Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-01-12

tribution of thousands of pamphlets,
the purchase Of advertising space in
metropolitan newspapers and time on
the air over radio networks. Those
invited to join are not required to
pay dues but merely requested to
make contributions. 1t would be in
teresting to know the identity of the
altruistic person or persons who pro-
vided the National Economy League
with its initial capital The names
of some of the large contributors on
its list of donors would undoubtedly
shed further light on the real motives
back of this organization.
With the hope of establishing the
nucleus of National Economy
League organization in the middle
| west, Chairman Byrd invaded the
state of Missouri on October 18th. He
was greeted with acclaim on the part
of those citizens who still remember
him as the intrepid explorer of the
Polar regions and was entertained as
| the guest of honor at a National
Economy League banquet.
Byrd Camouflages.
In statements made at Kansas City.
Chairman Byrd emphatically denied
that the elimination of veteran bene-
| fits is the primary objective of the
National Economy League. This as
sertion was made i'm the face of
pamphlets distributed by his organi-
cation that are nearly entirely de-
voted to the subject of veteran legis-
lation. He blamed this impression
upon the activities and writings of
Archie Roosevelt, his former pre-
decessor and now Secretary of the
National Economy League. Byrd
sought to convey the message that I'm
the future and under his leadership
his organization would give equal con-
sideration to all other phases of gov
eminent expenditures. and especially.
to the problems of state and local
taxation. He was fairly fervent in
his assurance that the National Econ
omy League does not and would not
function merely to concentrate on
veteran expenditures. Less than
twenty-four hours following his de-
parture from Kansas City, local news
papers carried quarter-page adver-
tisements inviting citizens to join the
National Economy League. The adj
vertisement definitely set forth the
purposes of the League i'm three ex-
elusive planks. One of these was
vague promise to work for the re-
| duction of all governmental evpendi-
| tureS-federal, state and local" The
| other two constituted direct attacks
upon veteran expenditures, including
those granted to Spanish American
War veterans, as we'll as World War
veterans, and opposition to proposed
cash payment of the so-called bonus.
The fact remains that the National
Economy League is the greatest men,
ace that threatens the welfare of
Americas ex-service men of all wars,
both past and future. 1t is un-Amer-
lean in spirit, unpatriotic in purpose
and diabolical in intent. 1t is built
upon foundation constructed of dis
torted facts, Misrepresentation and
deliberate deception. 1t is certain to
crumble and collapse because it vio-
lates the American spirit of fair play
and the pledges that America has
made that Its dead shall not have
died in vain" However, the National
Economy League will continue to
flourish as long as the veteran and
his friends remain Indifferent to its
attacks. Fire must be met with fire
and the Archie Roosevelt clan must
be met with a counter-offensive equal
intensity. 1t is the responsibility of
each veteran to familiarize himself
with the facts. These must be spread
among the people and the truths must
be constantly repeated until the soil
is no longer fertile to the seeds of
sophistry being planted by the Ma
tional Economy League.