Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-03-28
Mr.. Dunn on Propaganda

leader of the conservative forces in
the lower house of the Legislature,
went ON the radio the other night.
His announced topic was: "The Omni-
bus Tax Proposal of the Independent
Progressive Majority but, oddly
enough, only a relatively small pOr-
tion of his talk was devoted to this
theme. The rest of it was a TRADE
against the Farmer-LabOr administra-
ton, even though it was proclaimed
at the outset that he would shun per-
sonalities.
Mr.. Dunn waxed eloquent when he
described the independently Progress
siyes." as the reactionaries in the
House have strangely labeled them
selves. He assumed a tone of right
eous indignation when he charged
that his group had been the victim"
of the vicious propaganda machine"
of the Farmer-Labor administration.
He attacked the Minnesota Leader.
the statewide newspaper of the
Farmer-LabOr movement.
Seemingly it gals Mr.. Dunn that
the Farmer-LabOrites have been able,
by continued struggling. to keep alive
one statewide paper to compete with
the host of conservative and reaction
airy newspapers throughout the state
that are ready to spread the propa
ganda of Mr.. Dunn and his kind every
day in the year.
And while we are on the subject of
propaganda, what about the radio
ioh Enc Il,
time was lent to him by r. w. Hitch
cock. the Hibbing editor and high
pressure press agent for the Repub-
lican party and the steel trust. Who
pays for this time that Mr.. Hitchcock
has twice weekly on Minneapolis
station? Mr.. Hitchcock? Or is 1t the
big mining companies for whom he
has always been devoted worker?
If Mr.. Hitchcock has ever made any
explanation of the source of the funds
which permit him to go ON the air
regularly for the purpose Of attack
ing the Farmer-LabOr administration
it has escaped this writer.
Mr. Dunn is much wrought up about
the weekly letter on happenings at
newspapers by A. I. Harris, editor Of
the Conservationist, the publication
of the Department of Conservation.
The people have a right to know what
IS going on in the capitol all the
year around and everybody knows that
the country week1ies to which Mr..
Harris letter is sent can not afford
TO maintain correspondents at the
statehouse as do the big newspapers
and press associations. Does not Mr..
Dunn know that the same Mr.. Hitch
cock who magnanimOusly gave him
the radio time. sends a weekly letter
to the newspapers? 1t might be re-
marked that this letter makes little
pretense Of giving people the news
1t is unadulterated propaganda for
the Republican machine of this state
and the big business interests.
And what about the propaganda
that the conservative majority in the
Legislature has been spreading by
means of the Senate investigating
committee? This body. while it so
far has uncovered nothing to justify
the $4,000 appropriated for it out of
the taxpayers money. has been given
many columns Of space in the reac-
tionary newspapers for its innuendo
and fruitleSs undertaking.
In justice to Mr.. Dunn it must be
said that he finally did remember that
he was supposed to talk on the omni-
bus tax program drafted by the con-
sentative tax committee OF both
houses. He was high in praise OF
the retail sales tax plan. by which
it is hoped to take about S12.000.O00
out of the pockets of the consumers
by levying on the necessities Of life
The wealthy will escape with small
increase in their income taxes.
Mr.. Dunn referred to the "so-called
poor" who will be bearing most OF the
sales tax burden. Can it be that Mr.
Dunn believes that the farmers anC
workers on the relief. or just barely
escaping il. are not really poor
Would he have them in even more
desperate circumstances before hs