davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Minneapolis.
FARMERS UNIONISM

Editor Askov American:
1t seems that John Lewis is through
with unionizing labor. He now tries
to sell his system to farmers.
That will be hot spot for him
and if he succeeds, loss for labor
unionism.
The main benefit of unionism comes
from the fields of non-union pro-
ducers. 1t is like Mr.. Brandt says,
farmers do not demand an eight
hour day or 40-hour week, time and
one-half for overtime or double time
for Sunday" They are not inter-
ested managing their own business,
weighing, measuring, testing or SELL
ing. They leave that to the middle
men or have John Brandt do it for
them. After all expenses are paid
the balance (if any goes to the
farmer.
That is what Mr.. Brandt calls the
cooperative system. I rather would
call it the middlemen's monopoly.
JOHN NIEBOER.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
'amilv il leaves s4oo 600 with which

family it leaves $4OO,000 with which
he can purchase government bonds.
If that same man paid 81 ,900,0 in
taxes and used the same 100000
for living expenses it would leave
no money for the purchase of bonds,
but our government would be better
off by $4,000 that would not have
to be paid back.
If little reasoning is still in order,
and there is no danger of local ges-
tapo, it is well that we give serious
consideration now to proper taxation
so that after the war the economic
status of our country may not be
in too bad shape. In the all out
effort each individual must do all
he can, but when it comes to legisla-
ton the Governor can be depended
on to protect the wealthiest. That
is his record.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
OUR ORIENTAL POLICY
Editor ASkov American:


In 1898, William Jennings Bryan
warned the American people against
Oriental imperialism. His warning
was not needed, and as a result, we
occupied and took possession of the
Philippine Islands.
Scarcely 40 years have gone by,
and we are today involved in one
of the greatest wars in all history,
with an Oriental nation. In three
short months of war, Japan has gained
complete control of the East Indies,
Thailand, the Malayan Peninsula and
the greater part of Burma, an area
larger than the United States; and
she is still on the march.
Word comes that after the serious
Allied naval losses of the coast of
Java in the last days of February,
England cannot afford for her own
protection to send any more naval
ships to the Orient This can only
mean that the United States will be
left alone to carry on the war against
Japan, save such help as the few
remnants of the Dutch army can
give us and such assistance as we
will be able to receive from the
Australians.
These facts present gloomy pic
ture. Man for man, and ship for
ship, the American soldier can hold
his own against any soldier; but we
must not expect him to do the i'm
possible, nor should we expect him
to continue the conquest if ultimate
victory is not in sight. It is an easy
matter for those in authority seated
in swivel chairs and far removed
from the scene of battle to urge con-
tinuance of the conquest in order to
save their own pride, overlooking the
hysteric anxiety of the parents of the
soldiers involved.
The struggle in the Orient cannot
by any stretch of the imagination be
called defense of our own shores.
Any school child knows that a more
effective defense will and can be
put up by our soldiers right here
at home than they can from a trans
port or battleship seven or eight thou
sand miles from home If our lead
ers are of the opinion that victory to
our forces in the Orient is hopeless,
then they should so advise the Amer
lean people at once.
If our entry into Oriental policies
in 1898-1900 was wrong and continues
to be wrong as was prophesied by
the late William Jennings Bryan,
then we should change that policy
right now.
The gravity of our present situa-
ton in the Far East calls for i'm
mediate leadership and statesman
ship.
HENRY NYCKLEMOE.
Fergus Falls, MINI.
Askov American., 1942-03-26

which woman knows he possesses
even when in his infancy he nestles
at her breast. He has the power
to imagine good and evil; he can feel
anything he imagines. He can Wis
ualize what it means to create life,
and he can seek direction for pro-
gress from her who bears it. AS he
looks to woman to help him in his
destructive capacities she is obliged
to help him in his constructive capa-
cities. If he chooses the first, he will
only bring on the WOE that leads
to ROT, the total-decay.
And this is warning! Man knows
from the past that there is no fury
equal to that of woman's 'sAnature's
weapon to safeguard the race. If
man were to compel. her to work
and to live against her best nature,
he would reap total-fury, for she
will refuse to create more life, or
she will breed inferior beings and
become the slave of his savage in
stincts. He cannot force life any
more than he can force love; if he
tries it, he is not fit to be the COM
panion woman ceaselessly looks for.
Woman does not choose to rule;
nor does she choose to be ruled. She
never has to be forced to help man,
for she considers it privilege. But
first he must respect her intelligence
which is equal to his, or discredit one
half of his own brain He then will
discover mutual desires and quail
fications for the trilogy of progress,
advancement and achievement at
tainable only in work and peace, and
there would be no call for the trilogy,
women, Work, and War"
MARIE N. V. PEARSON.
st. Paul.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Press Comments
On Proposal to Give Votes to All
Minnesota Men in Military
Service.
WILL BACK UP PROPOSAL
(St. Louis County independently

(St. Louis County independently
Hjalmar Petersen, former governor,
and at present member of the rail-
road and warehouse commission, has
urged Governor Stassen to call spe-
cial session of the Legislature for the
purpose of enacting laws that will
give the boys in the service vote in
coming elections. There appears no
reason why the men who are fight
ing to preserve democracy, not only
in this nation but throughout the en-
tire world, should not be given the
right to vote in the selection of Of
ficials who are to conduct the affairs
of state and nation, and there
will be hundreds of citizens of Min
nesota who will back up Mr.. Peter
sen in his proposal.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Government Issues
By Hjalmar Petersen.
The Soldiers Vote And
Paying For The War

In connection with the proposal
for votes to all Minnesota men in
military service the Governor wrote
a second letter, given to the press,
which follows:
March 18, 1912.
Mr.. Hjalmar Petersen
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
State Office Building,
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Dear Hjalmar:
AS you know, we have for num-
ber of months been securing sub
scriptions for defense savings bonds
by payroll deductions of state en-
ployees and state officials.
Since you are one of the few state
officials who has not subscribed for
defense savings bonds through pay
roll deduction 1 am writing to urge
you to subscribe. These defense
bonds sales are an important part
of the total war effort as we all join
together to defeat the ruthless Axis
war machine.
Mr.. Paul Pommerening is in charge
of the sales in your department and
you can subscribe through him.
Yours very truly,
Harold E. Stassen, Governor.
Askov American., 1942-03-26

means simply that many are ready
for the government to assign every
citizen to the war role deemed best
suited to his talents. In the midwest,
which often has been castigated for
its complacency, the percentage was
62 per cent.
There can be no doubt that this
is a definite indication of the will
ingness of the majority of the Amer
lean people to 60 "an out" for the
purpose of winning the war. But so
far, with the exception of the ra-
tioning of essential items and the
operation of selective service, there
has been no effort toward gaining
an "all out" status. The government
has yet to demand as much as the
people want to give.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
SOME OF THE GOVERNORS
POLITICS
Duluth Free Press)


In answer to Hjalmar Petersen s
request for special session, grant
ing the right of votes to all service
men, Governor Stassen was pleased
to crack that Petersen should devote
more time to promoting the war eff
fort and less to playing politics"
But the governor is no slouch when
it comes to politics himself. Now
that his much-ballyhooed labor con-
ference fell flat from non-participa-
ton by the AFL unions, he is making
another stab at rebuilding his labor
support by setting up what seems to
be duplication of state Civilian De-
fense, using strictly labor members
The Civilian Defense in the state
now requires every available per-
son, union or otherwise, and union
members are largely represented in
every branch already. To duplicate
existing agencies, creating tendency
to have labor withdraw into its own
private Civilian Defense activities
would be neither efficient nor advis-
able. The thing is big enough and
broad enough for everyone to partici-
pate as plain citizens. The governor
need have no fear that organized labor
will shirk its part in this-it is in
it now up to its neck.
Labor men themselves see this
Labor Volunteers for Victory for
what it is-a political machine. There
has been too much of that already in
Civilian Defense without adding more.
Askov American., 1942-03-26

Since the governor of the state
has seen fit to make it public that
l have not asked to have deductions
made from my salary as railroad and
warehouse commissioner for the pur-
chase of defense savings bonds, lei
me remind him that there are five
other elected state officials who have
likewise not asked for salary deduc-
tions for the same purpose.
Certainly, l am not questioning
the loyalty or the lack of total war
effort on the part of these five state
officials because they, like myself,
have not put the State of Minnesota
to the expense of extra bookkeeping
/ believe that all six of us are old
enough and experienced enough to
know that we must practice frugality
and, also, that we can and do lay
aside money from our salaries for
the purchase of defense savings
stamps and bonds without having
the state do it for us.
Can the governor know whether
or not any or all of the six state
officials are purchasing defense saw
ings stamps and bonds because we
do not ask for payroll deductions?
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Salvation Army
Continued from Page u

headed by Commissioner Edward
Parker. The immediate result was
that in various parts of the country,
where problems due to excessive
military population had arisen, the
Army's officers had gone right to
work to relieve the situation.
Entertaining servicemen is not an
enterprise new to the Salvation Army
Capt. Hallborn said. Their Naval and
Military League was organized
throughout the world in 1894, and the
service on active battle lines dates
from the Boer war in 1899, and today
Salvationists are rendering the same
fine service that gave them such a
splendid record during World War 1.
American youth has been called to
the colors, and again they are giving
their all that the freedom and the
democracy which we have so long
enjoyed shall be preserved. It is the
aim of the Salvation Army, so far as
is humanity possible, to insure their
physical and spiritual well-being,
thus maintaining their present high
level of morale.
Four Thousand D0ughnuts.
From The Red Shield magazine of
February 1912, the following news
article is taken:
First Salvationists under fire in
Americas war against Japan were
Major and Mrs. Alva Holbrook at
Schofield barracks, Oahu, T. H.
GAS the japanese planes struck in
the Pearl Harbor attack last Decem-
ber 7, the Holbrooks saw machine
gun bullets turn the house across
their street into sieve. Then Mrs.
Holbrook went into the ''sieve" busi-
ness herself. In "a hours she made
1000 doughnuts for evacuees lodged
in Salvation Army buildings.
"Other forces under command of
Brig. Arthur Brewer swung into ac-
ton. The Salvationist Girls Home
and the Citadel, 664 South King
Street, Honolulu, were thrown open
to the public. Adjutant Frank
Buchanan organized a mass feeding
detail that served evacuees in relays
throughout the night of December z.
"a mobile canteen toured the cir
cult of gun emplacements and other
guard posts"
Askov American., 1942-03-26
TOO MUCH BORROWING
(LOng Prairie Leader)

Whether we like it or not, a gen.
eral sales tax to help finance the war
is coming. 1t is bad policy to bor-
row so much for the war expense as
we are doing. The interest on the
government debt takes almost as
much cash to pay as it took to run
the entire government thirty years
ago. Borrowing may appear to light
en- the load, but it is deceptive-the
debt has to be paid, which means the
taxes have to be levied later, plus a
heavy burden of interest.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
THINKS 1T IMPRACTICAL
(The Maynard NeWS)

Under the present law American
citizens in foreign land cannot vote,
but to our way of thinking such an
amendment at this time is not prac-
tical. The element of time precludes
the boys from taking advantage of the
privilege if they wished. And we
presume that the rank and file of
the service men have other things
to think about at this time instead of
bothering with local politics.
Askov American., 1942-03-26

Records of voluntary salary deduc-
tions reveal that two state officials
are having deductions made to the
extent of $75 each per month, but
the Governor of the State, Harold E.
Stassen, has a salary deduction of
$18.75 per month, for the purchase
of defense savings bonds.
Among employees of the Railroad
and Warehouse commission we find
clerk in the main office who earns
$3.50 per month and who has pay
roll deduction of $25 per month for
the purchase of defense savings
bonds. This employee earns $1,560
per year. Compare his deduction
and his salary with that of the COVER
nor's $1,000 per year and $2,40O
travel allowance, total of $4,000,
and payroll deduction of $18.75 per
month.
According to his own viewpoint,
the Governor is about one-eighth as
interested in the war effort as is the
$130 man with $25 monthly deduc-
ton.
Another employee in the office of
the commission earns $130 per month
and has payroll deduction of $18.75.
A clerk in the grain inspection de-
partment at $3.50 per month, and two
grain weighers at $3.50 per month,
have salary deductions of $18.75 each
per month. One sampler II at $155,
and another sampler II at S160, each
have salary deductions of $18.75 per
month
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Hjalmar Petersen.

If the war could be financed alto
gether through taxation, on a pay
as-we-go basis, undoubtedly that
would be best. 1t is generally agreed
that fairly substantial part of the
cost should be borne through direct
taxation and the balance, represented
through loans now made by the gov
Il, ernment, to be paid later.
If but one-third of the cost is paid
: as we 60, it will require many years
to pay the balance and the tax bur-
den will be passed on, in part at
least, to generations yet unborn.
Would it not be far better if we
could stretch the one-third, to pay
ing one-half or more of the cost dur
ing the war and pass on less than
one-half of the debt to the future
and coming generations? The more
we can pay now the better it is for
the nation as a whole.
Paying now means taxation.
If a person pays 500, $1,000,
$4,000, or more in taxes to the fed
eral government and subdivisions of
government, he is contributing that
much toward the prosecution of the
war and the upkeep of government
lin general.
The individual taxpayer will be
far ahead, financially speaking, if he
has little or no taxes to pay, but can
invest his surplus money in govern
ment bonds that not only provide
for repayment of principal, but in
terest at 90 per cent.
Where is the taxpayer who pays
$1,000, $4,000, or any other sum
who would not rather pay no taxes
and purchase defense savings bonds
for the entire amount? Whatever
a person pays in taxes does not come
back directly to that taxpayer ex-
.cept in governmental services rem
dered to all the people; but the bono
buyer is in due time reimbursed tt
the extent of his investment and i!
paid good interest on the money.
A real wealthy man with ne
income of say 100000 may nov
pay about $1,50O,000 in taxes. L
he spends 100000 for himself ,ane
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Editor Askov American:


The following letter, dated March
l6, applicable to Sundays broadcast
in defense of woman sin a mans
world" was written to the University
of Chicago Round Table:
women, Work, and War"-this is
trilogy. But, in the childish idiom
of the day of spelling out accented
words, it means WOE, which leads
to R-O-T-so eminently spelled for
us short while ago.
Although this trilogy will be dis
cussed nationwide next week, il
would be we'll for scholars to make
a further study to find how the ma
jority of women (excepting those
who are concerned only with per-
sonal security; or who enjoy foolish
martyrous sacrifices; or who are
merely glamorously patriotic) react
to being cast again into this category
One perspective for study shall be
entitled "THE VOICE OF WOMAN ~
It is not a voice crying in the
wilderness. Rather, it is the voice
of the human race calling from the
depths of life; as deep as the roots
of life; deep down into the ages. Men,
you who choose to think you rule
the universe, what do you want?
Progress, advancement, achievement?
Then listen!
If you could do one thing-only
once-that is, to bear and raise child
just one child-you would then have
the knowledge and appreciation of life
woman possesses. Patience and the
love Of life imposed by nature would
destroy your lust to kill, and you
would become the man woman could
trust, for you would avoid war as
you would pestilence. You would
not ask her then to become the vessel
for breeding war fodder; you would
not ask her then to become the in
strument for manufacturing the tools
of war which you in your savagery
would hurl at your brother" to sat-
isfy the "fun" of killing for adven-
ture, imperialism, or whatsoever.
I am not saying, neither am I
thinking, that woman is finer crea-
ture than man in either ability or
beauty. I am saying that she is super
ior in her respect for life because
nature has given her the burden of
creating life after man initiates it.
Would that science could do some
thing for man so that he may learn
to have at least equal love of life
that is innate in woman. This would
be real achievement! He would lose
his "roar";; he would learn to speak
the language of understanding in the
strong, firm voice of the protector
of life as well as the begetter of it.
Too much emphasis has been placed
on love of adventure, competitive
games, and sport in the sense that
life is also game. That is child
ish aspect, for life is more than a
game of chess, or what have you
Games are for children, or adult re-
laxation-only incidental to life
Human life is more than beating to
draw for territory, wealth or pres
tige. Life is life with the response
bility ''to live and let live"
Man seems not to have learned
to appreciate his inherent ability
Askov American., 1942-03-26
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page -
New Fears.

Much may, in connection with the
situation in Asia, depend upon the
further development of relations be-
tween Russia and Japan, at the pres
ent moment bound together in a
kind of official friendship by a nom
aggression treaty.
But during the last few days
ever so many rumOrs have been
heard to the effect that Japan will
not let the Russians take the initi-
ative in case q war is to break
out. Indeed, from many respon-
sible-usually responsible-quar-
tiers comes the report that the
Japanese are getting ready to at
tack Russia through Siberia.
In Manchukuo, of course, the Jap
anese have always held troops in
readiness for any emergency on the
Siberian border, and it is now said
that they have sent an additional
million soldiers to that point.
If that is true-and we can't know
yeti means that the japanese have
no very profound faith in the formal
assurances of Russian friendship
There are indications that such suspi-
cion is mutual.
European War.
For the time being, Russia has her
hands full trying to drive the Ger
man armies out of her European ter
ritory, and many bulletins make il
clear that she is making progress al
though not as rapidly as Moscow had
hoped. German divisions at many
points of the long, long front are
being surrounded and checked by the
Soviet troops, but it's still a long
way out of Russia.
Hitler himself who some time
ago assumed supreme command
of all his forces in Russia-ac-
cOrding to the dictati0n Of what
he called an elmer vOice"-nOw,
according to various reports, has
yielded to the necessity of call
ing back to their jobs all the lead
ing generals whom he discarded
not SO many weeks back.
Assuming this to be true, it must
mean that he is, as we say in this
country, Slipping and that he real
ICES it, bitterly, himself.
He also may have reason to fear
that now during the next few weeks
an allied offensive against German
held positions in continental Europe
may begin, and if there is anything
he fears-and really has reason tc
fear-it is just that very thing. For
he knows that if all his enemies get
together against him on the Euro
pean front, his hopes will die.
Askov American., 1942-03-26

Herewith follows statement issued
to the press the following day,
March 10:
On March 14th I raised a public
issue advocating a special session of
the Legislature that all our Mime
sofa men in military service be given
the vote and without expense to
them.
Since then, I have received from
Governor Stassen one letter every 48
hours which indicate he is exceed
ingly cunning but dangerously de-
ceptive," to use his own words. In
the first letter he evaded the issue
and shouted politics" In the second
letter he continues to evade the
issue and confesses to shopping.
Whether or not all the soldiers vote
is still an issue.
81 NJ
Askov American., 1942-03-26
PUBLIC THINKING ON THE WAR
(Mankato Free Press)

(MdHKdtO Tree FreSS1
Past events have demonstrated on
more than one occasion that the
American public is far ahead of both
congress and President Roosevelt in
its war thinking. Often it has seemed
that the public may be farther ahead
than is either desirable or necessary.
The latest example of this is in
the sentiment for total mobilization
of the nation for supreme war effort.
A recent Gallup poll showed that
approximately 60 per cent of the peo-
pie favor mobilization now, which
Askov American., 1942-03-26
Opinions OF Others

lShort timely letters on topics Of
public interest are welcome whether
or not the writer's opinions con-
All letters must be signed with the
writer's name for our information.
Signed articles always are more eff
fectfve but If the writer does not
wish to have his name used, 1t will
be withheld).
Askov American., 1942-03-26

States government is very proper
and desirable. Coming from a per-
ennial candidate for a public office,
it might smack just a little bit of
deep personal interest. The privilege
should be promptly and freely given.
If so granted, watch for the argu-
ment that 81" was the means of secur-
ing this voting privilege for the men
in the service.
Askov American., 1942-03-26
PUT BLAME IN RIGHT PLACE

G<AilOi <AShON
When The Minnesota Emergency
Conservation committee asks the re-
moval OF certain employees of the
Governor, they should first ascertain
if these men are obeying or disobey-
ing orders.
For long period of time, the
Governor has been furnished with
facts and the evidence to sustain
them. He treated the evidence with
silence and contempt. If the Gov
ernor wishes his departments run this
way, why smash the men who carry
out his orders?
Why not place the blame where it
really belongs?
F. E. WEBER.
Minnoano1ic
Askov American., 1942-03-26
FOR THE VOTE REGARDLESS
(Barnum Heraldl

A proposition for the State of Min
nesota to extend election privileges
to citizens of the state who are in
the armed services of the United