Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-01-05

now in active force in five of the
states of the union, and the national
labor relations act, and those of for
eign countries, particularly of Nor
way, Sweden and Denmark. This
committee of the Bar Association
likewise has drafted an act which
will be available for your considera-
ton. Just last Friday evening, over
SO of the leaders of business and OF
labor, with some representative OF
agriculture and of the public, met
with me in a long serious confer
ence at which we considered these
two proposals and discussed the
problems they involved. The extent
of the progress toward agreement
on an act and the fairness of the
attitude displayed on both sides was
encouraging. To be successful such
an act, of course, must have at its
outset the confidence and support OF
a great majority of labor and of the
employers and of the general public
as well. Both proposed measures
have in common provision for the
establishment of labor relations
board with powers and functions that
emphasize the Cancellation of difficult
ties before they break out into vio-
lence and that further provides fol
the adjustment and correction OF
abuses without the necessity of re-
sorting to direct action. Both agree
that compulsory arbitration is not
advisable and is not solution to
the problem. Both provide for vol
untary arbitration. Both provide
simple means of elections to deter
mine representatives for collective
bargaining purposes. Both wisely re-
frain from giving to the board ex-
cessive or arbitrary powers of rule
making, recognizing that the real
service of the board will come in the
encouragement of peaceful solution:
with the support of public opinion
BY careful consideration in coopera.
ton with the interested groups, it is
within your power to draft and tc
go long ways toward the concilia.
ton of differences, the avoidance Of
strikes and lockouts, with its suffer
ing and unemployment, toward the
sterilization of labor relations anc
the encouragement of more jobs ano
more business in Minnesota. In fact
it is within your grasp during these
next 80 legislative days to place upor
our statute books a law which will
become the outstanding labor rela-
tons law of the United States.
Financial Needs.
The fourth major problem before
us is one that spreads out and af-
fects all other problems, and directly
concerns every man and woman ir
the state That is the problem Of
the financial condition of the state
and our tax program for the next
biennium. In this regard I know
you are all interested, as I was, ir
knowing what it is that we are in
heriting from the administration thai
we succeed. We find that our posi-
ton might well be characterized by
the predicament of Mother Hubbard
in that nursery rhyme. For on this
day, as we get to the cupboard, we
find that it is quite bare. We find
in the first instance that in order to
complete the six months to July
which were properly a part of the
last budget, and which under our
financial system are part of the last
biennium, the departments of the
state are asking for, and it will be
necessary to make, some emergency
deficiency appropriations to the extent
of over four million dollars. In 9TH
er words, to close out the two-yeal
period from July l, 1887 to July
1889, provisions for which were made
by the last session of the legislature
it will be necessary for you to ap-
propriate three million forty-foul
thousand eighty-two dollars for direct
relief, six hundred fifty-two thousand
dollars for old age assistance ano
mothers pensions, and approximate
ly half million dollars for miscel-
laneous purposes. In addition to this
careful analysis of the states finan-
cial condition indicates that there
will be a shortage in income to meet
the present budget of five million
dollars on the basis of using foul
million dollars of the income tax
money that is available for general
revenue purposes after meeting the
school needs.
In other words, our inheritance ir
this connection alone will be an in
crease in Indebtedness to the extent
of nine million dollars
AS a still further phase of our finan-
cial difficulty, we find that many Of
the departments of the state have ir
the first six months of this fiscal veal
spent more than they should have
spent, and that consequently in these
last six months of the fiscal year
many of our departments will have
financial difficulties. Perhaps out.
standing in this regard is the High.
way department, where almost two
million dollars of outstanding bill.
are unpaid today because of short.
age of funds, and where our Fedora
aid has been stopped temporarily by
reason thereof. These financial prob.