The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-09-21
A YOUTHFUL ESTIMATE
Valley City, N. p.
Sept. II. 1894.

Editor. Tribune:
In your issue for Sept. 18th you
criticize editorially the entrance. Of
the Farmer-Labor party into the
North Dakota political scene and
attempt to show that 1t will not
attain any prominence in the state.
Looking at the situation from the
standpoint Of youth. just what does
either Of the old parties offer to us?
What do .l1ey advance as a remedy
for the present conditions in which
the future Of the young man or
woman Is blacker and more barren OF
hope than ever before.
The writer is q young man who has
had the advantage Of q high school
and college education. I believe that
am fairly typical Of the youth Of
North Dakota and the nation. So
ciety educates and trains US in excel
lent schools and then dumps US into
4 world already glutted with unem-
ployed workers. Society says to US,
in effect: you have been educated
and trained. You are equipped to
become useful and productive men,
bers Of society. Society has . place
for you and welcomes your creative
ability" Upon graduation. however,
the young person Of today finds that
the only position society has for
him Is place ct the far end Of the
breadline.
Like many other young people I
have been able to obtain only tenn.
porary employment. This condition
has prevailed with increasing inten-
sity for about five years. During
this time the creative and productive
ability Of tens Of thousands of people
newly out Of school has been lost
deliberately forfeited by a philosophy
that places profits superior to human
service. Damage to morale and eff.
cheney has been terrific.
AS conditions grew worse daily
unemployment increased and nation
wide suffering became more intense.
The Republicans and Democrats
have done very little to remedy this
appalling situation. The Republi-
cans placed a man In the White
House whose incumbency was almost
entirely during depression times
During the greater portion Of his
time In office this man refused to
publicly admit that a serious econ
omic situation existed-a man who
actually had the effrontery to say in
1882. America Is still the land of
golden opportunity for the youth Of
the Nation
When his time expired the dis
gluntled electorate replaced him
With Franklin Roosevelt. q man
whose sympathies are obviously with
TIE people and whose efforts to alle-
v:ate suffering have won him wide
popularity. While his official acts to
q great extent have helped to ease
actual suffering, still his program is
one Of relieving rather than curing
Nothing fundamental. nothing per-
manently helpful can be done BY
President Roosevelt 50 long as he Is =
member Of party which Is con-
t,olled and dictated to by as react
icnary q group as any organization,
iicluding the Republicans. can mus.
ter.
Knowing this 1t is clearly apparent
that even the efforts Of q man with
President Roosevelt's humanitarian
ideas must be In the nature Of patch
ing and bracing, which take the form
Of the dole and other relief meas
ures. The dole is destructive OF
morale and energy. It Is absolutely
offensive to the youth Of \ the nation,
Is It Is to the vast majority Of the
older workers. The dole Is, In Its last
Analysis. . confession Of failure by
the social order that resorts to its
use.
Here In North Dakota we have .
situation In the Democratic ranks
very similar to the national one. Tom
Noodle, the Democratic choice for
governor, 10 4 man Of known liberal
tendencies: . man whose personal
convictions seem to coincide with the
presidents. But here. as nationally,
the party is controlled by ultra con-
servatives.
Looking at the Republican side OF
the picture We are confronted by Is
distressing and unattractive an out
look as the national ore Is. To be
sure Mr.. LANCER, and now Lydia
LANCER, poses as progressive, and
represents himself as humani-
tartan. And It must be conceded
that he has succeeded admirably In
selling that idea to his followers. But
in reality he Is conservative and must
be placed In that classification by
any one who Is familiar with his
real record. His campaign tactics
and official behavior, although COL