The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-01-14

the proper management and mar
keting of their wood-lot products
through encouragement Of cooper
ative marketing and finding new
uses for the different kinds OF
timber grown on wood lots.
In the southern and southwestern
counties Of our state many Of the
groves and shelter belts have suf-
fered considerable damage through
the present drouth. Among works
designed for relief of unemploy-
ment, the rehabilitation of these
groves and shelter belts should re-
ceive serious attention.
For a numbr OF years conserva-
ton activities were directed by a
five-man commission. Such a COM
mission at the time of its creation
was considered as providing the
best possible medium for admins
tering and directing conservation.
In some states this commission
form of organization worked very
effectively. In others a conservation
commissioner appointed by the gov
ernor gave equally good results. The
five-man commission was in the
nature of an experiment.
I am strongly inclined to the
view that a conservation commits
sioner appointed by the Governor
will center responsibility and make
possible a more efficient carrying
out of conservation policies. The
five-man commission, under our
law, is the policy-making body,
while the commissioner is the ad-
ministrative head of the depart
ment. No one has yet been able to
define exactly what constitutes pol
icy and what constitutes admins
tration, and where the line be-
tween the two is drawn. The re-
suit has been constant Commissions
and irritations. I recommend tbs
adjustment of the Conservation
Commission.
We must look to the development
of our recreational facilities SO
that they are accessible to our en-
tire population. We have here, also
field for great cultural develop
ment.
Conservation and fish experts
are agreed as to the necessity OF
removing rough fish from the
lakes. Their removal, however, pre-
sents not only a conservation but a
commercial problem as well. The
experience of the department in
dealing with commercial fishermen
has not been in either the best in
terests of the state or Of conserva-
ton. You should consider the feas-
Utility Of the state itself removing
the rough fish instead Of leasing
the lakes to commercial fishermen
The time when the present known
supplies of high grade ores in the
state-owned mines will have been
exhausted is in sight. Already re-
search has developed methods OF
treating low grade ores and to
make them salable. In this field
there is no precedent established in
any other state as this problem is
unique to Minnesota. Provision
should be made for the expansion
of the research facilities of the De.
partment of Conservation and the
University School of Mines.
Unemployment Relief
The continued unemployment OF
millions of workers throughout the
country presents not only a gigan-
tic relief problem, but makes nee
essary a complete revision in our
approach to the problem of relief
generally. The unemployed person
in need of relief is not one requir-
ing special social care; he is vic
tim of a system and of factors over
which he has no control. Those
who still require special social
care should be separated from the
jobless, whose sole need is work, OF
the income which he would derive
from work.
A new national and state policy
rejecting this new attitude to
wards the unemployed is vitality
needed. Unemployment assistance
should start not after the person
out of work has expended all Of his
or her resources and has come to
the stage Of actual pauperization,
but as soon as he or she becomes
jobless.
The income of the jobless, of
course, should come through social
insurance, but until adequate social
insurance can be established cover
ing all workers, it is patent that
either jobs must be supplied by the
government or cash allowances or
unemployment assistance given.
A provisional work program could
be administered through the In
dustrial Commission. Such a plan
could take effect with grants by
the Federal Government through
the Works Progress Administers
ton. We must impress upon the
Federal Government that full con-
tinuance, and even increase of the
Works Progress Administration Is
imperative.
The unemployment problem, OF
course, Is national in scope, and
state and local governments cannot
carry the burden. The Federal Gov
eminent must assume its full res
possibility.
General Relief
The necessity for general relief
will, continue. General relief Is de-
signed to meet the needs Of those
persons and families who do not
fall into any of the categories of
the federal social security and en-
ployment programs; those who
may become eligible later on but
who are not currently permitted to
participate in the several types of
state aid, and those who are elig-
IDLE for the federal employment and
other programs but who, because