The Ely miner., 1938-02-17
loaded with powerful dynamite. This
is being explained in this way:

is being explained in this way:
The insiders in administration coun-
cils greatly fear that it is not the
lieutenant governorship Lommen is
after but that he is using this an
nOuncement as threat with which to
club Governor Benson into discarding
Congressman John T. Bernard in the
Eighth District and support none other
than Lommen for that post. It is
known that Jommen has long cast
longing eyes on that plum but things
have not been right for him to go after
it.
Now, however, he feels situation has
arisen which puts the coveted fruit
within his reach-that is if it were not
for Governor Benson. Unpopular
though Bernard is in the district, Lom-
men knows that he would have hard
| shedding going after the nomination for
congress without Governor Benson'S
blessing and active support. But this
he refuses to do and insists on sticking
closely to Bernard in thick and thin.
Lommen apparently believes that
different situation could be created if
the governors hand could be forced
1t is thought by some, reputedly also
by Lommen, that threatening to file for
lieutenant governor might turn the
trick. Speaker of the House Barker is
an avowed candidate for the post and
the governor quite obviously feels OBJ
ligated to support him for it. Under
those circumstances, Lommen's filing
for lieutenant governor would comph-
cate things most embarrassingly for the
administration unless Barker could be
induced to voluntarily withdraw Those
who know Barker feel that is more than
can be expected and that he is in
position to cause plenty trouble should
he decide to go on the warpath.
So, it is claimed, the only way to
circumvent such an unpleasant i'm
passe. admittedly fraught with dire
possibilities for the powers that be in
Farmer Labor party affairs, would be
for the governor to ditch Bernard and
let Lommen run for congress. The con-
census of observers opinion is that the
latter would be less risky than to let
Lommen carry out his threat and run
for what Barker is said to regard as
his private preserves.
Then there is this which has beer
for some time common knowledge
among the insiders of things political
around the Capitol-namely, that skids
are being put in readiness for easing
State Treasurer Halvorson out Of his
position at the state convention or in
the primary. 1t seems that the "gen-
erals have soured on him as not "pro-
gressive" enought-some interpret that
as meaning not radical enough to suit
them. Another party storm is said to
be brewing in this connection.
But the thing which is causing Gov-
ernor Benson as well as his generals"
real worry is the insiStence of the rank
and file to know why any Farmer
LaIborite who wants to cannot file for
public office without first obtaining
the endorsement of the state conyen-
ton. In this connection the state pri-
mary and other election laws are being
cited by the perplexed ones.
Some even go SO far as to say they
feel that the Farmer-Labor party lead
erS who insist on ignoring the direct
primary system are going backward
instead of forward. This brings lp the
proposed amendment to the Farmer
Labor association constitution to be
acted on at the Farmer-Labor associ-
alton state convention next month re-
quiring every affiliating unit to support
all the candidates endorsed by the con-
vention. Failure so to do would mean
expulsion for the Farmer-Labor party.
for the offending group as well as its
constituent members
Should this amendment be adopted. it
would result in the expulsion of all
such units and individual members of
the party who are now actively sup
porting the candidacy of HjaImar
Petersen for governor and Commits
sioner Atwood for reelection to the
state railroad and warehouse com
mission, should they fail to get the con-
vention endorsement next month,
Where do the voters come in under
this system of boss controlled con-
vention rule?" is the question the real
liberals among the Farmer-Iaborites
are asking.