The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-12-26

J, MINI.
House and the War and Navy De
partments alone are responsible
Now that the President Is bach
from his inspection trip to the
Caribbean we may expect definite
action looking to the removal Of
this bottleneck.
Congress Must OK. Loans
Secretaries Morgenthau and Jones
are agreed that Congress must ap
prove war loans to Britain before
any loans are made. Both gentle
men are agreed that Britain is "a
good risk" I doubt If Congress
will take favorable action on an ap
plication for a loan until we have
an accurate appraisal Of Britain's
holdings in this country, which ir
some quarters are set as high a
five billions.
Certainly, no nation that has re
pudiated its obligations can be con
sidered "a good risk" I am sure
that Banker Jones would not ac'
favorably upon loan Of that kind
Secretary Jones to the contrary
Notwithstanding. In private life in
dividuals who repudiate their just
debts are not looked upon with fav
or by their neighbors. Just why
we should overlook such action or
the part Of a great nation is not
clear to me.
An American-Mexican Alliance
It Is rumored that tentitive plans
for a mutual defense agreement
between the United States and
Mexico are taking shape and prob
ably will be accepted by both gov
ernments within the next year. Il
Is my information that this under
standing would embrace economic
as well as military cooperation be
tween the two republics.
Such an agreement is highly de
sirable from whatever angle view
ed. The two countries have a com
mon boundary that is a thousand
miles long. Collaboration be
tween the two countries would bt
mutually helpful to both and II
would do much to promote the
good neighbor" policy Of America
Then, too, it would tend to STABILIZE
internal affairs in our sister repub
lie.
This will be the last letter in the
old year. Let me extend to my
readers my best wishes for thu
coming Holiday Season, and alst
express the hope that the New
Year may have an abundance o.
good health, happiness and prosper
ity for all. Let us be thankful
that we live in a free country
where we have peace and oppor
tunity in greater abundance than i:
to be found in any other land
These blessings will continue to bt
ours so long as we are worthy Of
them.
OF Doubtful Wisdom
Governmental agencies are Civ
ing serious consideration to open
ing the Virgin Islands as haver
to European political refugees who
are financially Independent" From
q humane standpoint the propose
is laudable and worthy but there
are other angles to consider. Once
such refugees settle in the islands
they become to all intents and pur
poses wards of the federal govern
ment and it would be but a ques
ton Of time until there would b.
strong agitation to permit them tt
come to the states to live and be
come citizens.
Conditions being what they are
we cannot in justice to our owl
people permit the immigration bars
to be lowered until our own folk:
are fully employed. Even then we
should proceed slowly and cautious
ly. We have about reached oul
maximum capacity to absorb aliens
Of whatever character, and it would
seem that we should Americanizt
the several million now living
amongst us before we think of TAX
ing on additional obligations.
The term financially indepen
dent" as applied to European ref
ugees is most misleading. While
many have considerable assets ir
their native land, once they leave
their home country such assets will
probably be seized by their govern
ment 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 be
comes exhausted they would be-
come a 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 theil
obligations as citizens of the Re
public. This is not alone true o.
the man on the street but, unfor
tunately, it extends 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 unorganizei
and mute. Then we have another
group, much smaller in number but
more vociferous, that would have
had us in the war months age
could they have had their way
They are well financed and have
the inside track in all capacity out
let's. Lately this group has taker
1t upon itself to carry on a cam
paign Of hate and misrepresenta'
ton against the Vichy government
Of France avop oo;pO an for as tr