Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-06-27

In MS CnarlOCCeSVllle speech, the
Presidents stock as a candidate for
the third term was in the ascendancy.
But those two moves sent a shiver
of fear over the length and breadth
of our land and for the first time in
many months members of Congress
were flooded with letters from con-
stituents demanding that they stay
on the job and not permit Roosevelt
to drag us into war. Mr.. Roosevelt
was one of the first to perceive that
he was on political toboggan that
was gaining momentum every day.
In order to check the decline he did
what many of us had foreseen for
some time-create coalition cabinet
and appoint Republicans CD as Sec
rotary of the Navy and Secretary of
War. The navy place was empty
because of the resignation of Secre-
tary Edison, who is going back to
New Jersey to run for Governor. He
has been wanting to unload Secretary
of War Woodring for many months
be cause Mr.. Woodring is opposed to
Americas participation in the war
and therefore didn't fit in with the
Presidents program. He filled the
vacancies with two of Americas
strongest interventionists- olonel
Knox of the Chicago News, and Henry
L. Stimson, former Secretary of State.
My readers will recall that it was
Mr.. Stimson who, while secretary of
state in the Hoover cabinet back in
1881, invited England to join with us
in driving Japan out of Manchuria
which, of course, would have meant
war. Both of these gentlemen were
also very active last fall in the cam
paign to lift the embargo on ship
ments of war material to belligerent
countries. Only one construction can
be placed upon their appointment
the President is getting ready to do
something.
America Unprepared.
America is woefully unprepared,
except for the navy. Even our navy
at the present time is not prepared
for offensive warfare and the con-
dition of our army is almost a ma
tional scandal, Notwithstanding that
Congress has given Mr.. Roosevelt
1000 million dollars to spend for pre-
paredness during the past seven years.
Mr.. Roosevelt, who was assistant
Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson
administration, fancieS himself a
great authority on national defense.
Foreseeing the unavoidable delays
that will be encountered in the speedy
building up of our armed strength
he has provided himself with two
shock absorbers-both formerly Re-
publicans. When the program boys
down, as it must, he can go before
the country with an alibi, as 1 fore
told in my letter of two weeks ago,
and lay all blame on the Republicans.
in the hope that it will react against
the Republican party in the November
election That is as plain as the nose
On ones face. But, l do not believe
ne is going to be able to fool the
American people much longer. After
seven years and four months they
are catching up with him, and it is
not beyond the range of possibilities
that Mr.. Roosevelt, or the Democratic |
party, foreseeing defeat in November,
may decide that two terms are
Messrs. Knox and Stimson have
been active members of the Repub-
lican Fifth Column for some time. |
For the Republicans it is a case of |
good radiance and for Mr.. Roosevelt |
it may provide way out from his
long list of failures. Either way we
view it we must concede that Mr.. |
Roosevelt is without peer when it |
comes to fast political foot work. But, |
am rather of the opinion that he
stepped on banana peel at Char
ottesville and will not recover from |
he effects thereof before election,
f ever.