Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-06-13
State Capitol News
BY A. l. HARRIS

The wage advantages that have ac-
crued to the worker the last eighteen
months because of the NRA codes Of
fair competition have been reflected
in marked decrease in wage dis
crepancies and the consequent pay
ment of wage adjustments to minors
in accordance with the requirements
of the Minnesota Minimum Wage Law.
With the suspension of the NRA
codes by the recent supreme court de-
cisiOn the sole responsibility for the
protection of the wage rights of these
minors now rests with the State of
Minnesota. A matter of immediate
concern is the necessity for the en-
actment of broader state legislation
prescribing minimum wages for adult
women. This will now doubtless re-
ceive new impetus in Minnesota.
Certain interests recently have been
stimulating criticisms of short sec
tions of water-bound macadam high
way constructed by the state high
way department in southeastern Min
nesOta. The work was done with fed
eral funds granted specifically to Gre
ate hand labor and to provide jobs in
winter months as we'll as in summer.
The amount of immediate employment
to be provided was the factor which
determined the selection of the type
of construction, not the question Of
final cost, according to highway de-
partment officials. Those interests
which now assert that concrete paw
ing should have been laid forget that
Uncle Sam was more interested il
jobs than in the type of surfacing
when he gave Minnesota the money;
and that if his regulations had been
disregarded there probably would
have been no improvement at all of
the roads in question.
! Governor Olson will seek between
$SO,O0O,O00 and $90,0OO,OOO in federal
funds for Minnesota in the largest
public works program ever submitted
by the state. The program was pre-
pared by the state planning commits
sion on request. of the governor. Min
nesota probably is the best prepared
state in the union to submit detailed
plans and projects under the public
works program as result of planned
effort and study i'm anticipation of
such policy on the part of Washing
ton. This is particularly true as 1t
pertains to conservation. Various
state departmental projects will be
submitted under one co-ordinated
plan.
Examinations were held last week
at the University of Minnesota to de-
termine the fitness of candidates to
fill 16 new positions which the state
Legislature created increasing the
force of the personnel of the Bureau
of Criminal Apprehension. The ex-
aminations were conducted by DR..
George w. Void. Nine new crime
investigators which will be appointed,
supervisor of the radio brOadcasting
station, three radio operators, sta
tistician and an assistant and a finger
print expert and photographer. The
radio broadcasting station for the bu-
reau Will be erected at Redwood Falls,
plans and specifications of which ara
now being drawn. Actual cOnstruc-
ton of the station. according to Mel
vim PassOlt, bureau head, will be
started and completed not later than
August. The new positions, according
to Mr.. PassOlt, will be filled from
those who make the best records in
the examinations. Under the plan
law enforcement officers in all parts
of the state will receive immediate
notification by radio of commission of
major crimes and apprehension of
dangerous criminals will be more GER
tain.
Minneapolis has a new industry.
The state emergency relief admin
stratfOn has opened a cOwhide tan
merry in that city with the support OF
the federal government. Relief work
ers will man the factories and the
products manufactured will 20 to re-
lief clients. Here is fine example
of production for use and not for
profit.
The approach of July 1 is no:
looked forward to with enthusiasm by
employees in the Farmer-Labor con-
trolled state departments as it will
mean a cut in wages in the face OF
leaping living costs. The Legislature
ordered the cuts. Employees in DEPART
ments under Republican control were
not cut. In fact, few were given