The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-01-13
Observations
from Washington
(By Congressman Harold Knutson)
The Ludlow Resolution

The Ludlow Resolution
Ere this letter appears in print
the Ludlow resolution, which pro-
vides for a popular referendum on
the matter of our country engaging
in wars on foreign soil, will have
been before the House and disposed
of. I do not doubt our ability to Sc
cure the necessary majority to dis
charge the Judiciary Committee
where the resolution is bottled up
from further consideration of the
measure, but whether we can mus
ter two-thirds vote to pass it is
something else again. No matter
what the outcome, Mr.. Ludlow has
done a fine job and it's beneficial
effects will endure.
I cannot understand why anyone
should be against the Ludlow res
olution. All this talk that we could
not defend ourselves against invad-
ing forces until the people had vot-
ed on it is just so much tommyrot.
The resolution would merely submit
to vote of the people a proposal to
wage war on foreign territory, ex-
cept where we are attacked or
threatened with attack. Anything
wrong with that? Are not the peo-
pie competent to pass upon such a
question? If they are not, then they
are not qualified to vote on any
thing else. Sooner or later a pro-
posal such as Mr.. Ludlow has in
mind will be Incorporated into the
Constitution and it should be, be-
cause in the final analysis it is the
people who do the fighting and pay
the bills. Here is the proposed
amendment to the Constitution:
Except in case of military at
tack, actual or Immediately threat
ened, upon the United States or its
territorial possessions, or by any
non-American nation against any
territory in the Western Hemis-
phere, the people shall have the
sole power, by a national referen-
dunn, to declare or wage war;"
Can you see anything wrong
about giving the people a voice in
the matter Of going to war?
AS a member Of the Steering
Committee for the amendment a
large part Of my time has been Ia
ken up with this fight and will be
glad when it Is over.
A Scandal Brewing
My readers will recall last June
I took the floor and condemned the
iva for their waste, coercive
measures and inefficiency. At that
time I stated that the whole thing
should be investigated and prophes-
led that when all the facts are un-
covered it would make Teapot
Dome look like q mole hill. Imme-
diately a few back home who are
opposed to me politically started in
to flood the Sixth District with a
speech by Congressman Rankin
condemning my position and they
sought to create the inference that
I am against low rates and rural
electrification although there is no
connection whatsoever between rur-
al Identification in Minnesota and
the IVA.
Now my position is about to be
indicated. Senator Norris, father
of iva, demands an investigation
and has introduced q resolution to
that effect. So has Congressman
Maury Maverick, Democrat, from
Texas, and now comes Congress
man Andrew jackson May, of Ken
lucky, also q Democrat, from a
state which borders on Tennessee,
and demands that the whole thing
be sifted from top to bottom.
Mr.. May charges that graft.
waste and Irregularities in IVA
will run into millions Of dollars and
! think that he Is right. As a strik-
ing example Of the waste we can
cite the building Of the village Of