Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-09-18
Government Issues
Now Is The Time To
Speak Up
BY Hjalmar Petersen.

OPCoA W
The old contention that war is a
necessary evil and that nations must
60 to the battlefields to settle diff
ferences still prevails among some
people. There is still too much greed
in this world, which was certainly
demonstrated during the World war
of 1914-18 Most individuals fight
for liberty, but some individuals want
war for greed, and governments 60 to
war for raw materials.
Well directed propaganda and i'm
mediate war economy works havoc
in leading a country to war. True,
it is less and less effective and the
day will come when the degree of
intelligence is so high that individu-
ais will no longer be fooled through
high pressure propaganda.
They saw the folly of war in the
Scandinavian countries and as con-
sequence they have been at peace
with the world for 127 years in Nor
way and Sweden. In spite of losing
hundreds of ships in the l914-18
World war and more men proper
tionately than America in the war,
Norway stayed out of the conflict.
With determined restraint they pur-
sued their longtime peace policy.
Great Britain has done its best
to make it appear that this is an
other war for democracy. Their
propaganda is in evidence every
where and certainly they cannot be
paying for all that propaganda, for
) England in itself is not a rich coun-
try. She does not have the natural
resources and wealth that are en-
joyed by the United States and no
body knows just how much of the
propaganda is paid for by other
countries. It would be interesting to
know how much of it is paid for out
of the seven billion dollars appropri-
ated by the Congress of the United
States through the lend-lease bill.
But their propaganda has had some
effect, without doubt. You can OBJ
: serve individuals in pessimistic and
defeatist attitude utter words and
write letters like this: 81 have not
wanted to see this country in this
war; but I fear that we are already
in it, and that the only course left
is to fight our way through. I shall
continue to wish to the contrary, and
l shall expect to be disappointed"
The traditional policy of Americans
is to be at peace with the world and
this is no time to lay down and say
that my voice or pen is only one in
millions, can't stop the dreaded war
anyway. Neither is it a time to car
ny a chip on the shoulder.
The world will need free Ameri-
CA stable and friendly America
after the war has wrought its havoc.
In the main we have been a peaceful
nation-we can do the most good
in that capacity, and our forefathers
way back to the days of the Pill
grims came to these shores to get
away from the everlasting wars in
Europe.
It is the minority that is being
heard through propaganda for war
those who have the money to spend
on it-those who would reap the
financial harvest at the expense OF
bloodshed as in the last World war
And it is administration leadership
with access to press and radio that
is pushing it.
But here is the quiet voice of the
big majority as published on August
q, under caption Of
POLL FACTS
(Anti-War News Service)
Almost daily another poll is re-
ported on variation of the question
SHOULD the United States enter the
war as an active belligerent?" The
polls are taken in all sorts of places
among all sorts of people. They al
show the same result overwhelming
opposition to involvement in the war.
of Europe and Asia. We summarize
below some of the polls taken in the
past several months.
Poll of every adult in Neosho, Mo.
500 per cent opposed to involvement
in war.
Poll of his district by Representa-.
tive Hamilton Fish, New York State
80 per cent opposed.
Poll of his district by Representa-.
tive Harry Sauthoff, Wisconsin: a.:
per cent opposed.
Poll Of daily newspapers in the U