The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-25
LANCER MAINTAINS
SILENCE ON VITAL
QUERIES OF VOTERS
Fiqht Centers Around convic-
ton Of Executive on Fed.
eral Charges
DEMOCRATS REMAIN QUIET
Week ls Marked by intensive
Battling Of Three Repub-
lican Candidates

Iican Candidates
A raging, tumultuous campaign by
time pressed candidates, unparalleled
in North Dakota's history, comes to q
close Wednesday, when electors
throughout the state claim the final
Word.
It has been q campaign centering
in and revolving around the convic-
ton Of one man on criminal charges
the conviction Of william LANCER on
charges Of defrauding the United
States government.
Time has been one Of the most I'm
portant factoc6 In the three-cornered
Fight for the right to enter the field
in the general election as the Repub-
:ican nominee. Little campaigning
was done during the trial Of LANCER,
which ended only II days before the
primary election date.
Each Of the three candidates for
Republican gubernatorial nomination
IT, H. H. Thoresen, J. p. Cain and
Langer-has plunged through an In
tenstve schedule Of speeches and
meetings. which began in earnest little
more than Z week ago.
Democrats on Sideaines
The campaign has been marked, too,
BY the spectacle Of m opposing party
THE Democrats sitting quietly on
the sidelines, taking no deeply &C
tive part in the pre-primary cam
paigning. husbahding their strength
for the fall battle, satisfied that its
endorsed slate will be nominated.
Only two Of its candidacies-the gov
ernorship and congressman-are be-
Ing contested. Thomas Noodle Is OPP
POSED by r. A. johnson for governor,
and +. A. Joaansson has filed for
congressman.
Langer, stepping into q last minute
drive for votes, under forced draft,
has appealed to electors to support
him on the basis Of his record as gov
ernor.
i His opponents have met his plea
with criticism and point to his ad-
missions during hts trial Is points
upon which he should be rejected.
As the hour for voting approached
these were elements LANCER must
overcome to be chosen the nominee:
!. Conviction Of charges Of de-
frauding the United States govern
ment.
2. Revolt Of six state officials
against his rule.
3. Questioning by federal forces Of
legality Of more than 100000 In high
way contracts signed by Frank Vogel,
state highway commissioner and
LANCER appointee.
1. Time.
5. Admissions by LANCER during
his trial that . portion Of funds COL
lected by five per cent contributions
from state employees salaries reverted
to his personal bank account.
Silent on Important Issues
To three important questions, Lang
er has remained virtually silent: re-
pudiation Of him by fellow state Of
ficials: the questioning Of validity Of
road contracts because Of Vogel's con-
victiOn: and his own conviction.
LANCER explained solicitation OF
state employees as . practice which
has obtained "since territorial days."
Daily, charges on which LANCER
was convicted have been reiterated
by his opponents. The group Of state
officials which stepped away from
him, did 90, they explained, because
they could not "conscientiously SUBJ
scribe to the acts Of q man who stands
convicted In federal court Of crime
that constitutes . felony"
Announcement by federal author
tiles that they questioned Vogel,s right
to sign contracts for road work, and
that such contracts would have to be
validated by "some future highway
commissioner" followed closely on the
heels Of hangers reputation by his
associates.
So intense Is the interest in the
outcome Of the primary election that
statewide machinery will be put into
operation to facilitate gathering Of
returns and give them to the public at
the earliest possible hour.
Key men in the huge election ma
chine Of more than 5000 workers viii
Continued on Page D