Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-01-11

thinking.
| AS l see it the Communists are
thinking little too clearly for some
of the misleaders and politicians
who are living off the public tax
money. Our ex-president, Mr.. Hoo
yer, is now touring the country for
the poor refugees of Finland. How
come? Has Mr.. Hoover had a change
of heart lately? Not that we have
heard of and judging by his past
record OF what he has done is proof
that the funds which are collected are
most likely to be used for the benefit
of the exploiters of the poor people
of Finland. l could give you histor-
ical facts and documentary proof but
it's too lengthy, so l will quote you
what some of the leading English
men say of late regarding Finland:
From Labor Monthly" June 1899:
(By Captain Harry Grenfell, M. P.)
This government (England) has al
ready made secret commitments with
ESthonia and Finland for the use of
the airdromeS in those countries for
British aircraft operating against the
U. S. S. r. The commitments APP
pear to have been in existence at
least 10 years"
| Here is another from the London
News Chronicle of December 9, 1899,
(by Joshua Wedgeword, Labor M. P. ::
"Mannerheim crushed in blood the
revolt of the Finnish workers and
farmers in 1918 against the dictator
ship of the White Guard Finnish gen.
erals, bankers and landlords"
NOnetheleSS, Mannerheim continues
to rule Finland. Neither from a
humanitarian viewpoint nor from
consideration of liberty can one re-
greet the change which will lead to
Mannerheim's removal.
From the Londan Daily Mail of
December 2, 1889, (by Very Rever-
end Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canter-
bury): at would have been wis
dom and kindness on our part if we
had urged Finland to meet Russia's
desire to remove the possibility Of
guns placed only 20 miles away from
the heart of the area which possesses
a quarter of her industrial activities.
l deplore the situation which might
have been wholly avoided together
with the war itself, had we not
Spurned Russian friendship and
thwarted her efforts to make the
League of Nations a success. Russia
feared with reason a united western
attack. We, through many years, de-
sired Germany to be the spearhead of
that attack. Many Influential persons
still desire and work for it. Russia
knows that"
From the same paper and same date
| (by George Bernard Shaw: "No
power can tolerate a frontier from
which town such as Leningrad
could be shelled when she knows
that the power on the other side of
the frontier, however small and weak
it may be, is being made by fool
ish government to act in the inter-
ests of other great powers menacing
her security. Finland would prob
ably not have refused the Russian Of
fer had she been acting on her own
or in her own interests. But Russia
believes that Finland thinks she has
backing of America and other west
ern powers Asked, "What con-
ceivable defense can you make for
this Soviet attack on Finland?" Shaw
replied without hesitation: 81 think
the explanation is perfectly simple
Finland had been misled by very
foolish government. She should have
accepted RusSia'S offer for the read
justment of territory. She should
have been sensible neighbor." He
said the Firms obviously believe that
they had the support of the United
States or they would not have taken
the stand they did against a nation
so much stronger ''It is not at all
a question of Russia, great power,
attempting to subject Finland, which
is a small power" he said, and con-
tinued: ut is question of Russia
seeing to her own security. In Rus
sia's view Finland can have no de-
feasible objection to the carrying out
of the exchange of territories for
which Russia asked unless she is
allowing herself to be used by Amer
lea or other western powers. There
can be no possibility of Finland plan
ming any attack on Russia by herself,
nor would any of the territories which
Russia asked her to transfer enable
her alone to defend herself effec-
lively against Russia"
And some of those fellows are per-
haps better known throughout the
world and no doubt just as good or
better statesmen as our Honorable
Congressman Harold Knutson.
In northern Finland is one of the
richest nickel mines in the world
owned by the j. P. Morgan group.
That is what MIR. Hoover is shedding
crocodile tears over; not over the
poor people of Finland. Let us keep
out of the European quarrel as we
have enough to do to clean up our
own doorsteps.
LAWRENCE V. UBL.
| Hinckley, Mimi, Jan. Z, 1910.
From, EvohonUoc