Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-11-19
THE BRAKES ARE OFF

(The Progressive, Madison, Wis.,
The nationwide sweep in the cleo
ton for the Republicans-against the
"ins"-lifted the curtain to reveal
several significant glimpses of the
temper of the American people.
Primarily, we believe, last weeks
voting showed that the American
people want better prosecution of the
war. The only way that millions
could express their dissatisfaction
with the way the war is being run
was to vote against the Gins"
AS The Progressive has repeatedly
emphasized since December 7, the
war itself isn't in question. What
ever the issues that brought this
great nation into the war, they have
been placed in cold storage by the
people for the duration. Last week
the people voted on the conduct of
the war BY their votes they have
indicated they want to hold the Adj
ministration to strict accounting
for any failure to prosecute an all
out war.
The mood of the American public
in this respect is illustrated by the
election successes of two such Re-
publican interventionists as Clare
Boothe Luce and Sen. Joseph Ball
and equal election victories of Re-
publican non-interventionists such as
Sen. Wayland Brooks and Rep. Ham,
ilton Fish. Those candidates were far
apart on the pre-Pearl Harbor war
issue, but they were united in their
ceaseless hammering at the Admin
istration's record of bungling in pro-
secution of the war.
The country witnessed with mount
ing impotence cascade of confu-
sion, wrangling, and incompetence in
Washington's conduct of the war eff
fort.
One scandal after another-alumi-
mum, rubber, steel, $1-a-year men
whose first loyalty was to their cor
porations instead of their country
piled up.
People were baffled and disguised
with the hodge-podge of our military
and naval command in the Solomons.
They resented not being told the
truth about the war news.
And individually, in their own
civilian lives, people were irritated
at the inefficiency of the rationing
programs, with their hints and threats
and general confusion.
With their unfailing instinct, the
people sensed that a genuine all-out
war effort had been mangled in
Washington. That deep and un-
spoken-witness the Gallup polls in
ability to predict the outcome-con-
viction found its laundering express
sion in the polling booths.
Secondly the election results stern
ly rebuked those who harped on dead
issues. The election was singing
blow to the Union for Democratic
Action-remember, the clique of East
ern liberals, who tried to fan the
embers of the pre-Pearl Harbor de-
bate?-for trying to prolong con-
troversy of the past. BY su1king
over an issue which died December
7, these obstructionists divided the
country instead of uniting it for
victory.
The humping margins given to
an overwhelming majority of those
who opposed the Administrators
pre-Pearl Harbor foreign policy
makes it clear that the people re-
sented all such hate spasms and in
reference. The people found no rea-
son to retire public representatives
who were against war, because they
spoke for them-the American peo-
ple-before Pearl Harbor.
The outstanding tragedy of the
election was the defeat of George
Norris, dean of American liberals.
There were number of contributing
factors, among them the write-in
campaign, Sen. Norris age, and the
gradual surrender in recent years of
his rugged, independent status in the
Senate. His defeat constitutes an
Unreasonable loss not only to the
liberal movement in his native state
of Nebraska, but to the nation as a
whole.
The election is over. The brakes
are off, and we hope the Adminis-
tration will shift into high gear to
drive toward a speedy solution of
the manpower muddle, our divided
command in the Southwest Pacific,
and all other distractions to an all
out prosecution of the war.
TO MAKE AXIS MURDERERS PAY