Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-06-05
Government Issues
By Hjalmar Petersen.
Peace Sooner or Later

Those who are anxious to get our
country into war, are, of course, ar
guing against and even trying to
ridicule Col. Lindbergh's advocacy
of negotiated peace.
Whether the war ends tomorrow
next year, or ten years from now
there will need to be some sort of
peace settlement. The leaders of the
warning nations will, sooner or later,
have to sit around a peace table and
make a settlement
If there is no settlement until the
one side is down and out then We
know what sort of peace we will
have. History has repeated itself
along that line since time immemo-
rial. The victor has always stepped
on the vanquished. The World war
of 1914-18 is a recent example.
Shortly after the turn of the CEN
fury, there was war between Japan
and Russia. Japan, the aggressor,
was on top, but, nevertheless, Russia
was not beaten-she was not through.
Peace negotiations were begun while
the fighting was still going on, and
much credit for that peace settlement
was given to the President of the
United States at the time, Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt. He was not the
diplomatic Roosevelt whose words can
mean anything, but the hard-hitting
Teddy.
Had Japan and Russia waited for a
peace settlement until Russia was
thoroughly whipped, the terms would
not have been the same. So getting
back to Col. Lindbergh's advocacy
of negotiated peace, it would seem
that that is the sensible thing to bring
about.
Our military experts tell us that
America is not prepared for war as
it should be. Our standing army is
comparatively small. We need guns,
cruisers, destroyers, battleships, air.
planes, and what not. They tell us
that it is well to have England fight
ing Germany now, because it gives
America time to prepare for real
warfare
The President of the United States
tells us that Hitler wants to dominate
the world. 1t would be difficult to
prove that his statement is correct
or incorrect, but he has as much right
to his opinion as any other American
citizen.
The President also tells us that
Hitler's word is no good. Likely he
is right, and likely the German ruler
does not stand alone in that respect.
1t is apparent that Hitler wants a
big, strong Germany, which France
and England would not permit after
the World war, and that he wants to
dominate Europe.
If the Presidents assumption about
world domination is correct, would
it then not be wise to enter into
peace negotiations? We might in
the interim learn more about the
whole business and we might find
out if the Presidents appraisals Of
Hitler are true. If the peace lasted
only two years, it would give Ameri-
ca that much additional time to pre-
pare for war, if that is what we are
bound to have. Our military experts
appreciate the fact that England is
temporarily holding Hitler at bay,
during which time America can pre-
pare.
If after sitting around the confer
ence table we might have peace for
one to ten years, or longer period,
we would at least not be killing peo-
pie in warfare during that time.
And as above stated, in the mean
time we would find out more about
what are the real ambitions of Hit
Ter, whether he is out to build a
strong Germany that can Withstand
the onslaughts of England and France,
or other jealous countries, or if as
Mr.. Roosevelt says, he is out to
dominate the world.
There is nothing to lose by peace,
but everything to lose without it.