The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-08-10

AL IIkuLS VI ICpuUlACdLlO1l Va An Vt4AC1
matter herein are also reserved.
Put Up or Shut Up
Under the above caption, Mr.. L. ].
Siljan, editor of the Mclean County
Independent, recently called on Sen
ator Gerald p. Nye to bring what
ever proof he has Of graft anywhere
in the state administration to the
proper tribunal. which in this case is
the house committee" appointed by
the recent abortive special session to
investigate the LANCER record.
The committee evidently was In
complete sympathy with this idea.
for it practically dared the senator
to appear before it and present the
facts upon which he based his recent
charges OF untold graft" In the
LANCER administration.
But after Wednesdays fiasco, the
shoe is on the other foot. The sena-
tor appeared before the sub-commit-
tee for the obvious purpose Of dis
closing what he knows, but was
denied a public hearing. The in
vestigators may be willing to learn
what he has to say, but seem despe-
rately afraid to take the public into
their confidence. They seek to keep
both the nature and the details Of
the senator's proof from public view.
This is hardly in keeping with
either the spirit Of democracy or the
ideals which the committee has at
tributed to itself. It smacks strong
ly Of a desire to use the whitewash
brush on the excuses Of the admin
istration which ended when LANCER
was removed from office. It ignores
entirely the fact that the matter un-
der consideration is public business
and that the committee members
have no powers other than those con-
ferred upon them as representatives
Of the people.
When they decline to hold public
sessions they place themselves In the
position Of employees who refuse to
take the boss into their confidence on
matters in which that boss is vitality
interested. The voters of North Da-
kota should keep this fact In mind
in estimating both the actions Of the
committee and the report which 1t
probably will make as to its activities
Nye's attitude in refusing to enter
a star chamber session is based on
several very obvious conclusions. The
personnel Of the committee as well
as the fact that it holds its sessions
in the headquarters Of the LANCER
defense committee, indicates very
clearly that it may be interested ir
suppressing facts inimical to the re.
cent governors interests. II thu
secret intention is to WELD the white.
wash brush, to which it chung 50 ten.
aciously Wednesday, it would place Nye
in the uncomfortable position Of hav'
ing the truth Of his allegations denied
after . presumed investigation. with.
out letting the public know upo1
what they were based.
Senator Nye and the interests rep.
resented by the committee are en-.
gagged in a contest for public suppor
in the form Of votes. Each, unques'
tionably, seeks to make the best i'm
preston on the public and Nye woul,
lose were he to submit his proofs Il
secret only to have them declared
groundless by the investigators. Tn
whole business would simply resolv
itself into another question OF "wh
killed cock robin" and the matter
too important and too serious fo
that.
As matters stand now, the sub
committee has ample opportunity {
prove its good intentions by liftin
the rule calling for secret session
and permitting the senator to public
" state upon what he bases allega
lions of the most serious character
Within the next week It can easil
contact all members Of the full com
mittee and get permission for = pub
lie hearing.
Unless it does so, 1t challenges It
own integrity and gives weight to tn
contention that 1t has no sincere de
sire to get at the facts.
Mr.. siljan's put up or shut ur
now is reversed. It looks very niue
q though the committee had worke
itself into . nasty hole from whie
Il can extricate itself only by "com
:ng ciean."
The sub-committee may feel thu
this would merely be jumping frol
the frying pan into the fire. 81
even 50. It cannot well justify its pos
ton Of keeping the facts from tt
public. whatever they may b.
sDivorsion Without = Dam
The stand taken ~ the adminil
A-<sn., <s.a$ q ,,s11 t,,,llA m dam