Askov American., 1942-02-12
Fact And Opinion
MORE ROOSEVELT PURGES?
BY E. G. Stengelsen.

De construed 10 mean tnat ne IN
tends to throw his own and the in
fluence of his vast political machine
against the reelection of those Con-
gressmen and Senators who have op-
posed him, and to prevent, as far as
he is able, the election of anyone who
has been critical of his administra-
ton.
And, already, there is talk in WASH
ington concerning the 1914 presi-
dental election. The possibility that
Roosevelt will be candidate for a
fourth term is generally conceded.
It will, of course, be urged that if
the war has not ended by 1914, that
there is every good reason why he
should be reelected. And, at the
moment, the argument may not seem
without merit But it is suspected
that even if the war is over, Mr..
Roosevelt will nonetheless find some
pretext for getting himself drafted"
again. 1t will be remembered that
he drafts very easily.
This column is so confident of Mr..
Roosevelt's ingenuity and inventive
ness that it has no doubt he will be
able to produce some further emer-
gency which will justify his candi-
dacy. 1t will be recalled that there
has not been time during his entire
10 years in office that we have not
been under the threatening shadow
of some great emergency. Indeed, if
he has not by that time made the word
wholly meaningless, he may become
known to posterity as ''The presi-
dent of many emergencies"
Those who know Mr.. Roosevelt say
that he enjoys hugely being presi-
dent. He reminds us a little of the
small boy who, when the kids are
playing train, finds no fun in the
game unless he is conductor. I'm
doubtedly, it expresses some trait in
his character, the same trait, per-
haps, which lies beneath his intoler-
ance of opposition and his resentment
of criticism. 1t may also explain the
purges of political opponents he has
attempted in the past.
But one trait Mr.. Roosevelt lacks
is the ability to be original. Even in
his purges, attempted or threatened,
he is not original. Messrs. Hitler, Mus
solini and Stain used this means of
choking off opposition long before
he tried it.
Russia has legislative body, elec-
ted by the people. So has Italy and so
has Germany. But since Hitler's ele-
vation to power, was the Reichstag
ever other than a rubber stamp?
Has anyone ever heard of Russia's
congress enacting legislation other
than as desired by Stain? How many
of this columns readers can name a
single law passed by Italy's chamber
of deputies which did not first have
Mussolini's approval?
Under the plea of great national
emergency, Mr.. Roosevelt seems de-
termined to put into effect in the
United States something he himself
has strongly condemned in Germany
and Italy.
1t may be well to remember that
the Reichstag surrendered its power
to Hitler who urged that the emer-
gency required it. In much the same
manner, Mussolini induced the cham
ber of deputies to turn itself into a
rubber stamp assembly.
If Mr.. Roosevelt were original, he
would ask for an appropriation of
$79.65 with which to buy 531 rub
ber stamps at Is cents apiece. He
would thereupon dissolve Congress
and save the country a huge annual
outlay for salaries and expenses. The
citizenry would be just as well served.
Senator Ball will of course urge
upon Minnesota's voters many rea-
sons, all greatly to his credit, why
he should be returned to the Senate
While he may be challenged, it will
not be by national Democratic head
quarters. They may not actively
support him, but at the same time,
they will hardly oppose him.
And if he is sent back to the Senate,
it will be for one reason only-that
he has proved himself the sort of
rubber stamp which Mr.. Roosevelt
finds quite to his liking.
What many of us find most irk-
some is the thought that his six-year
term will cost us upward of $100, 900.
We could have accomplished about
the same result with a 15-cent rub
ber stamp.
Your Federal