Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-03-26
THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
By CONG. JOHN PAUL KVALE


BY CONG. JOHN PAUL KvALE
Gone a'glimmering were hopes OF
congressional leaders for early May
adjournment when the Presidents
combined relief and WPA message
this week coupled itself with the tax
problem to pitch two extremely hot
political and economic potatoes into
the congressional lap. Hinted at in
an item in last weeks letter, it bears
out the prediction that Congress or
the administration can no longer
close its eyes to the most gripping
problem the nation faces.
That it will appreciably prolOng
the Congressional session is a fore
gone conclusion. The President and
his best advisors have estimated the
country's needs for relief for the next
year at a billion and half. Already
the political opposition tries to char
acterize this fund as campaign fund.
while economically-minded fol S
within his own party are instituting
attempts to white it to billion or
less. In the face of the demonstrated
needs in the nation, it appears impos-
sible that the stated minimum needs
of the administration will be reduced.
But it means tug of war both in
House and Senate, and one that will
not be disposed of speedily or easily.
Minnesotans will be interested in
the fact that if the new authorize
lions are approved. and monies are
made available, it will go far to as
sure the forward action and compile
tion of some of the projects that have
been hanging fire for the past several
months, with their status uncertain.
In addition to local projects, they in
clude improvement plans of such
statewide interest as the Lac qui
Parle, the Bots des Sioux, and others.
Disastrous floods, scourging the en-
tire northeastern part of the United
States, have during the week awak-
ened the entire nation to the impor-
tance of the preservation and conser-
walton of the national water supply.
1t not only knits in with the AAA
soil conservation program, not only
fits intimately into the recent
and historic report of the Soil
Conservation Service in collaboration
with Resettlement Administration and
Rural Electrification Administration
as it applies particularly to our Upper
Mississippi and our general water
conservation program, but it bears
casioned by flooding waters that have
followed excessive cold and SHOWS
throughout the nation.
The erosion of soil, the protection
against food, the preservation of river
and lake levels, the conservation OF
wells and artesian supplies, the pro-
lection Of forests, the care of game
and bird propagation sources, are all
involved in this problem. Foremost
among them naturally are to be found
the human needs. And for those who
are sufficiently interested there is a
covers the whole question of water
conservation. Supplies are limited
and requests will be met while the
copies are available. Preference nat
urally will be given to libraries and
schools.
Because these remarks were cOnsid-
cred particularly timely this week, in
view of the floods and water condi-
tions, the review of the recent wild
life conference held in Washington
will be deferred for another week
Space does not permit of an adequate
summary of both problems. For that
matter, all these paragraphs are nc
more than thumb-nail sketches, and
do not pretend to be more than such
A rather striking illustration was
given this week of how House rules
can be manipulated when the occa-
sion arises. About two weeks ago
House leaders and the members of the
Rules and Banking committees had
been soundly beaten when they tried
to bring in a bill that would have
permitted the RFC to be immune
dlly Wy SldlcS VI OtuSI
agencies. Undaunted, the Rules Com.
mittee brought in a new rule that
permitted consideration of a Senate
bill, practically identical. 1t was
given right of way; pressure, both
lobbying and political was employed
and the result was that the bill went
over with bang. 1t denies the states
the right to tax the holdings of the
RFC, and for all practical purposes
sets up another set of tax-eXempt Sc
curities. Feeling ran rather high in
the House; several members felt thai
they had been tricked, inasmuch as
they had recorded themselves a few
days earlier on the identical question
But the administration won.
The peculiar part of it is that the
measure, strongly desired by the
bankers and the industrialists who
lean on the RFC, could secure tive
hearings and two separate rules from
the powerful Rules committee of the
House, eventually gaining passage
with the aid of party discipline
whereas the FraZier-T emke refinanc