Askov American., 1937-12-16
State Capitol News
BY A. I. HARRIS

BY A. I. HARRIS
Members of the Minnesota Farm
Conference Board, which was set up
by the Minnesota farm conference
October 4, to press for the program
mapped out at the meeting, gathered
in ST. Paul this week to hear a re-
port from NJ w. Thatcher, member
of the board, who has been to Wash
ington.
While the Minnesota plan-which
would set basic price on major farm
products-is getting considerable at
tention in Washington, board men,
bers were told that Congress is still
too conservative to enact such pro-
gram as Minnesota farmers want.
Congress may change its tune the
way farm prices are going now,"
John Nelson of Brookston, chairman
of the committee, said. Another
member, j. o. Bjorklund of Henning,
said that "if farm conditions get
worse at the rate they have during
the last 80 days, Congress is going
to get more heat from the farmers
of this country than it's looking for"
Meanwhile the farm committee
board debated the advisability of
sending larger delegation to Wash
ington in a last-minute effort to
liberalize the measure before the ma
tional lawmaking body.
After speaking on behalf of Tom
Mooney before a huge San Francisco
gathering numbering $4,000 people in
the civic auditorium, Governor Ben
son paid a visit to the famous labor
prisoner in his San Quentin Jail cell,
while on his recent California trip.
The gathering was reported to be
the largest ever held for Mooney.
Visibly shaken by the visit of Min
nesota's governor, Mooney recited to
Benson some of the history of his
long struggle for freedom and for
vindication. He expressed hope that
his Imprisonment would soon be ter
minated, as a result of renewed ac-
tivity on his behalf in the national
congress and in other quarters.
Benson delivered greetings to
Mooney from the Minneapolis Board
of Business Agents, the railroad
brotherhoods, the Minneapolis build
ing trades council, the moulderS un-
ion (Mooney's own union) and the
Labor Review The Governor, while
in California, was escorted by Her.
bert Resner, young San Francisco
lawyer who is secretary of the San
Francisco Bay Area A. F. of L. COM
mittee for the freedom Of Mooney
and Billings.
Congressman John T. Bernard de-
clared himself last week as ''unalter-
ably opposed to the proposed con-
solidation of the Duluth and Iron
Range Railway with the Duluth,
Mesabi and Iron Range Railway"
The case is being argued before
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion by Assistant Attorney-General
Harry Oehler and Harold Atwood,
railroad and warehouse commissioner,
both opposing the merger. Oehler
declared that the state would stand
to lose $44 900 in taxes if the merger
went through. The U. S. Steel Cor
poration owns both the Oliver Min
ing Co. and the Duluth, Mesabi and
Iron Range road.
eff the time ever comes," Benson
told small gathering of friends some
time ago, "when the daily press be-
gins to say some complimentary
things about me, you will have rea-
son to become suspicious" Thus far,
there has been no occasion for suspi-
cion.
The Senate committee investigat-
ing the receivership Of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul Railroad,
which was in effect during the years
1925-28, has revealed the manner in
which the banking house which was
appointed trustee - the Guaranty
Trust Company-acted to deplete the
bondholders equity in the property
by exorbitant charges for services.
The Guaranty Trust Company it
self was paid $340,O00; its attorneys
received $333,000 and for acting as
depository for one group of bond
holders the bank received an addi-