The Redwood gazette., 1940-03-21
THERE WOULD BE LESS SUSPICION

record near perfect this week by voting
against broadening the Hatch anti-politics
law Perfectly punk we mean.
THE RUSSIAN, GERMAN AND 1TAL-
ian dictators are said to be planning a re-
modelling of Europe. Granted the place needs
renovating but is there much use until the
three tenants mentioned move out?
SENATOR BoRAH HAD COME TO
the conclusion before he died that 'the
United States congress can never solve the
farm problem" Makers of political party
platforms and candidates for congress, if
they think Borah right, should say so and
quit kidding the public.-Montevideo News.
AT PRESENT THE RULERS OF each
side are apparently anxious to find some
"save their face" as the Chinese say. Un-
der those circumstances, if the Welles mis-
sion can only find this way, it will prove
world benefactor.- Herald.
THE TAFT CAMPAIGNERS HAVE
taken as their text, "The New Deal has COM
pletely failed" AS there can be no question
about the complete failure of the "Old DeaP'
just before the New Deal started, what are
we going to do about t?-Springfeld Ad-
vance-Press.
A MEASURE BEFORE CONGRESS,
if passed. will provide for refunding to
farmers of processing taxes collected illegal
ly on hogs. Democratic government tries
hard to be just but it has known few compl-
cations to compare with that of restoring
processing taxes to their rightful owners.
When the money is gone they probably Will
start actions to regain any windfalls secured
illegally and repeat the payoff process.
SOMETIMES A PARTY CAN GET SO
far to the left that it goes in the ditch. There
is also ditch on the right side of the poll
tical road. Again political party can go so
far to the left it has few supporters left. 1t
can go SO far to the left it goes to pieces It
would seem that the most important direc-
tion for it to go, is to go establishments
Labor Review.
ON FIRST THOUGHT WE APPLAUD
the policy of State Highway Commissioner
Eohman as announced this week, to main
tain "hands off, policy in regard to legis-
latfve matters involving department funds.
But on second thought we wonder.
Minnesota owes much of what progress
has been made in highway construction to
the fact that the late G. NJ. Babcock, as COM
missioner, devoted much attention to secur-
ing gas tax revenues and license fees COM
mensurate with the need for better roads.
Much of the work done to influence the
legislature and develop statewide sentiment
for highway improvements was undertaken
by organizations of good road enthusiasts
whose purpose was entirely sincere and who
tapped the most ready source available for
financing their activitles-the tills of mater
ials firms and construction companies who
would benefit by road building contracts.
Mr.. Babcock worked hand in hand with
such groups as the Minnesota Good Roads
association which was active in pulling Min
ncSOta 'out of the mud its slogan Is years
ago.
Without that campaign Minnesota mo-
torists today might be driving over an addi-
tional 1000 or 500 miles of unpaved roads
on pleasure and business trips, spending far
more for the privilege in car expense than
they have paid in taxes. They might have
postponed the capital investment in good
roads, only to find the state paying far more
for maintenance of main travelled routes
than it now pays in interest.
Had the association maintained it's active
pace through the past decade we might have
tar more paving and much less bituminous
treated road, costly to maintain and shorter
lived than the debt involved in many cases.
With the roads adjacent to the Twin
Cities now improved with quite degree of
re1manency, there is more need than ever
Tor determined etfcrt on the part Of the
depaI tment to secure funds with which to
bring roads in outlying sections of the state,
particularly those north and south roads
essential to the tourist industry, to status
comparable with those afforded in other
states catering to outstate visitors.
While Minnesotans do not enjoy paying
gas taxes and license fees, they do want and
appreciate good roads. For the most part
they favor matching federal funds when
available for highway construction, recog-
nizing that funds SO passed up are spent on
roads we rarely travel.
The departments policy is altruistic and
commendable but we hope it does not mean
that legislators and their constituents will
not receive all the details, clearly analyzed,
| H., l.nAl L. ~ u n . .