The Sauk Centre herald., 1940-11-21

creasingly evident that there were
grounds for the fears expressed. AL
ready the Eastern press Is begin
ming to agitate for further modifi-
cation of our neutrality law. They
point out that the intensified sub
marine warfare recently inaugural
ed by the Nazis is destroying Brit
ish shipping at a rate that will
soon make 1t necessary for us to
transport food and war material to
the British Isles in American ships,
conveyed by American naval YES
sells. That, of course, would be
tantamount to a declaration Of war
because it is war.
Congress modified the neutrality
law a year ago so as to permit the
Allies to come into the American
market and buy war material.
Since then France has been sub
jugated and Britain is fighting
alone. Notwithstanding that she
has taken over the Nor
wegian, Danish and Belgian
merchant marine fleets, the sink
ings have been so enormous that
she must have help from the Unit
ed States to the extent already in
dicated. Are the American people
ready to go that far and would it
be to our interest to do so?
The other day Ambassador Ken
nedy was quoted in the press as
having said that if we get into war
it will mean the end of democracy
in this country. Are we prepared
to pay such a staggering price, and
for what. From now on we may
expect the campaign to draw this
country into war to be intensified.
We have been able to stay out
of this war because there have
been no sinkings of American
ships nor loss of American lives
to inflame our people. No Amer
lea ship has been sunk because
they are forbidden to enter the
war zone. Once that restriction Is
removed and American ships are
permitted to enter the zone of hos
tilities they may be sunk as fast
as they appear on the scene. 1t
will only be step from the first
sinking to active participation in
the war.
Would Curb Smear" Literature
The Senate Campaign Investigat-
ing Committee has accumulated a
considerable quantity of smear lit
erature put out by both sides in
the late campaign. Chairman Gil
lette thinks something should be
done about 1t. Senator Gillette
would impose heavy penalties for
printing and circulating false
statements in a national campaign
also compel printers to print their
names and addresses on all liter
ature produced for campaign pur-
poses.
Perhaps the time has come to
put curb on such activities. Many
competent and loyal Americans re-
fuse to become candidates for pub
lie office because they do not want
to subject themselves and their
families to the indignities and
abuse that are invariably heaped
upon candidates for office. Thus,
we lose the services Of many able
men who would be Of invaluable
assistance in these trying times,
when we really need the best help
obtainable. Just how far Congress
should go in adopting curative leg
islation is something that should
be given careful consideration.
Nothing should be done that would
in the least degree curtail the free
dom Of the press, neither must any
thing be done toward curbing the
publicizing Of records Of public Of
ficials, for that would encourage
and non-feasance in
office. However, I am satisfied
that there Is a happy medium
where we will find the cure for the
abuses that now exist.
More and More Money
At the present time there Is 8
billion 200 million dollars worth Of
currency in circulation, which is
$62.66 for every man, woman and
child. This is almost a billion dol
lars more than was in circulation
last year and 3k billion dollars
more than in the prosperous days
of 1929. There is probably need
for more currency at the present
time because of the vast prepared
ness program that we have en-
barked upon but whether the in
crease will contribute to the pros
perity Of the country is something
else again. Ec ,nornists are agreed
that the thing that really counts