The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-30
Sees Time As Political Solvent
EAST LAUGHS At n. D.
~
Benson Notes View in Washington

and on q trial before q federal court,
1T makes no difference who made
the charges that led to Secretary
Ickes' inquiry. North Dakota news
papers had made much Of hangers
activities for months before the Pub
lie Works Administrator dispatched
Investigators to determine whether
LANCER was assessing federal relief
employees portion Of their salary.
That investigation ran on for some
time. What the Investigators report
ed to Mr.. Ickes was studied for sew
eral days. Evidently the secretary
was convinced that there was enough
material In the detectives report to
warrant prosecution. But even then
there was no prosecution till the De-
partment Of Justice had looked the
report over. And not until the De-
partment Of Justice passed the evil
dence on to the United States District
Attorney in North Dakota was there
prosecution.
And, Of course, the trial before q
jury In a federal district court speaks
for itself.
so in Washington Langer's request
that his own legislature make its In
vestigation and give him another
trial Is put down as another screwy
item In North Dakotas long record
Of screwy politics.
In line with Bensons comments Is
an editorial In the staid old Boston
Transcript, most conservative pub
lication In the habitat Of beans.
brown bread and Goldfish, which
credits this state with adding to the
JOY Of life In troubled world"
Says The Transcript under the
heading Comic Opera In North Da-
kota":
North Dakota may be said to be
adding to the Joy Of life in q trou-
bled world. The situation there, SUI
ficiently serious for the state itself,
nevertheless partakes Of the nature
OF comic opera with its chorus Of
troopers and country folk, presume
ably containing It's continent Of
merry village maidens. Two men
claim to be governor. One has the
support Of the courts and the protec-
ton Of the National Guard. The
other commands the legislature,
which meets despite his rivals efforts
to prevent its assembling,
In the present situation is q re-
minder OF the fact that when the
Constitution Of North Dakota was
framed there were written into it
elaborate provisions for the removal
OF governors who stepped from the
straight and narrow path, or other
wise became untitled to hold office.
It was not sufficient to say that q
governor might be impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors. AS
the fundamental law was laid down
In North Dakota, in case OF the
death, impeachment, resignation,
failure to qualify, absence from the
state, removal from office or the
disability OF the governor, the pow
ers and duties Of the office for the
residue Of the term, or until he shall
be acquitted or the disability be re-
moved, shall devolve upon the lieu
tenant governor
The Constitution Of Massachusetts
has 1t that the lieutenant governor
shall serve whenever the chair Of
the governor shall be vacant by rea-
son Of his death. or absence from
the Commonwealth or otherwise
Out In North Dakota they were ap-
parently determined not to take
chances with q word 80 indefinite In
meaning as otherwise They listed
specific causes for regarding the gov
ernor as disqualified. and they went
20 far that 1t would not be sufficient
for him to say, as justifying his con-
tinuatton In office, that charges
against him had not been proved.
He was not to serve until acquitted.
That IS q provision which presum-
ably has its bearing upon the present
situation.
"The trainers Of the Constitution
did not stop here. They wrote an
other section into that document In
which 1t was set forth that any gov.
ernor Of the state who asks, receives
or agrees to receive any bribe upon
any understanding that his official
opinion. judgment or action shall b
influenced thereby -. upon convic-
ton thereof shall forfeit all right to
hold or exercise any office Of trust
or honor Of this state
unless they have recently been
modified by amendment, these pro-
visions are still in the North Dakota
Constitution. When 4 governor looks
1t In the face, he sees that It has
plenty Of teeth, as far as he Is con-
cerned. He may get the idea that
the trainers Of this instrument re-
garded governors with about the
same degree Of suspicion as was felt
for the royal governors Of the Amer
lean colonies.
Governor LANCER was convicted in
federal court OF having collspired
against the United States when he
exacted political contributions from
FERA workers. He was sentenced to
imprisonment, but asserts that, q
ne has appealed, he Is not yet to be
regarded as convicted. But what Of
that word acquitted in the state
constitution? r he had not been
convicted. neither has he been fried
Of the charges against him. 90 In
the eye Of the law Is construed ~
the supreme court Of North Dakota
ne = not entitled longer to hold his
office.
But what's the Constitution among
friends? In particular, what's the
Constitutton to the famous Noupar-
tisan League which endorsed LANCER
ana = now reported 70 b prepared
TO march to the state capital. max
Ing the cowhide boots heard IN the
land7 The capital Il Bismarck. e
VIII b Of interest to see whether