davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
WHAT MAKES STAMP COLLECT.
ING INTERESTING.
Rochester POSt-Bulletin. J


There are minor troubles mingled
with the serious one confronting the
people of the Philippines. They are
dissatisfied with a new postage stamp
which was supposed to carry por-
trait of Jose Rial, national hero AS
soon as the stamps were put on sale
cries of distress and wrath were
heard
Any resemblance to the hero, say
some of the critics, sis purely COIN
cidental." The dispute RACES around
the way the hair is parted in the
portrait. Rial parted his hair on the
left side. On the stamp it is parted
on the right.
A collector of items about Rial
disputes the disputants. He says he
has number of pictures of the hero
who was also scientist, physician,
patriot, poet, author and martyr
which show him with his hair parted
on the right, on the left and in the
middle. These were made at different
periods of his life, from youth on
ward.
Sale of the stamps has been stop
ped, it is reported, and no more will
be ordered from Washington until
the island authorities are satisfied.
And that is one way a mere stamp
becomes a philatelist's treasure.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
WHY THE GERMANS WIN.
Duluth Herald J

Following the rapid progress of
the German army through Yugoslavia
and Greece the average reader must
wonder again at the ineffectiveness
of the opposition the German army
has faced in this war. A critical OBJ
server must ask himself why it is
that after 20 months of warfare the
Germans are still able to cut through
the British lines almost at will.
The answer appears to be that the
British generals do not yet understand
the full effectiveness of airplanes and
heavy tanks in modern war.
Reports from Greece indicate that
when the British were establishing
positions with guns heavy enough to
stop the big German tanks, the dive
bombers demolished the guns.
In the heavy tank the Germans
have weapon superior to anything
except the heavy gun. In the dive
bomber they have a weapon that can
reduce the heaviest gun to Ineffective
ness in a short time. So far the COM
bination has been irresistible.
The lesson the British must have
learned by now, and which we should
surely be learning in this country is
that an army deficient in large tanks
and unprotected against air attack
is useless except as an example of
bravery's inadequacy as a match for
organization.
With big tanks of their own and
with an air force strong enough to
bomb the enemy's positions and to
fight off his attacking planes, the
British could rip through the Ger
man lines just swiftly as the Ger
mans have ripped through the Brit
iSh lines.
A general staff which still favors
the light, fast tank and still under
estimates the Importance of air con-
troll has no place in the modern
scheme of things. The British navy
would never attempt to attack the
Axis battleships with destroyers, yet
the British army is attempting as
hopeless struggle on land. Defeat is
the inevitable result of the handicaps
the British army has imposed upon
itself.
With this demonstration to guide
it, will our army learn?
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
BETTER LEGISLATURES
(St. Paul Dispatch)

Lawrence NJ Hall, speaker of the
Minnesota house has told the Mime
sofa League of Women Voters that
many of the difficulties of the re-
cent legislative session were caused
by the size and quality of the Legis-
lature. eff you select good men to
the Legislature you will get good re-
Suits" he explained. eff you send
poor men the best system in the
world won't work"
1t has become the custom of the
people of many states and especially
in Minnesota to pay little attention to
the job of selecting their representa-
tiveS and senators in the State LegiS-
lature. Election returns show that
many of the voters fail to vote for
legislative representatives even
though they may cast their ballots
for candidates for positions of much
less Importance.
Experimental surveys indicate that
large percentage of the electorate
does not know the name of his or
her senator or representative in the
Legislature. Even fewer are familiar
with the full powers and duties of
these men. Few realize that all the
powers and duties of local govern
ment comes from the Legislature
and that in the question of all ex-
cept federal taxation the Legislature
is supreme.
Criticism of Legislatures has be-
come so common and widespread and
too frequently so justified that they
are losing the respect which they
should merit. This is not the fault of
the Legislature nearly as much as it
is the fault of the voters. If the voter
took as active and intelligent an
interest in his state government as
he does in strictly local affairs such
as school or police administration,
the quality of the Legislatures and
legislators would be greatly i'm
proved.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

And there are sham battles in state
elections and local elections as WELL
Nevertheless, we want the ballot here
in America, or in any democracy.
Of late years the prediction polls
have infected our campaigns. No
election should be reduced to betting
as on horse races or some other form
of gambling. Election polls are in
stituted by those who want to appear
as winners in order to instill con-
fidence and to gain the votes of the
bandwagon climbers. Norman Thomas
has aptly called such polls curb
stone opinions"
But there is one instance in which
vote of the people, real referen-
dunn should take place. And that is
a vote as to whether or not America
is to enter the war, declared or I'M
declared. We cannot conceive of a
more important vote to be registered
by the people of democracy, than
on the question of whether or not
we are to go to war. That is
question of life and death, and GER
tainly it is paramount to all others.
Several polls in the past few
months have shown that about 80
per cent of the American people are
opposed to our entering the European
wars. Of late, other questions are
being asked by the poll takers. Re-
Gently the poll interrogators asked
people if they agreed with Col.
Lindbergh.
Who agrees with any speaker or
public figure in all that he says?
There will naturally be disagreement
on some points, even though the
person asked may agree with the
speaker in the main. Therefore, the
question could easily be answered
mo-" in such curbstone questioning.
The managers of polls can frame their
questions in such form as to secure
the desired results.
But whatever the straw ballot may
show, we should have real referen-
dunn vote by the people of the United
States, on the question of whether or
not we shall enter the foreign war
the most important election that could
be held
We do much talking about saving
democracy, so let us have a real
display of democracy in a referen-
dunn vote on the war question.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

While American business spends more
today in advertising than it did in
1929, it is spending many, many mil
lions less in newspapers, to such an
extent have competing media pros
pered without yielding a comparable
service. Minneapolis is good town,
great metropolitan center, yet it
could not afford the heretofore pre-
vailing situation with respect to its
daily publications. 1t is no mean
tribute to the acumen, the drive and
the purse of the Cowles and their
organization that they were able to
bring about so breath-taking a con-
solidation as has been affected. AL
though the Star-Journal, the Tribune
and the Times-Tribune continue as
separate newspapers, the control and
the emphasis will be responsive to
one entity and plan.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
I\1El[[A] /
Notes of an
Innocent Bystander:

The Front Pages: Some of the
generals of Lindy's war college took
hope that Moscow's note to Bulgaria
promised Bolo opposition to the Rat
zis in the Balkans. But Arthur
Krock chilled the hope in his Wash
ington column. Every time Stain
pouts at his best girl in Berlin,
warned Krock, they make up the tiff
with deal at the expense of weak
neighbor Rob't Minor, who
replaced Browder as Comrade Big,
used to city edit the Daily Worker.
Once, when Rolls and fiivver came
together, Minor tipped the item to
rewrite man. Here" he said,
write that from the Class Angle"
. There is a class angle to the
boss tracks, too. Take George F.
T. Ryall's account of the opening
day at Tropical Park, following the
closing of blue-blooded Hialeah.
Biggies from Hialeah, reported Ry-
all, visited Tropical "to see how the
other half bets" Irving Hoff-
mans report to the Hollywood Re-
porter: "Honeychile Wilder went
out with Rags Ragland Saturday
night, and on Sunday was seen at
the Stork with Bob Richie. In other
words, Honeychile's gone from
Rags to Richie"
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
Where is The Patriotism i'm
This?

America is still selling Japan
large quantities of petroleum pro-
ducts, an absolutely necessary war
material, says the Park Region Echo.
Editorially the paper goes on to
state that, During March one and
one-half million barrels were ship
ped to Japan, an increase of 100000
barrels over February. That isn't all.
American and British oil companies
owning wells in the Dutch East
Indies have recently agreed to sell
100000 tons of oil to Japan, where
formerly they sold less than 100000
tons
"After France was defeated it
came out that French steel mills had
been selling tanks and other war
material to Germany right up to the
beginning of hostilities We thought
that that was very unpatriotic. But
what of our oil companies arming a
potential enemy?"
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

Farmers who market their crops
through livestock should plan their
cropping systems with view to
producing the greatest amount of
feeding value per acre, rather than
to think only of bushels and tons.
The above chart compares the eight
principal feed crops grown in Min
nesota type-of-farming area No. 5
as to the amount of dry matter and
digestible nutrients produced per
acre, based on average yields for the
area during the period 1921-3O.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
VOLUME PROVES NOTHING.

Editor ASkov American:
On May IL, in its longest editorial
to date, the ST. Paul Pioneer Press
attacked Lindbergh's speech. Lindy's
charge that we are poorly informed
and that facts have been hidden
from us, that long editorial met with
simple, 'That is not true.... Tons
of books and millions of newspapers
have spread....... masses of facts"
The same day 1 sent to the Mail
Bag the following letter, which has
not yet been published:
anyone who doubts that we have
been kept misinformed should go to
the library and ask for the March
1889 Harpers. In his unchallenged
article This Era of Unreason,
Nathanial PETER tells how already
then, we had decided to Jump into
the coming war on Britain's side be-
cause we believed lies. A continuous
series of surprising and amazing
military and political events have
since added proof that we knew too
much that wasn't so. German dele
gates to the International Baptist
Conference at Atlanta, Ca, July %
20, 1899, were amazed at the appal-
ling misunderstanding in this country
of conditions in Germany.
lions of books and millions of
newspapers do not necessarily assure
enlightenment.
This suppression of letters, even
to its "Open Forum" by newspaper
enjoying an absolute monopoly among
its half million readers must con-
vince everyone that there is with
holding of facts"
DAVID T. Killing.
667 E. Cook Ave-, st. Paul.
May 80 1941.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

suffering without letting it move us
emotionally. This explanation-or
alibi-does not hold much water, for
there is no parallel. It must be re-
membered that while the doctor ap-
pears to be desensitized to his pa
tents pains, he is all the while de-
voting his every energy to alternating
the pain. Not only that, but often his
hardened face is just a blind for deep
emotion that is being kept in con-
troll for sheer duty.
Experience has taught us that
many collection agencies for relief
purposes do not function properly
often the money does not reach its
destination. This provides a good
excuse for many to tighten their
purse strings. Indeed, most of us seem
to be constantly looking for an ali
hi for not contributing, or for mini
MIXING our contribution.
What bothers spiritual leaders is
not so much that there is suffering,
but that observers pay so little heed
to it and feel so little responsibility.
It is not so much that the needed aid
is not forthcoming as it is that hearts
are closed to the call of humanity.
Charity can be overdone. Those
who are generous often find that
they are quickly "taken advantage
Of" Prudence dictates intelligent dis
pensation of all available resources
But one can be careful and prudent
and still keep the heart open.
We shudder when we think of the
hardships of war stricken European
peoples, we express sympathy at ira
gedies that occur in our own neigh
borhoods. Yet, it does not seem to
take but flick of the eye for us to
turn to other, happier pursuits. It is
not that we will not make some sacri-
flee, but it is the tragic state in
which we do not deeply feel a duty
to do so.
There seems to be kind of an an
aeSthesia in the air these days. The
hearts of the millions seem numbed
by our way of life.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
LACK OF SOCIAL SYMPATHY
(Austin Daily Herald)

The root of most of the evil, not
only of the weakness of our own
country, but in the world at large
call it selfishness, if you will-or re-
gard it simply as immunity from con-
Germ over the other fellow. While this
is far from a universal trait, it is a
plague that has attached itself un-
beknown to a great percentage of the
people.
Perhaps, it has been because
the suffering and woes of the world
have reached such proportions that
we have become hardened to them,
and that we do not give a second
thought to them. Taking lesson
from the doctors, some might say,
we have become steeled to seeing
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
PUBLIC DEBT AND INTEREST
(MinneapOliS Times)

The census bureau tabulation shows
that last July the federal govern
ment had a debt of $42, 971, 600, 900.
State debts totaled S3,505, 900, 900, and
local public debts had reached a
total of SIG, 72O, 100000 The debts of
smaller government units had been
fairly constant for a while and still
are. They once exceeded the national
debt and mounted rapidly in the years
preceding the 1929 depression. Mu-
nicipal spending was checked then as
taxable values were reduced. The
total of these state and local debts
increased from 1882 to 1910 only to
the extent of $663, 100000, which is
about 3.4 per cent.
The federal debt by now has passed
AZ billions, and its climb is accelerat-
ed as the machinery of defense pro-
duction gets into higher gear Adding
the state and local debts, we have
public obligations of about 81 billion
dollars.
The census bureau made some per
capita figures. Bringing them down
to date, we have now public debt of
$444 for each man, woman and child
in the United States. That does not
mean that each individual is going
to be called on to pay $444 to get
us out of debt. The interest charge is
the present concern. The value of
the per capita figure lies in helping
us to visualize the billions in their
relation to the individual. We know
that all of us are helping to pay
the interest on this debt.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

j. B. McNulty, farm management
specialist at University Farm, says
that the 1920 figures still provide
fair basis for evaluating crops in
this area. Area No. 5 includes the
counties of Anoka, Benton, Chisago,
Isanti, Kanabec, Mile Laos, Nor
rison Pine and Sherbourne.
The outstanding place alfalfa should
have on the livestock farm is readily
seen, especially since it is one of the
greatest of all soil-building crops.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
MORE NEWSPAPER CONSOLIDA-
TION IN MINNEAPOLIS
virginia Daily Enterprise,

\VlTSlIlld Odlly CIlleTpIlSc)
1t seems like only yesterday that
the Minneapolis Star absorbed the
Minneapolis Journal, and now it is
announced that the Minneapolis Tri-
bune newspapers have been merged
with the Cowles publication, and
this as situation brought about be-
cause the field could not well carry
the load put upon it in the compe-
titions, and the expectation from the
reading public for first-class medi-
ums. These mergers of daily newspa-
pers and here and there a suspension
gives an insight of the difficulties
which have become almost common
place in their affliction of this in
dustry, and nowhere has the chore
become a more hazardous undertake
ing than in the smaller communities.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
The Supreme Question

Here in America we cherish the
ballot, our political democracy. While
no system is perfect, and may never
be, political democracy and free use
of the ballot is something to be deeply
appreciated. The issues in campaigns
may not always be clear. Information
al relations were not made clear, in
fact not even made an issue between
the two leading candidates for presi-
dent in the last national campaign.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page II


a certainty, British Foreign Minister
Anthony Eden delivered an address
in which he, very generally, out
lined what he called the aims of the
war. 1t said nothing startling; nothing
that had not been said before;
nothing that was at all unexpected,
for the supreme goal of the war
still, as far as the British are con-
cerned, remains the total crushing
of Hitlerisrr, and the restoration of
international trade, supplemented by
new economic arrangements and by
agreements which will forever make
war an impossibility. In other words
this, like the last great conflict, is
"a war to end all wars"
Sea Power.
British optimism, receiving some
pretty severe shocks as a result of
unsuccessful land battles, gathered
new strength a few days ago when
the German battleship, the Bismarck,
was sent to the bottom of the ocean
by British men-o'-war intent on re-
venging the destruction of the bat
tie cruiser, the Hood. The Bismarck
had finished the Hood, and now
other vessels of the British navy
finished the Bismarck.
This served to remind the
world that Great Britain still
"rules the waves" and that Brit
ish sea power still is pretty
formidable factor, whereas that
of Germany shows strength only
spasmOdically.
London hopes that the British navy
soon will become even more effec-
lively active than it has been, for
there are strong indications that the
United States will redeem generous
promises of support. In his fireside
chat on May 81, President Roosevelt
made that very clear.
Further Complications.
There is not yet in Washington any
intent to plunge this coun-
try into the European war in any
direct manner, but, of course, COM
plications may arise in case an Gin
cident" happens in connection with
the transportation of American sup
plies to England. That is where the
possibilities of danger lie.
There is that further complication
probable that in case of trouble be-
tween the United States and Ger
many, Japan is likely to take some
steps, already foreshadow-
ed few days ago by Foreign Minis
ter Yosuke Matsuoka who found it
to announce that Japan
remains absolutely loyal to her al
lance partners, Germany and Italy,
and that this alliance forms the very
foundation of japanese foreign policy.
In case of German-American
clashes in the Atlantic, one
needs not be a prophet to con-
ceive of Japanese American con-
flictS in the Pacific.
For the time being, however, there
remains between Washington and
Toxic an official friendship, and Mat
suoka did not see any reason why
that should or would become dis
turbed.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
Opinions OF Others

(Short timely letters on topics of
public interest are welcome whether
or not the writer's opinions con-
All letters must be signed with the
writer's name for our information
Signed articles always are more eff
fective, but If the writer does not
wish to have his name used, it will
be withheld).
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

Cali the people who voted for you
have the right to expect that of you.
So if you do not keep faith it will
be sorry world"
A great many Americans are
thinking similar thoughts and asking
similar questions.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
New Workers Are
Talking About:

The sleuths studying the numer-
GUS soldiers and sailors who patro-
nize Yorkville grills That
Asst Navy Secretaryship rumored
for Thomas G.. Corcoran which can
60 to Mr.. Warner, vice president
of Pure Oil, who spurns it
When Secretary Frank Knox saw
Jack Alexander's swell writeups in
Life he intoned: "Oh, boy! Wait'n
my wife sees those pictures with my
mouth open!"
The Federal Communications
Commish, which just ordered the
fngerprinting of all workers in
shortwave foreign newsrooms. All
will have to show their U. S. citizen
ship records Yamanaka & Co.,
a Fifth Avenue store, which shipped
considerable stock back to the ORR
ent recently. How come-if Japan
expects no immediate trouble with
the U. So? Joan Crawford
not embracing Christian Science as
reported recently. She is a con-
vert, they say, to Unity, in which a
secretary is High Priestess,
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

Editorial Comment From Other News
papers Which May or May Not
Conform With the Opinions of the
ASkov American.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
A Little Spice

The best tonic for many of our
troubles is-silence.
When man takes things too easy,
his friends become uneasy.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

The Story Tellers: William L.
Shirer's adventures in Naziating
Germany are running in the Atlantic
Monthly, and make very enlighten-
ing reading Jan Valtin's ''Out
of the Night" has set an all-time
record at The Month
Club, beating Hemingway's "For
Whom the Bell Tolls" by 5000
copies Phyllis Brooks of Holly
wood and Panama Hattie" is in
Screen Guide She AYERS: "a
man is a chump to marry an ac-
tress, and who wants a chump?"
When Scribner's Commenta-
tor reprinted an interview given by
Benny Goodman on the radio, it
failed to include the maeStro'S state
ment that Democracy is necessary
if Americas type of free impro-
vised music is to live. Goodman
made quite point connecting
Democracy and Swing. But Scrib-
ner's took pains to blot it out
Fortune has a timely article en-
titled: Eddie Rickenbacker Looks
Ahead" Margaret Case Harri-
man has been commissioned to
write book on New York wits
The only objection to that is Mar
garet can't include herself. Hers is
the kind you can NOW lawns with.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05

Typewriter Ribbons: Fiorello La
Guardia's: We are not offering
England help because of our mill
tary strength, but because of our
military weakness Cal Tin
ney's: Ambassador John Winant
doesn't have nine children like Joe
Kennedy, but he has ideas for MAX
ing this better world for what chill
dren he does have Illinois State
Journals: All the worlds a stage,
and it is just too bad that its very
worst actors are forever crowding
to the front of it Robert Quill
lens: There won't be any ''big
push" in the Balkans. The python
d. sn't push rabbit while swal-
lowing it Anon's: When two
women suddenly become friendly,
it's a sign that some third woman
has lost two friends.