The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-17
NONP ARTISANS talk
POLITICAL PEACE AS
AFTERMATH OF VOTE
Consider Ways Of Restoring
Harmony; Some Would Go
Over to Democrats

Efforts to unite the two factions Of
the Nonpartisan League with view
to controlling the next house Of rep
|resentatives and electing q speaker
are being made by some members Of
the two factions - q preliminary to
the legislative session, according tc
reports in political circles.
Incidentally, some Of these sug-
gestions carry with them the recon-
mendation that the Nonpartisan
League abandon the Republican party
and 60 over en- masse to the Demo-
cratic party with which, some Of It's
leaders contend, It always has had
more In common than Is the case
with the Republican party.
The outcome Of these discussions,
Of course, will not be apparent until
It Is possible to sound out the various
members Of the house as to their ct.
titude. Numerous letters already
have been sent to them In IN effort
to sound q rallying cry but how ef.
fective this will DO cannot be esti-
mated now. It may be impossible to
do 80 until they gather here for the
conferences which always precede .
legislative session.
Several Are Mentioned
Actively mentioned Is Republican
candidates for the speakership are
Harvey Solberg, second termer from
Williams county, and John A. Erick-
son Of Mclean. Solberg Is . men,
Der Of the anti-Langer faction while
Erickson q . Langerite.
Neither group has sufficient power
to elect . speaker without help from
one or more Of the other three which
will be represented In the house, al
though the two Nonpartisan factions,
taken together. will comprise q maj
ority.
Conversations within the Nonpar-
tisan camp to date have had to do
with the basis on which their differ
ences might be adjusted. In this
connection it Is becoming increasingly
clear that the main consideration will
have to be remuneration Of Langerism
and return to the original ideas Of
the league. This reorganization would
put many Of those who supported the
deposed executive out In the political
cold, or at least require them to make
public retraction Of their previous
stand.
May Join Democrats
But unless this Is done there Is
more likelihood that the anti-Ianger
leaguers will join with the Democrats
and the remnants Of the old IVA
faction In the formation Of . coali-
ton to elect . speaker and dominate
the house.
The proposal to have the Nonpar-
tisans Join the Democrats contem-
plates seizing control Of that party.
The argument Is made that It Is tne
Nonpartisans who have always given
major support to Democratic presi-
Dental candidates In this state and
that they have little In common with
the Republicans under whose banner
they have sailed.
Besides, and this lends weight to
the argument, the prospect Is that
such q switch would give them places
at the pie counter, both federal and
state.
Speculation has turned, too. toward
legislation which will be proposed at
this session OF the legislature. Ger.
tain to come In Is the livestock weigh
ing and grading measure, passed at
the last session and vetoed by the
governor. The educational groups will
sponsor q transactions tax bill, SIM
liar In purpose to . sales tax, for the
benefit Of the schools. In addition an
effort viii be made to bolster the
nominal old-age pension bill enacted
two years ago and q flood Of similar
social legislation" may be expected.