The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-08-29
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House Passes Guard Bill
BY Harold Knutson

BY a vote of 342 to 3S the House
on last Thursday passed legislation
authorizing the President to mob
ilize 100000 National Guardsmen
and Army Reservists for year OF
active military service anywhere in
this hemisphere. One of the con-
trolling factors in promoting the
passage of this legislation was the
fear that its defeat might give COM
fort to the totalitarian states OF
Europe.
When finally enacted, the War
Department will put into effect
plans to call up 100000 Guardsmen
before January 1st, which will give
us at that time a standing army OF
100000 with the regular establish
men. This Army will be available
for use in the three Americas as
well as in the territories of Hawaii,
Alaska and the Insular Possessions.
The bill had already passed the
Senate but has been sent back to
that body for action upon several
important House amendments. The
House struck out a section which
provided that failure or refusal OF
an employer to rehire a Guardsman
after his active service should con-
stitute an unfair labor practice
This will be dealt with in a general
bill that the Military Affairs Com
mittee is now working on. Another
amendment grants authority to
the President to establish gratuities
of dread and butter allowances
for dependents of Guardsmen must,
cred into service. The bill was also
amended to permit the discharge
of Guardsmen upon proof that they
are the sole support of dependents
with no other means of support
The amended bill also extends the
World War Civil Rights Act, des.
igned to protect militiamen agains,
court action based on their debts
back home. AS amended by the
House the Presidents authority tc
mobilize the militia will expire on
June 30, 1912.
The next order of business in the
preparedness program is the draft
bill, to which there is great deal
of opposition. 1t is expected this
measure will reach the House about
the time this letter appears in
print.
Political Blaclmail
The Democratic National Com
mittee finds itself with thousands
of convention books on hand which
they planned on selling at price
that would net a handsome profit
These books contain advertising
that has cost as high as $1,000 q
page. Nearly all of this advertising
was taken by corporations who are
either doing business with the Fed
eral government or are in some
manner regulated by the Federal
government, so it follows that the
cost of the ads will ultimately be
passed on to and be paid by the
American taxpayer.
Four years ago the President
autographed a thousand of these
books, which were sold for $3.50 a
copy. Nominee Willkie strongly de-
nounces this form of political
blackmail and Attorney jackson
has ruled that it Is clearly in
violation Of the Corrupt Practices
Act. Mr.. Willkie calls upon the
Democratic National Committee to
refund the money that they have
shaken down from American bust
nessman, but this they refuse to do.
That is not to be wondered at as
the new Democratic National
Chairman got his training in Tam
many Hall and there are no better
shakers than the Tammanyites
Those who have paid out thousands
Of dollars for advertising should
demand a refund. Mr.. Willkie in
Inmates that they will be prosecuted
if they do not do so.
Hitler has also raised hobb with
the New Deal campaign fund. In
the good old days of the New Deal
! ambassadorships to second-rate
powers brought about $4,000 each
In taking over most of the coun-
tries of Europe Hitler has cut a
half million dollars from their cam
paign income. However, the New
Dealers will console themselves in
the knowledge that they yet have
WPA, not to mention the 200 mil
lion dollar emergency fund that
Congress voted the President to be
used as he sees fit, and without