Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-06-09
More Than Three Hundred
Gather in AskOv to Hear
CubernatOrial Candidate.

Former Governor Hjalmar Peter
sen and Mrs. Petersen came home,
and real homecoming it was, Fri
day afternoon. A large crowd of
more than 800 people headed by the
band, which Hjalmar once directed,
was on hand to greet him. Not only
were local folks out in goodly num-
bers but there were some from prac-
tically every community in the county
present. The speaker held his audi
ence in marked silence on Main street
for more than an hour and a half
while he spoke by loud speaker sys-
tenn.
In launching his talk Mr.. Petersen
spoke of the peoples primary, which
he has sought to use rather than to
60 before job holder-packed con-
vention for his endorsement He
pleaded for better government, less
burden on the states taxpayers and
better cooperation between industry
and labor. The Capitol Hill machine
the Mexican Generals-will have
to 60 if 1 am elected, admonished Mr.
Petersen, and he will demand that
everyone on the state payroll give
full value received for the taxpayers
dollar.
The Governors Duties.
The speaker said that it is the
duty of the Governor of a state to
be Governor of all the people and
cited various strike incidents where
just certain group has been favored.
He scored belated action in the Du-
luth newspaper strike when the news
paper plants were closed seven weeks
with resultant loss to the employees,
newspapers and public. The Gov
ernor, when called upon to act in a
strike, should act as an umpire of
a baseball game-for both sides. He
cited his own actions in regards to
a Minneapolis strike when he was
Governor, but of course, said Hjalmar,
you didn't see it played up in the
Minnesota Leader. The industries
are here and with better handling of
state government more employment
can be stimulated. He cited many
instances to show how it could be
done and the mistakes that have
been made by the present administra-
ton.
Mr.. Petersen told of his criticism
as a Farmer-Labor leader and mem
Der and he told, likewise, of the
criticism he received from the inside
machine. He raped the Minnesota
Leader as kept press, saying that
of course when one mans name is
up to more than 200 times
in one issue there is not much room
for anything else. He told of the
difficulty encountered in getting let
tiers of divergent opinions from those
of the warped views of the editor,
published in the administration news
paper.
Furthermore, said Mr. Petersen, the
Farmer-Labor newspaper should be
neutral until after the primary cleo
ton decided who is to be the NOM
inee or nominees in the fall cleo
ton, then it would be a truly rep
resentative newspaper. The Farmer
Labor Association upholds the pri-
mary law, which gives the rank and
file of the people of the state the
opportunity to choose who are to be
their candidates and the association
has gone on record in opposing any
attempt made to repeal that law, but
it does not recognize members who
use it.
Mr.. Petersen discussed civil serv-
ice in government and stated that
the spoils system is costing the tax
payers more for their government.
If true merit law were to be placed
into effect, said Mr. Petersen, state
employees would not be going about
the state campaigning at taxpayers
expense. He has taken the leader
ship in advocating an adequate civil
service law, such as that sponsored
by the American Federation of Labor.
Mr. Petersen, also in his talk, con-
demned the action in removing Vic
tor Christgau as state administrator
of WPA and stated that it is queer
action to remove man from Ger
tain job and then offer him a promo
ton. He said that Washington re-
moved Christgau because they be-
came sick and tired of hearing from
the Mexican Generals. He COM
Christgau's work in the WPA.