Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-08-25
KNUTSON'S ADDRESS

kNUISON>S ADDKESS
Following the vaudeville perform
ances Friday evening Attorney Albert
johnson of Sandstone. chairman of
the Pine County Republican Com
mittee, rose to the speakers stand
and introduced the speaker of the eve-
ming, Congressman Harold Knutson of
st. Cloud, representing the Sixth dis
trict, and dean of the Minnesota Con-
gressional delegation, having served
in Congress for 16 years. The con-
gresham spoke before very small
crowd, the greater part of those in
the grandstand leaving when the
speaking program was commenced.
Only 40 persons remained in the
stand and there were a few in front
of the stand, about Is people remain
ing to hear the speaker.
In his introduction Mr.. Johnson
referred to Congressman Knutson as
an "old friend of ours. a man of &C
ton, man who does things, a man
of wide experience, our beloved Con-
gresham"
Congressman Knutson expressed ap-
probation for the opportunity to ad-
dress the Pine county fair and said
he would refrain from personalities.
Continuing he said that both domi-
nant political parties have good men
as standard bearers, but the party in
power will be blamed for the depres-
sion in this campaign. Agriculture
is stagnant and industrial business is
poor. Labor saving machinery has
built up the surplus but the World
war is primarily responsible for the
depression.
Blames War and Democrats.
Previous to the war we had a ficti-
tious prosperity, said the congress
man. Folks bought land, stocks, and
bonds, there was speculation, paper
profits mounted, and in the mad rush
for wealth we forgot everything, even
our Maker. These are extraordinary
times and conditions, and the war is
the direct contributing factor, the war
the Democrats got us into, said the
speaker.
The financial crash came in October
of 1929, said Mr.. Knutson, and he
pointed out what the Republicans
have done to remedy and alleviate the
situation. Highway construction was
7speeded up to make for more employ
ment and river improvements have
been made. Congress provided for
$4,000, 100000 in loans through the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
to railroads, banks. and insurance
companies principally. This has re-
'duced bank failures to a minimum
and saved depositors, said Mr.. Knut-
son. Farm mortgages got S125, 600, 900
and the president with the co-opera-
ton of Congress set to work to cut
governmental expenditures 100000
900. There has been no bloodshed
in this panic and America did not re-
sort to the dole which almost broke
England. The home loan law was
mentioned as another stroke by the
administration to help conditions, and
the speaker said that the rates OF
interest on farm mortgages must be
the same as gilt edge papers. He
added that already we are noticing
benefits of the presidents relief pro-
gram. Stocks are commencing to 90
UP. The Republican party puts the
people above the party.
The Democratic platform calls for
a competitive tariff. What kind OF
"a tariff would other countries give
US? asked the congressman, and added
we cannot go on such a basis until
the other countries bring their liv-
ing standards up to ours or we bring
our standards down to theirs. He
opposed world conference on tariff
Why Butter is Low in Price.
America must have changeable
money, said the speaker. There is a
difference of money exchange rates
between other countries and America
AT present the rate between Canada
and America is 1870 adverse to Can
ada, or in other words the Canadian
dollar is worth IS cents in America
1t is good for us to buy in Canada
but bad for them to buy in America
Butter was pictured as an example
and the congressman SAID no WOndel
we cannot have IS and 40 cent butter
in America now when there is diff.
fernce in the exchange rate Of oul
neighbors to the north.
Mr.. Knutson said there is a diff
ferent social order in America thar
in Europe and Asia. Competing coun.
tries toll longer hours than Amer.
leans and here we ride in $1,000, 0O(
autos and listen in on 10000
radios.
Speaking on the Importance of the
tariff and the Hawley-Smoot Law
which he and one other Minnesota
Congressman voted for, the congress
man said 1000 factories had been es
tablished by Americans in other coun.
tries and they were manufacturing