Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-07-14
WHO Is SQUANDERING?

Nothing is, more impossible than
squandering ourselves into prosperity"
and other like phrases are going the
rounds of the reactiOnary press, the
press that is blindly trying to save
the stake for the wealthy.
In the first place: Who is asking
that we squander any money? Mil
lions of people are out of work and
the big problem is to give them work,
for wealth is only produced when
men are working. The unemployed
have to be fed and clothed anyway
and certainly they would much rather
earn their living and it is much bet
ter for them that they work. The
present condition is demoralizing, for
men become carefree and shiftless
when they lay around and must ac-
cept aims.
There are big federal construction
jobs awaiting only the command to
go ahead. In times of depression is
when such work should be taken up.
In the campaign of 1928 we were
promised the Great Lakes-St. Law
renee deep waterway. Not shovel
of dirt has been turned on that pro-
ject to date. Many men could be
employed there as they could also
on river and harbOr improvements,
flood control, and other necessary pro-
jects. If they were employed they
would eat more, wear more, build
more homes, and in turn make work
for many others.
Some folks will say that the govern
ment will have to bond or borrow
money in some way to carry on those
projects. All right. if it is necessary,
do so. Human lives are more impor-
tant than gold. But aside from the
moral reason it will pay in dollars
and cents that men are put to work.
Things are out of joint now and
they must be remedied. This unem-
ployment situation did not come on
in day or a year. 1t has been COM
ing on for several years and finally
the break came. There has been lack
of planning to avoid it. Big f1nan-
ciers have been greedy, they have
grabbed and grabbed If the wealthy
had been taxed properly from 1920 to
1880 there would be no need for the
cry of balancing the budget and fur
thermOre there could have been a
surplus in the treasury with which to
do public works. And if not a sur
plus in the treasury the taxes of the
folks of smaller means would have
been less if the wealthy had been
taxed more in accordance with what
they should have paid. Less taxes
to the masses and they have more
buying power.
Plenty of food products and plenty
of manufactured articles is the sad
predicament of the country 1t should
be happy predicament but it does
not seem to work out that way. The
farmers and workers have done their
bit but they have not been paid prop
erly for it or they could buy back
more of the articles they have pro-
duced and manufactured. Or on the
other hand if they had less taxes
and interest to pay they could buy
more goods. The whole thing in
nut shell is that they have been get
ting the short end of the deal. AS
whole they have labored and pro-
~duced enough to warrant a vacation
with pay and good food and shelter.
not a forced vacation with handouts.
Having no surplus in the treasury
now is no reason for not creating
work for the unemployed and trying
to make the best of the situation.
The wheels of industry must be put
into motion again, trade and COM
merce must be revived instead of this
going around hanging with the heads.
The bull must be taken by the horns.
Leadership is needed. 1t is far bet
ter that a public works program be
paid for out of federal income and
inheritance taxes, even if it be future
receipts, than to have the men go idle
and live on charity, paid for largely
out of local general property taxes.
Two of the most important things
to be done are to create work for
the unemployed and to decentralize
wealth if we are to avoid demoraliza-
tion and make for more happiness and
contentment In planning for the
future it is perhaps necessary to cut
the hours of employment again that
work may be created for more men.
Sympathy is worked up for the
wealthy by some of the lieutenants
and smaller hirelings stating that
"even the wealthy go broke now"
True, some of them have gone broke