Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-01-20

IL
has we'll nigh destroyed the faith
of thousands of Farmer-Laborites and
independent voters who in the past
campaigns have supported our cause.
1t is this alignment with the Com
munists that caused thousands of
Farmer-Labor voters to leave our
party in the 1887 Minneapolis city
election.
The charge of Communism against
the Farmer-LabOr party in the past
was ridiculous and untrue. What
evidence of Communism can one find
in the public careers of Knud Wefald,
MagnuS Johnson and Floyd Olson?
But l charge that the present Cover
nor has taken prominent Communist
leaders into his fold and used his
high office to further their program.
Let me quote for you statement
by Earl Browder, Communist can
didate for President in 1886, that will
prove my accusation that the Com
munistS are seeking control of the
Farmer-Labor party and intend to
use our party to bring about their
revolution. Browder said in part:
''This does not mean that we Com
munists are abandoning the idea of
the revolution. We believe that such
Farmer-Labor movement would
give revolutionary education to the
masses. The Communists in such a
movement, by being in the forefront
of every struggle, would influence it,
would strengthen it, and at the same
time strengthen our own party"
We must not permit this to hap
pen.
Let me cite an example. The Com
muniSt campaign manager in the
Sixth Ward in the 1887 Minneapolis
city election has been engaged by the
State Administration in the High
way Department and incidentally
drives around in a State-oWned car
campaigning for the reelection of the
Governor. After bitterly opposing
Governor Olson in 1884, and in 1887
seeking to defeat Farmer-Labor
aldermanic candidate and to elect a
Communist, he becomes one of the
administration henchmen.
The fate of our party is in your
hands. The issue is not one of an
individual against another. 1t is
Farmer-Labor principles versus Com
munism and Capitol Hill racketeer-
ing. The Farmer-Labor party has
been betrayed and must be saved in
the June Primaries by you farmers,
you laborers, you business men, and
you women of Minnesota who hold
the church sacred and the home the
keystone to democracy.
1 abhor the Communistic teachings
of overthrow of government by revo-
luton and the destruction of the
church. 1 would rather be defeated
without the support of this un-Amer-
lean element than elected with it.
1 will not bargain with those seeking
to lead us from the principles of our
party and our departed leaders. My
concern is the fate of our party and
the fate of the great liberal movement
in Minnesota. We must purge our
party of Communications borers
from within-if we intend to keep it
a Farmer-Labor party.
FL. Principles Are Issues.
Administration h e c h m n are
spreading the propaganda that if I
am nominated and elected Governor
the Farmer-Labor party will be
wrecked. They know that what will
harmon is that the CapitO1 Hill pO1it-
ical machine will be wrecked. The
party did not go on the rocks while
I was Governor. But l charge that
it has been well nigh wrecked during
the past year under, the present state
administration Such propaganda of
the administration henchmen is mere
ly the silly and absurd chatter of
desperate politicians The logic of
their contention is that the chief job
dispenser, the Governor, is the Farm
er-Labor party. That contention is
absurd The Farmer-Labor party is
the embodiment of principles that
more than half a million voters in
this state believe in and have en-
dorsed. These principles are the is
sues in this campaign.
If nominated as your candidate for
Governor, the Communistic element
will leave our party. They will de-
nounce me during the Primary cam
paign and after the Primary as they
denounced Magnus Johnson and Floyd
Olson. Their departure will be cause