Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-07-03

voted for war either had they elected
Mr.. Willkie as President.
If the people had become dormant
and permitted things to drift, we
would likely have been in the war
already, but the White House heard
from the people.
What the. American people have
a right to demand, and what the
great majority is demanding, is that
the promises made in the 1910 cam
paign be kept. The form of govern
ment that we have can last only when
elected public officials and servants of
the people keep their promises.
Before huge crowd at Dubuque,
Iowa, on June 2lst, Archbishop Fran
els j. L. Beckman of that city, re-
minded the President of his COM
mitments to the American people.
He said:
"You have given the people of
these United States your solemn
pledge that the youth of our land
will not be sent to fight in any for
eign wars. To repudiate that pledge,
Mr. President, would be to break
down the last vestige of public trust
in government.
Your pledges will be kept be-
cause we will help you keep them.
'For my part, Mr.. President,
would rather go down fighting the
cause of peace, suffering any abuse
and persecution, than to stand idly
by while millions of our youth are
prepared for the slaughter.
IF Christ Himself were this mo-
ment to return and confront these
modern Herods, and Pilates, and
Neros, for their crimes before the
world, He, too, would be crowned
by them a Bundist."
The passage of the lend-lease bill
by Congress is another incident that
the war-minded throw up as an indi-
cation that America should enter the
conflict. Passage of the lend-lease
bill and appropriations for aid to
Great Britain do not mean that
America should risk another war to
give that aid Furthermore, we were
told by advocates of the lend-lease
bill that it would be a measure to
keep America out of war.
These questions might be asked:
How many countries are giving aid
to Great Britain in this war with
out cost to Britain? Are they lend
ing, leasing or giving materials or
are they selling the goods to Britain?
Is England giving, or is she selling
goods to other countries? And in the
final analysis: Is it our war or is it
the war of other countries?
America, country of free speech,
free press and religion, wants moth
ing of the Hitler philosophy of totali-
tartan government, nor does she want
the Stain Communistic dictatorship.
Those two dictators are now at war
and certainly democracy is not at
stake between Germany and Russia.
Military experts are agreed that
America is not prepared for war, but
our people are agreed that we should
have an impregnable defense and be
prepared against attack. Setting up
a strong defense here in America
will cost plenty without plunging
ourselves into European war.
America would have had a stronger
| "A
followed the advice of the American
Legion since the World war. The
Legion also advocates conscripting OF
wealth as well as manpower in war
| When the smoke of battle has
cleared away, those unfortunate peo-
pie in the war-torn countries, who
are unemployed, hungry, starving
and bewildered, will need aid and
guidance 1t would be we'll then
that there be one country in the
world, with natural resources and
manpower, where conditions are fair
ly normal. Then America can be
of aid and guidance to a bewildered
world. Then we will not be isola-
tionists, for the American people have
always been willing to give aid and
comfort to people in need. Isolation
means isolation from war-it does
not mean that America is not inter-
ested in the people of other lands.
Aside from our part in the World
war in 1917-18, America has ad-
hered to the policy of refraining from
entering the European border dis
putes, which have taken place for
centuries. We have followed the ad-
vice of Washington and Jefferson,
and have adhered to the policy of
protection for the Western Henri
sphere and leaving Europe to itself.
Even today, we still have many
Americans who are natives of foreign
countries, naturaliZed citizens who
are good Americans, and we have
descendants from Great Britain, Ger
many, Finland, the Scandinavian
countries, Poland, Czechoslovakia,
France, Italy and many other
countries It is natural and proper
that there be friendly feelings and
sympathy toward the homelands OF
our forebears, whatever country we
may have come from, so long as
America is not at war with any OF