The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-08-12

the efforts of administration leaders to
discredit him have also increased. No
opportunity has been lost by the Capt
tol Crowd" to crack down on the former
governor He in turn has called them
Mexican Generals" and has been
openly at odds with the Abe Harris-Art
Jacobs-Roger Rutchick combination
which together with the governor have
dominated party affairs.
A few weeks ago Hjalmar Petersen
appeared on the same platform with the
governor at a Dakota County picnic and
each expressed divergent views regard
ing the work of the state legislature
The governor continued to attack the
legislature, especially the senate, and
Hjalmar Petersen complimented the
legislature on the work accomplished.
Shortly after this clash of opinion
the Chippewa County Farmer-Labor
association at Milan passed resolution
cenSuring Petersen for his actions and
such resolutions were scored by Peter
sen this week when he said:
individuals refusing to obey the
dictates of the party's political machine
are often the target of resolutions
passed at sparsely attended local, county
and district party meetings. State job
holders told what to do are running the
show, at these meetings" Petersen as
serted.
Merit System Gets Back
The merit system regarding state gov
eminent employees received another
blow this week when Governor Ben
sons wholesale "house cleaning"
swooped down on the Department of
Agriculture and ousted j. H. Hay, de-
putty commissioner Of that department
and c. P. Bull, state weed inspector.
No charges were made against either of
these men both of whom it is claimed
have rendered efficient service to the
state. G. P. Bull held this position
through the entire Floyd Olson adj
minlstration and in fact since the adj
ministration of j. o. A. Preus. But Jobs
must be found for the favorites of the
present political powers and the old
time employees, no matter how efficient,
must go to make room for those the
capitol Crowd" wants to reward.
Veterans Relief Agency Abolished
The state executive council this week
abolished the war veteran relief agency
headed by George Sjoselius and trans
ferred that activity to the state board of
control.
The abolition of the veterans bureau
was vehemently opposed by Stafford
King, sole Republican council member
when the idea was proposed by Gov
ernor Benson.
The governors resolution transfers
the veterans welfare work to a depart
ment under the board of control headed
by David Lundeen, brother of Senator
Ernest Lundeen and was termed by
Stafford King as political move"
King repeatedly crossed words with
the chief executive during the stormy
session and said 1--WE are jeopardizing
the welfare of every soldier under the
soldier preference act"
BensOn's New York Trip
Anti Communist organization leaders
of the state went on record this week
with criticisms of the attendance of
Governor Benson at a New York meet
ing of the American League against
War and Fascism. This organization,
it is claimed, is purely communistic and
the announcement that Benson would
lead the parade in connection with the
meeting was first announced in the
Daily Worker, central organ of the
Communist party in the United States.
Later this was denied by the governor
who said he had merely accepted an in
vitation to be one of the principal
speakers at the meeting.