Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-03-01


worker was about to spend part Of
his government check. might be re-
Elected upon from several angles. The
editorial which was headed. lone
Form of Patriotism" follows:
Unique, perhaps, was the patri-
otto act of Herman Walter. pro-
prietor of a store at Marshall,
when a CWA worker entered the
place, flourished his government
pay check, saying: Come on
everybody, the beers on me, or
rather on the government"
Walter waved the man back.
you can't spend that money for
beer in here" he declared. use
it for what it was intended"
Good for Herman Walter! CWA
funds are expended to relieve
want and distress, not to be spent
for luxuries or in such ways as
the Marshall CWA worker pro-
posed.
When the bread winner of the fam
lily has been without work for some
time, finds it necessary to accept
made work by the government through
the CWA in order to feed and clothe
the family or those dependent upon
him. it is natural that he should be
very careful about how the money is
spent. 1t is necessary that the money
be expended for useful purposes.
On the other hand, beer is called
I,.i, hn
limits his drinking to 3.2% beer, and
sparingly, it cannot be termed much
of luxury. True, he gets more food
value in milk. but even the laborer
might have a desire for something
besides milk.
we criticise others for their acts.
What would We do in a similar stu
alton? Is it not possible that after
a day of work out in the open or per-
haps several days working in cold
weather and after looking forward
to the cashing of this first check, that
the critic. were he in the laborer's
place, might also like to celebrate to
the extent of a beer?
If it were only one beer to the Ia
borer and he had waited long time
for it. we would be the Last to criti-
else him for the act.
Practicing frugality and self-denial
has been the beginning of many Il
successful career and it is character
building throughout life. But self-de-
NAL has had to be practiced so long by
many folks that begrudging beer to
one to whom it may be very palatable,
seems unduly severe and lacking in
fellow feelings.
However, all honor and credit to
the man who is wise enough and has
enough backbone to say no to such
drinks that contain comparatively
little food value, but who uses his
money to best advantage, when it is
very necessary for him to do so.
Come on everybody, the beers on
me-" recalls the evils of the old sa
loon. The treating was one of the
causes of excessive drinking. And
strange enough many thought they
were great fellows when they could
flash the money and order drinks to
the house. Those being treated would
marvel at the fellow who pulled out
the roll to pay the bill and that would
further swell his head. So with the
crowd he associated and treated he
was hero and repeated treating to
remain in that status. He stayed
with the same associates because that
was the only place he was hero. The
ego was satisfied. The time ard
money could have been spent much
better.
If, in the old saloon days, more of
OF the Marshall man who is supposed
to have waved the worker away be-
fore he even got a smell, the saloon
would not have become the curse that
it did. 1t would of course not have
been necessary to wave away before
the first drink. but after too many
drinks waving was ineffective. There
is always a time to call halt and
that should be before it is too late.
Excessive drinking is curse and that
cannot be disputed. Over-indulgence
has caused too many human wrecks
to uphold it. Take the profit out of
liquor and it will remove the greatest
evil
But to think that we shall moralize
people by fundamental law is stretch
ing the effectiveness of law too much
The folly of that has been proven. 1t
is a matter for the home, the school.
the community life-environment--
and the individuals; for each and ev-
cry one to be able to see the physical,
mental and moral harm in misuse.
Rather than to be too severe with
the worker who craved beer. and
who, according to the Jackson Re-
public editorial Jackson is about Is
miles from MarshalD was about to
become a squanderer of money, it
might be we'll to look a little deeper
into the economic situation. Many
unpleasant things are brought about
by the economic straits of people.