Askov American., 1942-03-19

D.
Hence they form
a part of this let
ter. quote from Congressional Rec
ord as follows:
"Mr. Knutson. Mr.. Chairman, I
had not intended to say anything on
this bill, but I do want to comment
on letters I am daily receiving from
home. The folks back home are not
very optimistic.
"Folks living in the agricultural
areas of America cannot understand
why the Administration has given
movie actors, baseball players and
labor leaders deferred status in the
draft while thousands and thousands
of farm boys, who are needed to
produce food, have been placed in
uniforms and sent to foreign lands.
Treat All Alike.
"The people back home object to
all the money that is being spent
in boondoggling. They object to the
government paying time and a half
for overtime on defense work. They
object to man who wants to work
in the defense activities being COM
PEELED to join union and pay any
where from $25 to $3.50 before he
can work for his government. They
just can't understand how such things
can be possible in democracy where
all should be treated alike by their
government.
"Mr. Speaker: The American peo-
pie are bewildered. They know not
which way to turn nor to whom to
look to put a stop to this bungling
and mismanagement
"The people do not object to pay
ing high taxes if they know the money
is being wisely spent, but they do not
want to see any part of it poured
into rat holes or used for social ex-
perimentation.
"The folks back home feel that
this is no time for social legislation.
They realize that France went on the
| rocks largely because of sit-down
strikes and limiting production for
| war to 40 hours week. The people
out in my country think we ought to
be on a 48-hour week with straight
time pay.
All Must Sacrifice.
"The gentleman from Tennessee
mentioned economies the Administra-
ton has effected. I cannot recall
any economies that have been effected
by the Administration. We still have
WPA and NYA and CCC and all
those other activities that were put
into effect when the country was
in the depths of the depression. Any
effort of the Congress to cut out
these extra and unusual activities
meets with strongest opposition down
at the White House. remind the
gentleman from Tennessee of the re-
ception given the Morgenthau pro-
posal to cut the non-defense expendi-
lures of this Administration by one
billion dollars. Let him think of the
reception the suggestion received at
the White House about a year ago.
We have not had any cooperation
from the executive branch of the
government in effecting any economy.
l do not say this in a partisan spirit,
but because we are in a tough spot,
| Mr.. Chairman. We are all in the
same boat and unless we forget poll
| tics and get down to brass tacks we
stand to lose this war These are
times when all must make sacrifices.
It is not fair to ask only the soldier
and farmer to make them. Sacrifices
must also be made by labor and in
dustry.
Finally, my friends. we need a
new board of strategy. Roosevelt and
Churchill should and will have to
leave that particular work to trained
military and naval experts. It is
going to take something stronger
than oratory and crystal gazing to
win this war. Since July 1, 1910,
appropriations, contract authoriza-
tions, and requests now pending be-
fore the House Committee on Appro-
priationS amount to over 142 900 mil
| lion dollars for war purposes only
we learn that boys who have been
in the service nearly year have
not fired as much as one round of am
munition. Military men tell us that
500 bombing and fighting planes
would have turned the Japs back
from the Philippines. Where is all
the material that we have been pro-
ducing? Members of the House, there
is but one solution-speed up produc-
ton to utmost capacity and induct
all slackers into the Army. This is
war and everything not essential to
winning that war must wait"
More Government Activities.
The Office of Civilian Defense has
put on Hale America program de-
signed to keep the American people
physically fit. John B. Kelly of Phil
adelphia, is Director of Physical