It
mas ever been my lot to come In
contact with, therefore refuse to
believe that members Of my own DO.
litical party have made It.
Il was told by Mr.. Flannigan that
I would be given an opportunity 70
give the actual fact Of this Job from
labor's standpoint. Also Mr.. Mat.
thaei. chairman Of the Investigation
committee, stated that It appeared
the facts would not be made public
as they actually are, unless would
appear before tho committee and
give them. However. was never
called to refute the misleading oues>i
tons by the attorney for the Gomez
mittee and answers by men vhd;
Know nothing Of the actual factA
Is Labor's Representative j
I have been lAbor's representative:
IN negotiations with the capitol COM:
mission and Lundoff- Bicknell o.. ne
all times. And except for members
OF the state federation Of labor who
served with me as q committee. no
one else has had any part In labors
interests
I want the people of North Da-
kota to know that labor on the capi.
sol job IS all right and II permitted
70 be left alone, free from agitators
and calamity howlers, viii continue
to be all right. Citizens of the state.
to my own certain knowledge are be-
ing employed on the job in all ca
pacities where we have been able to
furnish them"
Senator w. E. Matthaei, chairman
OF the legislative investigating com
mlttee, said Friday that the findings
contained in the committee ma Tor.
lty report are badly distorted" He
said he is drawing up a separate
report which will be available not
later than Monday.
Matthaei made the statement IN
commenting on the charge made by
Arntson.
He said he agreed with Arntson
relative to the testimony at hear.
ings OF the capitol investigating com.
raittee not bearing out findings Of
the committee in regard to the EN-.
ployment OF North Dakota labor"
Virtually all laborers employed. as
SHOWN by the transcript ~ tset,-
money! Matthaei said, were Nortr
Dakota men. In this particular. A.
well as other Of the findings Of thu
four committeeman who signed thu
majority report, the facts are badly
distorted.
Mr.. Arntson. however, is yerv
much IN error in assuming that I
signed such a report. Neither do !
remember that Mr.. Arntson re-
quested to be called as a witness In
testify In regard to the labor situa-
ton on the job"