Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-09-05
OLSON GETS
WORKS FACTS
A General Speeding up of
Work Relief Program
is Promised.
Christgau Gets Much Criti-
ciSm for Conduct of Ad-
illustrative Job.
BY HENRY G.. TEIGAN

BY HENRY G. TEIGAN
Governor Floyd B. Olson went to
Washington about ten days ago to see
what aid he could get in putting the
public works program, as it applies
to Minnesota, into operation.
On the whole, the Governor was
successful. He received assurance
that there would be a speed-up in the
work on WPA projects including six
water conservation jobs to which the
State has already advanced nearly
one million dollars. He also re-
ceived assurance that there would
be an advance of funds for rural cleo
trification as rapidly as plans for
electric lines can be forwarded to
Washington.
There are several other proposals
that the Governor made to said Of
ficials which were approved but the
two above were undoubtedly the most
important.
Complaint About ChriStgau.
In this connection. though, it is
proper to appoint out that there is
much complaint being made by var
iOus groups as to the way Victor
Christgau, WPA administrator for
the state, is handling his affairs.
Among the things most complained
of is the manner in which Mr.. Christ
gau set about to conduct the Emer-
At the recent convention of the Min
nesOta State Federation of Labor at
Red Wing, a resolution was adopted
cOndemning ChriStgaus failure to CO.
operate with the State Department of
Education. This is all the more sur
prising since Harry L. Hopkins. Ma
tional WPA administrator has ordered
his subordinates, including Mr.. Christ
gau, to cooperate with the State De-
partment of Education in every case
The appointment of F. B. Andrian of
New Ulm, a conservative campaigner
for Republican policies and the sales
tax, was especially Objectionable to
the organized workers. Moreover. the
convention went on record as endors-
ing Fundamentally the work of John
G.. Rockwell, state Commissioner of
Education.
On this point, it is worth quoting
from Works Progr SIS Administration
kins on July %, last. The quotation
reads as follows:
I'm choosing an assistant director
in charge of Education it is essential
that the state works progress admin
istrator consult with the State Super
intendent of Education so that a man
who will actively, seek and secure
harmonious and cooperative relation
ships with the state and local super
intendents of schools may be OBJ
tanned"
The language used by Mr.. Hopkins
is easily understood. 1t is equally
apparent that Mr.. Christian has COM
pletely ignored the order Of the ma
tional administrator.
Peterson Cracks Down on Weber.
Another thing of interest to Min
nesCta people is the expose by Attor-
ney General Harry H. Peterson of the
manner in which Senator Vim Weber
and other reactionary Senators put
through the feed loan law during the
recent session of the Legislature. Mr..
Weber complains Of the attorney gen.
erals rulings on the payments made
by the farmers to repay the loans.
They are to be paid lin kind" This
means. of course, that the quality
must be the same as that of the loan.
The language of law enacted by the
Legislature over the protest of Mr..
Peterson last session is responsible
for the difficulty that the farmers
find themselves in making repayment
of the loans. In other words, the
Legislature enacted loan law in
stead of a relief law according to
the attorney general Mr.. Petersen
wrote letter TO Vim Weber which
has been given considerable publicity
in the press exposing the hypOcricy
of the Republican legislators respon-
sible for the joker in the law.
II is becoming more and more APP
parent to the people of Minnesota that
their only real friends are the Farm
er-Labor officials and not the Repub-
lican Legislators who foisted upon
them legislation unfavorable to their
interests such as the seed loans law
and the late lamented sales tax
scheme.