Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-03-05
THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
By CONG. JOHN PAUL KvALE

hopes to be able next week to prepare
the letter himself but was unable to
do SO this week because he is still
confined to his home, recuperating
from his recent illness. He has,
therefore, asked that this column be
written by c. d. Johnny" Johnston,
secretary to Senator Elmer A. Benson,
and a former Minnesota political
writer, whose letter follows:
The new farm bill or soil conserva-
ton act joined the bonus bill this
week in the accomplishments OF Con-
gress, and took its place in this ses-
sion's files of things accomplished.
How effective it will be is story
that remains to be written, but the
general congressional opinion is that
it will go far to Supplant the assas-
sinated triple A and accomplish much
to benefit agriculture even though far
from satisfactory, especially to the
dairying groups, and still far out OF
line with any economy of abundance.
Midwest militants and liberals
from all sections still are insistent
that no agriculture program can pre-
tend completeness until the paddock
is taken off the Rules Committee
door, and the FrazierLemke bill is
pulled out of its iron bound chest.
Many congressman not nearly so in
terested as are our Minnesota Farm
er-Labor delegation members, are anx-
ious to have the bill brought to a
vote just so the true stand of a lot
of Mos will be entered in black and
white, for the scrutiny of their con-
stituents at next falls election.
Following last weeks caucus the
Frazier-Lemke prospects seemed to
brighten again and an intensive drive
was begun this week to try to force
it out of the Rules Committee.
In the midst of all the eastern at
tention to such affairs as the firing
of General Johnson Hagood, and the
District of Columbia's battle over the
ridiculous red rider, the Washington
event of the week most important to
Minnesotas immediate welfare oc-
Cured, not on Capitol Hill at all, but
down in the rather inconspicuous
offices of the new Social Security
board. Upon the outcome of discus
sions there, hung suspended the ques-
tion of whether or not Minnesota was
to get all or even part of the approx
imately 100000 it had expected
from the federal government to fl
nance its old age pension plan. The
situation is ineXcusable, in the eyes
of the Farmer-Labor members of
Congress who have been striving to
do everything they could to get the
Social Security board to approve Min
nesota's new law and advance the
money.
Minnesota's Senators and Congress
men, regardless of party, stand solldly
for the principle that the Federal
board should not attempt to invade
states rights, especially in view OF
the recent extended efforts of the
supreme court to protect those rights
except in cases where the court
itself invades them to prevent, for
instance, the state of North Dakota
from taxing railroad.
But with every effort to be fair and
impartial, it must be said that the
blame for Minnesota's Social Security
difficulties, and for the loss to the
state of federal funds, should that
occur, may be laid directly at the
feet of the conservative crowd in Min
nesota legislature Senator Benson,
who conferred with the Social Secur-
ity board in company with Kenneth
Haycraft, the states new Old Age
assistance director, has been in daily
touch with the federal board, urging
that they expedite a settlement OF
the difficulties. He has asserted he
is confident the federal board is try
ing to do everything it can, and that
the state board of control and Mr.
Haycraft have done everything they
can to iron out the difficulties, but
responsibility for the confusion hangs
conspicuously about the necks of some
of the leaders of Minnesota's recent
special session.
In the first place any federal agen.
cy which deals out federal money ir
enormous sums to states demands
that expenditure and administration
of these funds be centralized in one
responsible agency of the state, ap
proved by the federal agency. Fur
thermore, the federal government re-
fuses to release funds to be expended
in any state unless it is assured thai
enough state funds will be available
to efficiently and judiciously admin
lister those allotted. The 100000 i!
in Washington, and should be avail
able to the needy men and womel
over Is years of age in Minnesota, thu
senator commented. However, thu
states conservative Legislature, will
what might even seem to be a studio,
deliberateness, raised bars agains
both of the federal requirement
early in the days of the special ses
sion. Merrill G. Murray, a Mime
sofa University man recognized il
Washington as an expert in social sc
curity matters, was sent to Minnesot;
to lend his assistance in seeing tina
the Minnesota security program wa
hole nroof He remained in ST Pau