davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
DEMANDS SOCIAL JUSTICE

Father Charles E. Coughlin, the
well known Catholic priest who has
been telling the people some plain
truths, calls for a new social order
in his latest broadcast. His talk CO.
incides with the Farmer-Labor plat
form in Minnesota.
There is plenty for ALL" he said,
land the only reason this plentitude
of Gods blessings is not shared is
because our government has not dared
to face the facts. What is needed is
a new social outlook.
Il believe in Matchmaking those
public necessities which by their very
nature are too important to be held IN
the control of private individuals. BY
these l mean banking, credit and cur
rency, power, light, oil, and natural
gas and other God-given natural re-
sources.
81 believe in the right of the labor
ing man to organize in unions, and
also i'm the duty of the government
which the laboring man supports to
facilitate and to protect these organi-
cations.
Every worker should have just
and Living wage, which includes suf-
ficient income to educate his children
/ favor the cost of production plus
fair profit for the farmer.
Il believe in the recall Of all non
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
NOW IT'S REVERSED

Every now and then conservative
and reactiOnary newspapers in the
state have complained on account of
some leaders in the Farmer-Labor
party of Minnesota having formerly
resided in other states, principally
North Dakota. Now the tables seem
to be reversed.
A temporary restraining order has
blocked the North Dakota canvassing
board from issuing a certificate of
election to Thomas H. Noodle, Demo-
cratic governOr-elect of that state.
The laws of the Flickertail state re-
quire that a person must have resided
within that state for five years in
order to be eligible for the governor
ship. Opponents of Mr.. Noodle claim
that he resided in Minnesota, in the
city of Minneapolis, and voted there
in 1880.
However. in the case of leaders in
the FarmerLabor party of Minnesota
who came from other states, the Min
nesota residence of such has been
longer than four years.
Perhaps a Chinese wall should be
put up on the border CT each state
so there can be no migrating across
the lines.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
TOWNSEND PLAN
(W.aSeca JOurnaD

1t is seldom new proposal catches
the popular fancy as quickly as the
Townsend old age pension plan has.
1t is sweeping the country like wild
fire. We note that dozens of meetings
are being held almost daily in Mime
apolis to explain the plan and secure
membership in Townsend clubs. The
tragedy of it all is that thousands of
people past 60 years of age are led
to believe that the tremendous in
terest being shown in the plan is d
guarantee that it will become a reality
almost as soon as congress meets.
They are doomed to bitter disappoint-
ment. The proposal is entirely too
visionary. 1t cannot be carried out.
The expense would be too great. An
old age pension law should be passed
and probably will be passed, but it
will be far from $500 month and
will not take in everybody 60 years
of age and over.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
CLEAN MOVIES PROFITABLE
(The Minneapolis Starr

Business has been good the last few
weeks for Minneapolis motion pic
ture houses.
Improved attendance is credited
largely to the high quality Of the pic
lures exhibited.
How much of this quality is the re-
suit of the drive for decency in mo-
sonable to believe that producers.
afraid to resort to dirt to give a pic
ture box office appeal, have put more
honest dramatic value into their of
ferings.
1t is also reasonable to believe that
some people have resumed attendance
at the movies who quit going because
of objections to the questionable ma
ture of many of the films and the
blatant suggestiveness of much of the
advertising.
Most of the great financial sue
cesses of the stage have been clean.
Most of the actors and actresses who
have accumulated fortunes in the
movies, such as Mary Pickford, Har-
old Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, have
never been associated with suggestive
pictures.
The necessity to keep their product
clean or be banned by the Decency
league may yet demonstrate to all
producers that clean quality is surer
path to profit than suggestiveness and
dirt.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
BEHIND ON OLD AGE PENSION

Many European nations established
old age pension systems long ago and
put the United States to shame in its
care of the aged. 1t seems that we
have to wait until some foreign nation
adopts a great social reform before
we will consider it in this country.
We hear a lot of objection to adopting
foreign" ideas, but as a matter of
fact our nation is almost completely
founded on foreign ideas. We adopted
the idea of IA republic from foreign
republics. Our corporation system was
a foreign idea. Our township and
county and state organizations were
adopted from ancient Rome. And to
improve even our method of elections
we had to go clear to Australia to
adopt system of voting that would
be- fair and prevent cheating and
fraud. We are way behind ether ma
tions in the old age problem. 1t is
time we were doing something about
It.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
BIG BIZ GETS AWAY WITH
MILLIONS
(Mille Laos County Times)

(Mllle Laos county llmeS)
How big business gets away with
millions of dollars of government funds
is being illustrated by recent events
in the government loan of 100000, 900
made through the Reconstruction FL
nance Corporation to the Dawes broth
ers of Chicago. OF course the loan
was made to their private corporation
known as the Central Republic Trust
Company, and they are able to get out
from under by the company going into
the hands of a receiver. This gives
the Dawes a chance to get out from
under liability and leaves the govern
ment holding the bag. 1t is another
instance of how private corporations
are the biggest evils in this nation,
and have brought the country to the
verge of ruin. The government is now
trying to find out if there is any liabil-
ity attached to the stockholders of the
corporation. The following news dis
patch to the daily papers illustrates
the situation:
THE Reconstruction Finance Cor
of overdue funds in the 100000, 900
Dawes Loan
I'm federal court yesterday attor-
neys for the RFC filed suit against the
1000 stockholders of the Central Re-
public Trust Company seeking to de-
termine their liability in the claimed
S6O,OOO,O00 unpaid balance.
THE court was asked to determine
if recovery could be made of $4,000
900, the amount of the company's cap
ital stock. Among stockholders named
is Gen. Charles G. Dawes, one-time
official of the company.
AT the time the bill was filed Fed
eral Judge John P. Barnes granted
RFC attorneys temporary restrain
ing order enjoining other creditors of
the stock holders from instituting
similar suits pending disposal of the
BILL
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06

thirty to fifty members, preferably
non-partisan. The voters of the state
adopted the idea at the polls and the
present Legislature, including thirty
three senators and one hundred repre-
sentatives, will divide the state into
districts to set up the new legislative
body which will meet for the first
time in 1887.
One of the advantages of the Amer
lean system of state government, as
pointed out by the Englishman, Lord
Bryce, and other writer's on govern
ment, is that political experiment can
be carried out in one state and its re-
suits noted by others, which can then
follow the example or not as deemed
expedient. SO the other states in the
American Union will watch the Ne
braska experiment with considerable
interest.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
WHO WRITES OUR TEXTBOOKS!

Inc MINNESOTA Union AUVOcdIe)
During the recent campaign the
bank-cOntrolled newspapers made
much ado over the plank in the Farm
er-Labor platform relative to state
publication of school textbooks. The
local New York-owned newspapers
were especially concerned over this
grave danger to the lives, minds and
morals of the school children. They
were, assisted in no small measure
by school officers, school superin-
tendents and some school teachers.
In view of the hullaballoo raised by
the bank-controlled press, it is in
teresting to note a recent report of
the Federal Trade Commission rela-
tive to power trust propaganda-and
school books.
The report touches upon the meth
DDS employed by the power trust to
root out any and all reading matter
in text books favorable to the prin-
ciple of public ownership of power
utilities.
1.-The very textbooks in the class
rooms were carefully surveyed in all
schools in a number of States" says
the report, 'and definite steps taken
to eliminate those considered unfa-
vorable and to have them replaced
by others written by utility men or by
professors receiving retainers from
the industry. The cooperation of
publishers of textbooks was solicited
and obtained in the matter of having
books edited by the industry before
they came off the press.
superintendent of public schools
were approached with the idea Of edu-
eating school children into the work
ings of public utilities AS the result
of such contacts, millions of pamphlets
were distributed in the schools"
Who actually writes the school
textbooks? Who poisons the minds Of
children? Who buys the newspapers
to gain their support to put down any
attempt on the part of the people TO
break the yoke of the power trust?
Who brides school superintendent,
school boards and school teachers 20
win their cooperation in diScrediting
anything likely to interfere with the
power trusts gOuging of the public?
Who? It's not the Farmer-Labor
party!
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
CAN GET GUNS EASILY

A news story about a young lad, a
regular tough guy" who hailed from
the Windy City of Chicago was pub
lished in the newspapers the other
day. The young lad said that it's
easy to get guns. And that being true
1t was easy for him to be tough as
long as 1t lasted.
The story by the United Press and
with a Milwaukee date line follows:
A grim-faced 14-year-old "gangster
boy" who talked out Of the side of his
mouth and whose pockets bristled
with revolvers and ammunition had
completely baffled the Milwaukee
police department.
Picked up by detectives on a down
town street corner with three re-
voIvers and a pocketful of ammuni-
tion in his possession, the youth
countered cross-examination by tell
ing his inquisitors:
you dumb dicks oughta know that
a real gangster don't talk"
After two hours questioning, the
youth revealed that he had run away
from his Chicago home a fortnight
ago bent on a career of crime. He
said he had not launched his career
yet but had bought two of his guns
since coming here in preparation fol
it. He observed:
That's why there is so much crime
its so easy to buy guns"
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
AS SOME DO 1T
BY HANS b. KROMAN
in Tyler journal

When a candidate for high office
and his errand boys will lower them
selves to Islander and mud singing
of the kind that has been used in
the last campaign as we'll as in pre-
vious campaigns in order to Gust for
instance Governor Olson, then l for
one feel ashamed of commonwealth
that will tolerate such tactics with
out uttering a word in protest against
such scandalOus political strategy.
When for instance you think of the
Shiny stuff you received two years
ago through the Minnesota Voice
from SlaytOn or you think of the
Saturday Press of this year, don't
you feel a nauseous brown taste in
your mouth that almost causes you
to vomit? Don't you feel that you
cannot possibly take such men seri-
ously? Don't you feel like an old
friend of mine when he said: Tell
we, Hans, when We enter politics, We
enter rot, and that rot stinks to beat
well to beat hell!'
Yes, after all, a sound common
wealth has got to be built up from
the grass roots" to use an expression
by everybOdy's friend, c. r. Lundberg.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
BEWARE OF HUEY

The Nation, well known as
radical publication, makes known
in no uncertain terms, what they
think of Senator Huey Long of
Louisiana, and the danger of
electing him to any higher office
than he now holds. The Nation
article follows:
With the passage, in eighty-four
hours and twenty-One minutes, of
forty-four bills in the louisiana Leg
islature-Or less than two hours per
bill-Senator Huey Long has made
himself dictator of his state. He con-
trolls every state board of any impor-
lance, state civil service commission,
and a state bar association which will
pass on the fitness of lawyers to prac-
tice; and his debt-moratorium law ties
up the banks and other financial in
situations so effectively that their con-
troll, too, is substantially in the sem
ators hands. Having captured his
state. Mr.. Long now comes out into
the open and announces himself a
candidate for the presidency in 1886,
on an anti-New Deal program support
ed by plain, honest, thinking men,"
Since he persists in making homself
a clown at every opportunity, it is
easy to think of the senator from
louisiana as simply joke, albeit a
singularly bad one. But his qualities
as a demagogue, his windy oratory
his energy, and his steam-rOller tao
tics make him a threat as we'll, not to
thinking" men, in spite of his predic-
tions, but to the mob for whom dema-
gOguery, when it promises them a
heaven on earth, carries note of con-
victiOn. Unfortunately, all the SIM
ple-minded illiterates in the country
do not live in Louisiana. And plenty
of them in other states might be in
duced to listen to the Long promises
of a model government for the plain
people. 1t is doubtful if even the I'M
conquerable Huey regards his chances
in 1886 as very high; it is the duty
and cannot fail to be also the pleasure
of thinking men to see that they
are no higher at any later date.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06

AS forecast in these columns our
new representative from Pine county,
lined up with the reactionary forces.
All this means that the reactionaries
will control the committee assign
ments and thereby legislation. The
reactionaries now call themselves in
dependent progressives. What they
will do to all progressive legislation
introduced is hardly necessary to say.
They will work against it, of course.
The farmers of Minnesota have most
of their own local merchants and
bankers to thank for the political
setup which in my opinion is going
back to the footpaths of Hoover. And
besides do everything they possibly
can to discredit' the New Deal carried
on by the national administration.
S. ]. SIMONSEN.
Askov, Mimi, Dec. 3, 1884.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
GOOD ENOUGH

1t is rather amusing how some con-
sentative newspaper writer's try to
make out that the Farmer-Labor gov
ernor is a minority choice. When
there are three or more candidates for
a political Objective in the case of
governor this year-it is, hardly to be
expected that the winner should re-
ceive more votes than the combined
vote of all his opponents.
In other words to use simple fig
ures, if the Farmer-LabOr candidate
receives $50 votes, the Republican
$50, and the Democratic candidate 200
votes, it would seem that even though
the winner did not receive a majority
of all votes cast, he did receive a
good substantial vote, which, without
Quibbling, quarreling and maneuver-
ing should place him in the position
of being the man most wanted by the
people.
If, for instance, there were no DEM
ocratic candidate, chances are that
the vote of that candidate would be
fairly evenly split between the Farm
er-Labor and Republican candidates.
In that event the Farmer-Labor can
didate would have considerably more
votes than the majority.
All this talk about minority can
didate winning out is little out of
place when there are three or more
candidates in the field. 1t is a pretty
sure thing that if a conservative or
reactionary aspirant for office had the
most votes out of a field of five he
would accept the certificate OF cleo
ton and feel that he was duly elected
and entitled to it,
Perhaps Farmer-Labor candidates
should as, in the case of constitutional
amendments, have a majority of all
votes cast at the election.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
BEWARE OF BAD ROAD!

Arthur Halvorson reports that the
new road to Askov has been made al
most impossible by the heavy rain.
Undoubtedly it is very fortunate that
the old road is still in good condition
due to the few planks placed ON the
river bridge and for which one of the
politicians, the new lieutenant COVER
nor, seems to want so much credit
The above is from the Pine County
Courier at Sandstone
Too bad that a newspaper man has
to get reports from others on a
100000 bridge and road that starts
only three and a half miles from his
door.
Autoists have been driving as miles
or better on the new road and seem
to be fairly we'll satisfied with it. Bar
ney Oldfield might even make 100
miles per hour.
Likely next year the road will re-
ceive a covering of oil or tarvia and
perhaps then Brother Colby can be
induced to take a chance on driving
over it in his gasoline bus.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
POWER TRUST PENITENT
CLOS Angeles Examiner)

How amusingly naive is the sug-
geStion of the power trust that it
would be willing Ito reduce rates and
clean house provided the growing
menace of government competition is
removed"
In other words, it promises to aban-
don propaganda against public own
ership and to reduce rates if it is
assured of the continuance of it's
monopoly.
But for public ownership the mon
opOly of the power trust never would
have been threatened
No promise of the power trust would
be worth the paper on which it was
written.
Public ownership is the only prom
Use on which the public may safely
rely for freedom from the extortion
of a power trust monopoly.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
THE CHURCH NEVER WAS
SISSIFIED

Editor AskOv American:
In regard to Maurice O'Connor's ar
ticle telling your readers what the
church powers have done to build
civilization and recommending your
readers to buy a ten cent pamphlet
of the Rorum Novarum, better known
to me as the encyclical of Pope Leo
XIII. We know that this encyclical
came while the power Of the church
in Vatican City was waning. Sew
eral countries in Europe had and we're
demanding separation of their gov
ernments from the church.
Leo woke up and tried to show he
could help governments in their eco
nOmical troubles and hoped by doing
this to save the church from further
losing her world power, but as it was
always the liberals who demanded
the church out Of governmental af-
fairs, Vatican City became an enemy
of the liberals.
Today she fights Communism for
the same reason that Wall Street
does, because Russia has no place
for either one.
We do not need Mr.. OConnor to
tell us how the church has brought
civilization. l hope he himself will
not approve of the system used.
Whether the people to whom it was
brought was given choice to refuse
Bill Rogers ancestors and my
Dutch ancestors knew the little group
of English fanaticals. Read Hendrix
van Looms THE Life and Times of
Rembrandt van Rim" The little
colony that found refuge in Holland
for IL years and enjoyed liberty, did
not want their children to marry for
eigners. We Hollanders were consid-
cred by them, foreigners, in our own
country. You get that?" other
countries were Rome brought civili-
cation (?) That people found out
Vatican City was not a sissified
church.
There were not many who dared to
oppose the church Of Rome. Martin
Luther was one who dared but we
ought to consider he had the backing
of the mighty land lords. We also
condemn the Tetzel practices as
Luther did, and know also the reason
why Father Coughlin opposes Wall
Street. While he sees old hierarchy's
ship is sinking he likes to save as
Pope Leo did his business (the
church,, he likes to go over into
the new era and is willing to sacri-
flee the old partner of the church
to save himself. But keeps up to
fight Communism he knows too we'll
that Russia has no place for Vatican
City and neither for Wall Street.
If Russian soldiers have to go to
war they have to go for the first time
in history without the blessing of the
church, and the church will have for
the first time no response Utility for the
consequences of war, but not for want
of a clear conscience, but for not Civ
ing her the opportunity to sell bles-
sing for loot.
JOHN NIEBOER.
Dell Grove Township.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
ORGANIZE FOR RELIEF

Editor Askov American:
trust you can give space for the
following. | have attended two diff
ferent conferences held in Minneapo-
lis for the purpose of organizing diff
ferent farmers and labor organizations
together for the purpose of getting
adequate relief and to elect delegates
to the Minnesota Workers and farmers
relief congress to be held January Il
to IA, 1885. This congress will de-
liberate on bills for state unemplOy-
ment and social insurance and for
farmers emergency relief measures
which will be placed before the state
at that time in session, fer
enactment.
A speaker will be present at the
meeting held in Hinckley on Deem
Der 8, at l o'clock p. M, who will
explain it a little better, and l trust
that everybody will turn out and hear
it,
LAURENCE V. UBL.
Hinckley, Mimi, Dec. 5, 1884.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
PRINTERS ALL AT LARGE
(Bemidji SentineD

Newspaper publishers are pointing
with pride to the announcement just
made by the officials of the state peni-
Tertiary at Saltwater that Warden
Sullivan is somewhat concerned over
the future of the Prison Mirror, the
weekly newspaper issued at the in
stitution. 1t appears that there are
only two printers left in the place,
and that one is very old and about
ready for retirement We don't know
just what moral can be drawn from
this statement. but certainly the
printers of the state should be en-
titled to take a bow.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-12-06
LET'S HAVE DECENCY
Duluth Publicity

The dry prOpagandists are already
sowing seeds for changes in the state
liquor law at this coming session of
the Legislature. There are claims to
the effect that the law must be taken
out of politics. If that be the case
the Anti-Saloon League should stay
away from the state capitol this ses-
sion of the Legislature. These drys
do not work for the glory of mankind
as they claim but instead work for the
glory of their own pocketbooks and
the glory of getting their names in
the newspapers. OF course there are
a few sincere people who spend their
time and money in cause they think
is just.
The legislators should go slow at
this coming session and be careful Of
the paid lobbyists. There are some
changes necessary in the present law
such as putting teeth in the enforce
ment and to tighten up on the 80 beer
sales.
The bottle goods should be separate
from the on-sale places and this part
of the law needs few changes to pro-
tect these legitimate dealers who pay
large license fees and have to put up
a large bond to insure the best liquor
possible.
There are just two things the ,.egi5-
lature should remember at this COM
ing legislative session-that Minnesota
voted wet with an overwhelming ma
jority; that this is wet state and the
same people who made it wet have
elected them to the Legislature. These
two things should not be forgotten.