The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-10-10

the case with North and South
Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Ok
lahoma. Each Of these states viii
probably lose representation be.
cause they have shown loss in
population, primarily due to the
Idroughts which have driven thous
ands of families into nearby states
Their loss in representation will be
absorbed by the states Of Califor'
MIA, Illinois, Michigan, New York
Ohio or Texas. Incidentally it is
Of interest to note that the Sixth
District gained 29,557 in the past
ten years.
Adjournment of Congress
The administration appeared de-
termined to adjourn Congress not
later than September %, but when
check up of the House member
ship was made it was found that
the majority of the House was op-
posed to adjournment.
The desire of Congressman to re-
turn to their home districts for a
few weeks before election day is
naturally very strong, but, it is
their feeling, at this time. that con-
ditions do not justify an adjourn
ment that would take Congress
away from Washington until next
January. They feel that three day
recesses would be much better as
Congress could then meet prompt
ly and act on any question that
might arise.
1t is regrettable a number OF
Senators and Representatives who
have faithfully remained in Wash
ington to speed the enactment of
defense bills have been defeated in
the primaries by opponents with
more time for campaigning.
However, every legislator must
realize that his presence at Wash
ington in recent months has been
necessary. Members of both the
Senate and House have had the
privilege of rendering great ma
tional service in a period when con-
fusion and fears for the national
safety have been widespread.
In other words, Congress has won
the respect and confidence of the
people by remaining on the job to
set in motion a huge defense pro-
gram. And it will win still further
commentator if it now stays in
session until it's most pressing tasks
are completed.
AS this is being written it looks
as though the United States is ap-
preaching a showdown with Ger
many, Italy and Japan, who on
Thursday of last week signed mil,
itary pact that is generally believ,
ed to be aimed at US.
Throughout the world crisis this
administration has pursued a pol.
icy that is highly dangerous and
one that is as hard to explain as
it is to justify. We have actively
participated in the European wal
with everything but manpower. We
have given one side warships
planes, guns and ammunition, and
contrary to international law we
altered our neutrality policy after
war had broken out. In the Orient
our policy has been equally mex
plicable.
Now it is beginning to look as
though we are going to be com
PEELED to fight whether we want t.
or not. In the judgment Of expert:
it is only question Of days Of
weeks and this unhappy state o.
affairs will give our people the mos
serious concern. On land we art
woefully unprepared. 1t is my in
formation that there is not ever
enough underwear and shoes or
hand to take care of the first draf
tees, and as for equipment we are
told by the National Defense Coun,
Gil that we will not be ready until
1912. Theodore Roosevelt used to
say, Speak softly and carry a big
stick" Franklin Delano Roosevelt
has put this very excellent advice
into reverse. We have been speak.
ing harshly while carrying a small
stick.
AS this is being written there
lies before me clipping from the
New York Journal, dated August
2, 1889, containing an interview
that I gave on my departure fol
the Oslo Conference. Among other
things I am quoted as having said
THE danger of war for this coun,
try lies in the Far East and not in
Europe. We can keep the peace II
we have the will to do so. Foreign
entanglements are as unnecessary
now as in the days Of George Wash
ington. This name-calling program
is not conducive to peace"
In looking back over the years
we can see the tragic mistakes COM
mitted Immediately following the
Armistice. Laying aside the poll
teal angles of the Treaty Of Yer
sailles, the economic omissions
sowed the seed for the present
war. Had our statemen at that
time been foresighted enough to
have created an international pool
of all raw material, to which all
nations would have had access on
an equal footing, this war could and
probably would have been averted
and democracy in Europe would
now be firmly entrenched. But, no.
the have" nations who then con-
trolled much Of the raw material
supply of the world continued to
hold on to the advantages they
| then had and added 70 their confrn]