the state, that Mr. Anderson was familiar with the work and was an absolutely reliable man and a man who would pay strict attention to the duties of the office. That is in general effect what was said on the subject. The Governor said: "He used to be in your office?" referred to that. I said: "Yes, he was in the Tax Commission for several years, as statistician before he became actuary in the insurance commission," and that I had the very highest opinion of him as to his qualifications and as to his asbolute integrity.

Q. Mr. McGovern did not say anything about his nationality to you, did he?

A. Yes, he did.

Q. He did?

A. Yes.

Q. What did he say?

A. He wanted to know how Anderson stood with the Norwegians.

Q. Mr. Haugen, when you

A. Well-now-all right, go ahead.

Q. Mr. Haugen, when did your former term as Tax Commissioner expire?

A. It has not expired yet.

Q. You were nominated for tax commissioner about January the 20th, were you not, by the Governor?

A. I forget the date.

Q. You were confirmed on January 26th by the senate?

A. I was confirmed. I didn't keep track of the date. I want to say this, because there is little insinuation in the question, that I never talked about my own appointment with the Governor at any time before I was appointed.

Examined by Senator Bosshard:

Q. The talk that you had, Mr. Haugen, with the Governor with reference to this controversy was on the Saturday before inauguration?

A. No, I think-no, not on Saturday, on Sunday. We met on Saturday and adjourned over until Sunday, and it was after the Governor had finished the reading of the message. Q. That would be Sunday, the 5th of January?

A. Well, it was the Sunday before the legislature convened, before the inauguration.

Q. And your testimony was to the effect that the Governor at that time told you in substance that he intended to remove Mr. Ekern?

A. Yes.

Q. And then discussed with you Mr. Anderson's qualifications?

A. Yes, sir.

Examined by Senator Husting:

Q. Mr. Haugen, did the Governor intimate to you that it might be well for you to speak to Mr. Anderson about this matter?

A. Not at that time.

Q. Well, did he later?

A. I don't know that I could say "yes" to that question. On Saturday, after Mr. Anderson returned home-I knew that he had come home I was called up by phone from the Governor's office-it was not the Governor's voice and I was asked if Mr. Anderson was at home and I think I said I understood he was, and they asked me to tell him to come down

to the office.

Q. What is that?

A. They asked me to invite Anderson to come to the Governor's office.

Q. Come to the Governor's office?

A. Yes.

Q. Whose voice was it you heard over the phone?

A. I presume Mr. Wilbur's, but I would not be certain about

that, senator.

Q. Was any intimation given to you that you should have

any talk with Mr. Anderson before?

A. I don't think so, from the Governor's office.

Q. Well, isn't it a fact you called Mr. Anderson up

office?

to your

A. Well, he came to my office and in talking with him over the phone it was probably understood, but he came to the of

fice. I would not be sure what was said.

Q. You called up Mrs. Anderson?

A. Mrs. Anderson came to the phone.

Q. Did you tell Mrs. Anderson to tell Mr. Anderson to to the phone?

come

A. No, I think he came to the phone before I got through with the conversation. I think so. And if he did not know I told Mrs. Anderson to come to the Capitol.

Q. And did you tell her to tell Mr. Anderson to come to your office?

A. I may have done that, in view of the fact that I was conferring with Mrs. Anderson. If I was talking with Mrs. Anderson I probably did.

Q. As a matter of fact, Mr. Anderson did come to your office?

A. Yes, he did.

Q. Before he went to see the Governor?

A. Yes.

Q. What conversation did you have with Mr. Anderson there?

A. Well, I told Mr. Anderson the Governor wanted to see him.

Q. Well, is that all you told him?

A. Why, no, I suppose not, but just what the conversation was I couldn't say. We talked the matter over in a general way. It was said to Mr. Anderson that as far as Mr. Ekern was concerned, as far as he could see, he was removed anyway, and his declining to take the position would not help Mr. Ekern.

Q. And did you seek to find out from Mr. Anderson whether or not he would accept if the appointment were tendered him? A. I don't think so.

Q. Did you call up the Governor's office then after Mr. Anderson left and inform the Governor Mr. Anderson would call on him?

A. No. I called up the Governor's office-now, I think this was the way it occurred: I called up the Governor's office. This was one Saturday forenoon and the appointment was made with Anderson for Saturday afternoon. It was a Saturday when the Lunch Club met and the Governor was to speak at the Lunch Club, and this was almost twelve o'clock, so he made an appointment with Mr. Anderson for the afternoon.

Q. Did Mr. Anderson return to your office after his conference with the Governor?

A. He said to-day he did. I don't know whether he did or not. I don't recollect that he did. I think he did.

15-S. J. Ap.

Q. Have you any recollection of your conversation with Mr. Anderson after he returned from the Governor's office?

A. Mr. Anderson said, when he returned from the Governor's office, that the Governor simply told him he had only one condition to place upon his appointment; that was that he attend strictly to business and keep the office out of politics.

Q. Did Mr. Anderson say under those conditions he would accept?

A. Mr. Anderson said he answered: "I would accept the position under no other conditions."

Q. No other conditions?

A. No other conditions. Or: "That is the only condition under which I would accept it."

Q. When you had a talk with the Governor that he felt obliged to dismiss Mr. Ekern from the office, did he give any reason for it?

A. Yes.

Q. What reason did he give?

A. His activity with reference to the election of the speaker. Q. Did he make any mention of Mr. Ekern hiring any rooms for headquarters?

A. I think he did.

Q. Well, isn't it a fact that Mr. Ekern did not hire those rooms until Monday?

A. I don't know anything about that.

Q. Did he give you any specific instances of activity on the part of Mr. Ekern in politics?

A. Specific instances? I would say "No", I don't recall any specific instances.

Q. Well, did he in any way tell you why he felt it necessary for him to dismiss Mr. Ekern?

A. Yes. His reason was that Mr. Ekern was endeavoring to organize the legislature against him, in opposition to the Governor, and that he thought that would be very injurious to measures that he advocated and that he desired to have passed.

Q. Did he give you any instance of what Mr. Ekern had done in the way of organizing the legislature?

A. Well, specific instances, no, I think not, but he did say that he had been inviting members he was informed that he

had been inviting members into his office and lining them up against him.

Q. He had already decided, then, to dismiss Mr. Ekern from his office?

A. Well, I would say that he was inclined that way at least.

Examined by Senator Browne:

Q. I want to ask a few questions, Mr. Haugen, in regard to dates. Was this question that you had with the Governor the question of the removal of Ekern, before this bearing of Ekern in the Governor's office?

A. Yes.

Q. Before that?

A. Yes.

Q. Before the legislature convened?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. The legislature convened on Wednesday?

A. Yes. I have had a little question in my mind whether it was on Sunday or Monday that this occurred, but I am satisfied that it was on Sunday.

Q. It was on the Sunday before

A. (interrupting) Yes.

Q. (continued)-the legislature convened?

A. Yes.

Q. Are you positive of that?

A. It was either on Sunday or Monday. I am positive of that I am pretty sure it was on Sunday because it was immediately after he had completed reading the message to us.

Examined by Senator Skogmo:

Q. Mr. Haugen, did the Governor in your conversation on Sunday say to you that he was about, or that he was going to remove Mr. Ekern?

A. I think he mentioned the fact that he was going to give him a hearing.

Q. That he was going to give him a hearing?

A. Give him a hearing. Give him a chance to clear himself.

Q. Did he say that he was going to give him a hearing in that conversation?

A. I think so.

Q. You would not be sure of that?