Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-10-10

WIFI dIlu IiOI
get burned" said
eneral Wood, ksss E8'''Sa'
who was responsible for supplying
the entire military establishment of
the United States during the World
war. "You cannot have your gov
ernment-not private manufacturers
transfer its equipment to foreign
powers, you cannot have your gov
eminent in an unofficial alliance with
a foreign power, you cannot be
meddler in Indo-China or berate Italy
and Germany, without eventually in
volving the nation in war;"
General Wood scoffed at what he
called the fantastic hysteria which
swept the United States following
the Battle of France. He said the
majority of military and naval ex-
perts will assure the United States
that there is absolutely no danger of
invasion by Germany.
Japan Ready to Fight.
Many agree with General Wood.
On Friday of last week took oc-
casion to make a brief statement in
the House on a newspaper interview
given by the new Japanese foreign
minister, wherein l called attention
to the fact that in this interview the
foreign minister asserted that Japan
is ready to fight if the United States
insists on the status quo in Asia, or
if the United States enters the Euro
pean war. For over year | have
repeatedly warned that the meddling
policies of President Roosevelt and
Secretary of State Hull gravely en-
danger the peace of this nation. The
statements of the Japanese foreign
minister are simply added evidence of
the possible disastrous consequences
of the war policy of the Roosevelt
Administrations policy which has
been marked by undiplomatic utter
ances, denunciation of powers with
whom we are at peace, inviting war
while we are totally unprepared.
1 do not know that there is any
thing Congress can do about this
unfortunate situation. Certainly in
its present frame of mind it will
never vote for a declaration of war;
but, in common with many of my COL
leagues on both sides of the aisle,
1 am apprehensive that the President
and his Secretary of State will, by
hook or crook, bring about an Incl
dent that will make Americas en-
trance into the war inevitable.
Lack of Facilities.
1t is rumored that owing to the
lack of facilities and supplies less
than one hundred thousand men will
be called for the draft next month,
instead of four hundred thousand as
was first planned. Getting ready for
such large group is a mans job
and cannot be accomplished over
night. Incidentally, recent develop
ments strongly support the contention
of those who advocated a 60-day
trial of voluntary enlistment before
resorting to peace-time CONSUMPTION.
The enlistments for August were the
highest in peace-time history and it
is my information that young men are
enlisting in the Navy and Marine
Corps faster than they can be &C
commodated.
Registering 100000 and hiring
of 100000 young men for army
work constitutes the worlds biggest
peace-time hiring job and will cost
S24 100000. The registration will
cost about $4,000. Then comes the
task of selecting those who are to
serve. This includes making out all
necessary forms, giving written in
structions, making examinations, pro-
viding travel allowances. What the
soldiers refer to as paper work" in
the army and which includes forms,
instruction books and that sort of
thing will cost n early $1,5O0,OO0.
That's a lot of bookkeeping. Travel
will cost $1,250,000. It is expected
that the average travel for the select
ees will be 100 miles at &c per mile.
Provision is made for 1,250,000 tele-
grams. Telephone and telegraph ex-
pense is estimated at a little over
ST 100000. There will be $500 draft
boards and 231 appeal boards for
which the rent, light and fuel expense
will be nearly $1,000,000. Furniture
and equipment will take another ST.
100000. Finally, the clerks and board
members who must handle the job
will cost something over 100000
Thus this vast hiring task will take
over 100000.
Gains in Population.
In 1880 Minnesota had population
of 2,563,953. The 1910 census dis
closes that on April 1st we had a
population of 2,785,896, an increase
of 81 per cent. Under the late CEN
sus the average congressional dis
trict will contain 302,092. The Sixth
District as now constituted contains
1872, 799. Minnesota will neither gain
nor lose representation in Congress
under the new census. Unfortunate
ly, this is not the case with North
and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
and Oklahoma. Each of these states
will probably lose representation be-
cause they have shown a loss in popu-