Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-04-10
Voice From Senate
BY SEN. c. ELMER JOHNSON,
From Pine and Chisago Counties


on the 18th week of the SIND ses-
sion of the Legislature, about the
time we are adjourned over Good
Friday and the Easter weekend.
When we reassemble again Monday
forenoon, April Ia, only nine days
will remain in which to act upon
passage of bills. AS of Friday eve
ming, April 4, the House and the
Senate had passed and the Governor
had signed 118 bills, most of them
local in nature. About the only
statewide bills of more or less major
Importance passed are, the Bank Tax
bill; extension of mortgage mora
forum until September of 1912; tax
free tractor fuel; repeal of the Dunn
One Mill levy; restoration of the &c
gas tax; and the fireworks restric-
ton bill, which by the way does not
become effective until August l this
year.
New State Office Building.
A special committee has been as
signed to study the ACCESSIBILITY of
erecting new state office building.
This committee reported last week,
saying that we are now paying
$131 900 annually in rent for state
office space for state activities that
cannot find room in the state office
building, and that the state auditor
reports we will spend about $2,000,-
900 for rent the next Is years. The
committee found that we can pur-
chase a site near the Capitol for
$38, 900, and that the new state office
building thereon would cost $780,
600, which compared to the rent we
would pay would represent a saw
ing of about $25O,O0O over and above
interest on the building bonds that
would be issued at two per cent.
Feeling that it will not be possible
to pass bill in this session for the
new building because of the lateness
of the date, they state that it will
take about four years before we
would be ready to move into the new
building. They therefore recommend
purchase of the Aberdeen Hotel build
ing on Dayton and Western avenues,
now empty, available for $4,000,
which could be repaired and re-
habilitated for another $4,000. This
building has 10000 square feet of
disable space in its nine stories and
basement. By buying that now and
using it until the office building is
completed they say we would save
about $35O,00O in rentals for the
next four years.
Radio Censorship.
Two weeks ago announcement was
made of a speech to be delivered over
WCCO and several other stations by
State Senator Lommen Tuesday eve
ming, April l. "The speech that was
never delivered" has been the sub
ject of conversation around the Capt.
toll and this state ever since. Around
noon that day WCCO asked for an
advance copy of his speech, which
he put into their hands within the
hour.
They later called him and said it
was okey. In his hotel room at $50
p. m. however, he was told over the
telephone that someone had threat
ened a libel suit if it was delivered
and they informed Senator Lommen
it could not 60 on the air. He re-
ceived confirmation of this refusal
by telegram. He pleaded for in
formation on who had objected, but
to no avail, although the only per-
son he attacked at all in the pro-
posed speech was the Governor, on
the basis of his previous statements
regarding the State financial condi-
| ton.
In the Senate the next day Senator
Julkowski of Minneapolis, introduced
a resolution calling for Federal in
vestigation, which was referred to
the Rules committee, headed by Sena-