Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-07-31

at this time than it was when the
original CONSUMPTION law was passed.
The law provides for one year serv-
ice by trainees unless Congress should
declare national emergency which
would automatically extend their en-
listment for the duration of such
emergency
Unable to Agree.
Many are unable to agree with the
President that the situation is more
critical now than when the draft
law went into effect. In the first
place Russia was then an avowed
ally of the Axis powers. Today Rus
STA is at war with Germany and is
occupying the full attention of Hitler.
This is giving England a much needed
breathing spell which she is utilizing
in the production of ornaments. Ac-
cording to cable reports, the Russian
campaign is not progressing on sched-
ule and so long as Russia stays in the
field it will be necessary for Germany
to keep the bulk of her army and air
force in that country.
In messages to Congress, as well
as in radio addresses last fall, the
President repeatedly used the term
zone year" as the period for training
selectees. It is safe to say that nearly
all of the boys who went into the
service were under the impression
that they would be permitted to re-
turn home and to their old jobs when
the year was over.
If our national security were men,
aced no one would say word against
extending the term for whatever peri
cd necessary but we are not menaced
in the sense that our country is in
danger of invasion; neither is it true
that the Army would become dis
organized if the original policy of
releasing the men after one year is
carried out because only about 10
per cent would be released each
month. If our Army cannot release
or absorb 10 per cent monthly, there
is something radically wrong with
that organization.
Should be Investigated.
The Little Falls Daily Transcript
and other Minnesota papers are car
rying interviews from returning visi-
tors to southern training camps that
are not at all complimentary to the
judgment Of those in the War depart
ment who selected the sites for these
camps.
Sheriff William J. Butcher of Nor
rison county, recently visited Camp
Claiborne and three other southern
camps. He reports that, Poisonous
snakes, spiders, mosquitoes and stag
nant water infest the area of the four
big camps, into which the government
has poured millions of dollars" Sher-
iff Butcher states "there will be no
maneuvers and that all four camps
have been conference.-the troops
will have to move out" Other re-
putable Minnesotans have made the
same report on conditions as have
boys in the camps.
I have never been able to figure
out why it should be necessary to
send boys several thousand miles
away from home for their training,
especially when there is available
right at our doorstep one of the best
training camps in America - Camp
Ripley. The entire Minnesota dele
cation in Congress protested to the
War department against the abandon
ment of that camp, as did Senators
and Representatives from Their
northwestern states. The excuse that
Ripley is not suitable for winter
training is all poppycock. Canadians
do not find their country too cold for
winter training, neither have the
northern countries of Europe any diff
ficulty along that line.
We have not given up the fight
to have Ripley selected and hope to
be successful when the War depart