Askov American., 1940-11-14

Should Be Fair
Radio Talk BY Hjalmar Petersen Over
WLOL, Nov. IL, 1910, At 7:45 p. M.
One of the reasons for giving this
talk over WLOL is the fact that the
big daily newspapers in Minneapolis
and Saint Paul saw fit to entirely
ignore a statement l issued the day
after election when the vote showed
that l was not elected governor of
the state.
Let me say, however, that the dali
lies in cities outside of Minneapolis
and Saint Paul and the rural weekly
newspapers have adhered more close
ly to our American tradition of free
press and free speech. My state
ment of November 9th, to the press
reads as follows:
"The people have again spoken in
national and state elections. 1 con-
gratulate the winners.
1.-The big daily newspapers pre-
dicted that reelection of the COVER
nor was cinch. Ulterior motive
polls showed him with 81 per cent
of the vote year ago, SO per cent
ten days before election, and 81 per
cent the day before election, with
only % per cent for myself on that
day. In spite of such erroneous fore
casts, which were disheartening to
hundreds of my volunteers, they con-
tinued their valiant work for princi-
piles.
Il extend my thanks to rural and
urban people, organized labor, buSi-
ness and professional people, and the
thousands of workers and voters.
"a vote of five to one in ASkov
village, my home for 26 years, and
seven to one by the farmers of Part
ridge township, adjacent to Askov
is gratifying.
"The peoples program, enunciateC
through the Farmer-Labor principles
and platform, made a good come
back and will win in 1912"
You will note that there was criti-
cism of the press, and the Gallup
Poll, which incidentally was off ID
per cent in my case, but so long
as the criticism is truthful, the press
should be big enough to publish it
especially in view of the fact that
their preferred candidate was re.
elected.
The Twin Cities daily newspapers
however much they dislike criticism
should have been fair enough to use
at least the first paragraph of my
statement, which repeat: "The peo-
pie have again spoken in national
and state elections. I congratulate
the winners. That minimum would
have conveyed the attitude that I am
democratic enough to abide by a vote
of the people, and that I congratulate
the president, the governor, and all
others who won at the polls.
For two or three years the Twin
Cities dailies had built up, protected
and defended the governor, day after
day to such an extent, that it was i'm
possible for an opponent to defeat
him, unless such opponent had plenty
of money to carry on an extensive
and aggressive campaign.
Anyone familiar with political cam
paigning knows that the spoken word
is not enough. We must also have
the printed word. Thousands of vot-
ers may have heard my keynote with
constructive criticism and facts that
cannot be disputed, but it stands to
reason that no individual can absorb
figures which require weeks to as
semble. Therefore, to be effective
a candidates keynote speech must
be published in n aperS, OF
printed in large quantities and wide
ly distributed. We had forty thous-
and copies made when we should
have had six hundred thousand copies
or more, and the Twin Cities dailies
in the main, kept our message from
their readers.
Therefore, it is well that as yet we
have freedom of the air. I shall moi
throw epithets at the Twin Cities
daiEes, but I do want to say most
emphatically and sincerely that they
have shown much prejudice.
An editorial in the Duluth Herald
of November 9Th, concerning the re-
election of President Roosevelt, said
that 1--WE need national unity, har-
mony, and confidence. Americans car
be led, but they cannot be driven
it is every Americans duty to help
the president, but it is also every
Americans duty to remain an indi-
vidual, free to voice approval or criti-
cism of each idea as it is brought
forward. The preservation of civil
liberties. of freedom of speech, of the