Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-12-26
(Omitted from publication last issue
for lack of space.)
OF Doubtful Wisdom.

ly independent From a humane
standpoint the proposal is laudable
and worthy but there are other angles
to consider. Once such refugees settle
in the islands they become to all in
tents and purposes wards of the Fed
eral government and it would be but
question of time until there would
be strong agitation to permit them to
come to the states to live and become
citizens
Conditions being what they are we
cannot in justice to our own people
permit the immigration bars to be
lowered until our own folks are full
ly employed. Even then we should
proceed slowly and cautiously. We
have about reached our maximum
capacity to absorb aliens, of whatever
character, and it would seem that we
should AmericaniZe the several mil
lion now living amongst us before
we think of taking on additional obi
cations.
The term financially independent"
as applied to European refugees is
most misleading. While many have
considerable assets in their native
land, once they leave their home
country such assets will probably be
seized by their government so all
they will have is the very small sum
in cash that they will be permitted
to take with them. When that small
store becomes exhausted they would
become heavy liability for us.
Rank Ingratitude.
In their blind zealousness for one
side or the other in Europe's war,
many Americans lose sight of their
obligations as citizens of the Republic.
This is not alone true of the man on
the street but, unfortunately, it ex-
tends to highly placed government
officials. AS result we are at present
a house divided against itself. On
one hand is the majority group, which
is against war. That group is I'M
organized and mute. Then we have
another group, much smaller in num-
Der but more vociferous, that would
have had us in the war months ago
could they have had their way. They
are well financed and have the inside
track in all publicity outlets. Lately
this group has taken it upon itself
to carry on campaign of hate and
misrepresentation against the Vichy
government of France, even going so
far as to advocate the seizure of the
island of Martinique, French West
Indies possession, where there are
hundred and more American made
planes ordered and paid for by the
French government before its COL
lapse.
These hybrid Americans are wrathy
because the French did not oppose
the German invasion to the last man.
supposedly neutral country to sit in
judgment on other nations? What
has France done to us that we should
turn on her like pack of hungry
wolves? Wasn't it France who gave
us the men, money and material that
enabled us to cast aside the hateful
yoke of Britain more than $50 years
ago? Now these bellicose Americans
would take advantage of her helpless
ness to rob her of territory. Thank
God the overwhelming majority of
the American people are not that kind
of folks. They never hit below the
belt. Rather they would favor send
ing food to the starving men, wom-
en- and children who are innocent vic
TINS of greedy, insane and unscrupu-
lous megalomaniacs. Let us have
no more loose talk about seizing
foreign territory. Those who persist
should be confined as a measure of
national security.
Defense Program Lays.
Daily we see increased evidence
that production for defense is much
less than it should be. The reason
is to be found in several quarters.
The National Defense Board is with
out authority to act. It can merely
recommend. Final decisions rest with
the President. When he is away from
Washington there is no responsible
head and everything waits until his
return.
It seems we learned little from
our World War experiences and as
result we witness another orgy of
aimless spending that is both ex-
pensive and inefficient. If the need
for greater national defense is as great
as we were told in October, we can
but conclude that someone is guilty
of an Indifference that may have
tragic results later on. Certainly,
we will never be more free to pro-
duce for defense than now and the
cost is bound to increase as the war
progresses.
Not alone do we need more care
full planning for defense but we
should also begin planning for the
peace that must come in time. The
end of the war will bring problems,
economic and political, the like of
which we have never before expert
enced. Unless we get ourselves set
to meet them we will continue to
founder about as we have done the