The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-07-13
A PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION OF

A PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION OF
the WPA strikes, near to biting the hand
that's feeding one as a WPA strike comes,
is that politics, through the labor unions,
dictated the wage scales when it was pre-
tended, at least, that relief was a temper
airy proposition and heavy expenditures
were not taken seriously.
In that early day of relief, we assumed
that a relief job was the last man would
take and that he would make it as temper
airy as possible by grabbing the first private
place that opened for him. The wage paid,
therefore, and the time worked weren't par
ticularly important-it was all very temper
airy anyway.
But as time wore on, business improved
without much affect on relief work require
ments 1t became apparent that private en-
ployers weren't anxious to take rellefers, or
WPA men to take private employment. The
government offered more security, as good
or better pay, hours considered.
Today's WPA strikers have in their
favor, the fact that politics set the scale and
taught the gospel that the government owes
one a living. Precedent says that it shall
be an easy living. Against them is the fact
that it is no longer smart politics to be too
generous with WPA. The mounting national
debt, which at first scared only the fin
anciers, today is discussed around every
hasn't come to it yet, is growing in populari-
ty.
Unless there's another switch in public
sentiment, the WPAers may expect to work
longer hours for the same wage, or less.
BY THEIR ACTION LAST WEEK,
authorities here may have spared Redwood
county some such unfavorable publicity as
Crow Wing county has received through
wholesale raids by outside officials on places
operating slot machines and other gambling
devices.
Certainly we want no such stigma as
attends instances when village, city or coun-
ty officials are unable or unwilling to enforce
the law.
In resort country it may be popular
for officials to overlook infractions which
make it possible to extract extra dollars from
tourists, but there is no such. sentiment in
Redwood county A vote onsslot machines
here would be SO Overwhelmingly against,
that their owners would recount their
change and wonder what happened to the
suckers" on election day.
A little heat attends any effort at en-
forcement of any law short of murder but
the great silent public notes and mentally
commends. If more of the commentator
was vocal, all laws would be more diligently
enforced.
.
THE CRITICISM THAT governor
Stassen isn't loyal to the Republican party
made after a recent session the governor had
with party leaders, is point well taken; in
fact it is quite boost for the idealistic
young governor.
What Minnesotans have sought at cleo
tons, at least recently, have been governors
loyal to their promises and to the people of
the state, regardless of party label Occa-
sionally they have had such loyalty, more
often not.
The politicians promise has long been
treated with the same regard as the fisher
mans description of his catch. Governor
Stassen apparently intends to stuff his prom
ises, as some anglers do their fish, and point
with pride" at having faithfully kept them.
That's hard to STUFF down the seasoned
politicians throat but the governor need not
fear, it swallows well with the public.
.
TODAY THE FARM HOME IS A
very strange place to most town children,
youths and even adults. These city dwellers
see the farm only in sort of haze as they
speed by from here to there, and know it as
place where great difficulties arise from
drouth, surpluses, insects, mortgages and
market prices.-Willmar Journal.
BY ALL RIGHTS OF CORDIALITY
farmers should be able to park their cars in
front OF the stores and have easy access to