Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-05-22

This condition to a large extent
was brought on by some of the other
European powers, and it is their war.
Hitler is not an accident, they have
him to contend with, and we cannot
settle the European disputes at this
distance.
Undoubtedly, many people in Ger
many do not approve of Hitler's die
tatorship. 1t is tragic that he has
gained ruthless control, but leaders
of England and other countries were
playing with fire. After all, they
reasoned, Hitler was gentleman
compared to the Communists. They
could talk to him. They gave him
money, and just like any dictator
would do, when he had enough, he
said in effect, NOW, get out of here, I
will run the show!" The German peo-
pie are not so much to blame for Mr..
Hitler as were those who wrote
the treaty of Versailles and their sub
sequent actions.
Germany was down after the war
of 1914-18 The people were jobless
and hungry. A helping hand and
cooperation at that time might have
done wonders. In their plight they
were looking for help, for leadership,
they were grasping for something.
In that plight demagogue could take
over. Along came Hitler and en-
visioned hope in the young people.
They followed him. Now we have
the result.
Mr. Ball, like others who advo-
cate Intervention, call those who OPP
pose war, "defeatists". Senator Rob-
ert A. Taft of Ohio, said the other day:
"The real defeatists are Secretaries
Stimson and Knox who say that this
country, with the greatest natural
resources and the greatest productive
capacity in the world, is unable to
defend itself without the British
navy"
Senator Taft also said that "the
argument for conveys is a mere
smokescreen for war, and Nothing
is said now by the British about any
shortage of men, but the cry
for men will follow the cry for
conveys"
When Senator Ball came to Mime
sofa to speak in behalf of war, he
brought politics right with him.
Prior to that the politics in this all
important tissue was furnished large
ly by the President on one side and
Senator Wheeler on the other. 1t
cannot be denied that both of those
gentlemen are political orators and
know how to stir their listeners.
In his ST. Paul talk several weeks
ago, Senator Wheeler emphasized the
fact that over 80 per cent of the
American people are against sending
our American boys to foreign battle
fields. He made a strong point of
that to fortify his position. But, he
turned right around and added that
even if 80 per cent of his Montana
people were for war, he would still
be against it. That latter declaration
did not improve his first argument.
When Colonel Lindbergh spoke in
Minneapolis, his discourse was free
of politics, or politics was as remote
as it could be in public question of
such grave concern.
But when Ball came to town, it
was different. Newspaper editorials
and advance publicity heralded him
as courageous, "scornful of flannel
mouth expediency", ga young man
who knows his mind, and that he
could have ducked that speaking en-
gagement on May II, and "could
have stuck to safe oratory." Ball
himself said that Maybe these gen.
tlemen of the America First COM
mittee place the safety of their po-
litical skins above the safety of their
country" and added "but 1 do mott"
There is no talk of the national
chairman of the America First COM
mittee, Gen. Robert E. Wood, running
for political office; nor the state
chairman, Monte Appel; nor Viewer
Dobson, past state chairman; nor Jay
c. HORNED, and many others promi-
nent in the organization. Senator
Wheeler was elected in 1910 to a
six-year term and has nothing to
worry about.
Politics must have bothered Sena-
tor Ball considerably, or he would
not have brought it to the fore as he
did. In fact his voice trembled when
he shouted about his courage.
The question might be asked: Who
were the men of courage in Congress
in 1917? Was it not those who stood
up against war hysteria and voted
against American participation, men
like LaF Toilette, Gronna, Champ Clark,
Ernest Lundeen, Harold Knutson, and
others?
The political angle of this war
business, now that Ball has brought
it up, is double-edged sword. AS
the press agent for Minnesota's Gov
ernor for three years before being
rewarded with the Senate appoint
ment, Mr. Ball had the opportunity
to view politics from the inside and
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