The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-02-01

he petitioned to establish tariffs
which will equalize the difference
in the cost of production between
the United States and foreign grew
ers of similar products. Such leg
islation would enable the American
producer to compete with cheap
foreign labor. We deplore the tre-
mendous increase in importaticns
of Cuban fruits and vegetables,
which are being imported under a
Reciprocal Trade Agreement with
Cuba"
How long do we expect the Amer
lean farmer, and I do not care
whether he live in Florida or Mimi
esota, to continue to sell the pro-
ducts of his land and labor below
cost of production because of for
ced competition with peon labor,
many Of whom go barefoot the year
round and whose sole wardrobe
consists of a cotton shirt and pair
of patched overalls? We simply
cannot compete with him unless we
get down to his living levels.
SHOULD HELP DISTRESSED
COUNTRIES
The movement to extend help to
distressed Finland and Poland is
not making the progress that it
should although all parts of the
country are urging haste. The need
is great because of the severe win
ter they are having in northern
Europe. The need for food and
clothing in Poland is much greater
now than it will be in few months
hence and unless we act socn I fear
that many will die of exposure.
Finland's request for a 60 million
dollar loan has been cut to 20 mil
lion by the Senate Committee. She
already has an unexpended balance
of 10 million dollars to her credit.
1 am sorry that the President in
Dictated in his letters to the presid-
ing officers of the two houses of
Congress that the credit advanced
should be available only for ncn-
military expenditures. What Fin
land needs, more than anything
else, is war materials with which to
defend herself, and we can sell her
this without violating our neutral
ity law because no war has been de-
clared between Finland and Russia.
The Finnish-Minister stated the
other day that if sympathy could
win a war, the Films would now be
in Moscow. He is absolutely right.
The Firms can neither fight nor
live on sympathy. They must have
planes, guns, bombs and other war
equipment, and that soon.
I attended a dinner last evening
where I met several well informed
individuals living in neutral north
ern European countries. One and
all were agreed that if Finland can
get the necessary help in the way of
aeroplanes and other war materials
fer defense, promptly, she will win
the war; otherwise it is doubtful as
they are fighting against tremen-
dous odds. Finland is not fighting
to preserve democracy as much as
she is fighting to prevent the spread
of communism which, undoubtedly,
will spread over the greater part of
the earth in the event CT Russian
triumph in that country. Today
Finland is the Thermopylae of
Christian civilization and if man
kind is not to pass into the control
of insane brutes, Finland must be
given immediate help. .a.s
LEWIS-ROOSEVELT BREAK
1t is seldom that we have two
political surprises of such import
ance breaking at one time as we
had last week. One was the declar
alton by John L. Lewis, (CIO czar)
that any ticket carrying Roosevelt
for a third term would go down in
"ignominious defeat" Coming from
a man who, probably controls sever.
al million votes, the statement is
significant. That it caused uneas-
mess and apprehension in the ranks
of the high command was evidenced
by the fact that the following day
several members of the cabinet, and
lesser New Deal officeholders
came out with emphatic statements
to the effect that Mr.. Roosevelt
can be elected for a third term
Mr.. Lewis objection to- the New
Deal is it's failure to cure unem,
ployment to give proper recog.
milton to labor, both politically and
economically, and he also takes ex-
ception to trade ills debts and taxes
The other surprising event was
the declaration by Postmaster Gen.
eral Farley, down in North Carolina
that he places his country above his
party. This, political analysts take
to mean that he will oppose a third
term for Mr.. Roosevelt. AS far
back as last August one of the
leading Washington correspon
dents, in his column, declared that
Farley would not go along on a
third term. Mr.. Farley's North
Carolina speech would indicate that
this correspondent knew what he
was talking about.
The President must be under ter
rifle pressure these days. Nearly
all his cabinet and lesser appointees
are insisting that he must run again
in 1910. I can well understand that,
because their jobs depend on his
continuing on in the White House.
In surveying the situation one must
not overlook the fact that this army
of officeholders, which exceeds 500,