Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-11-05


fact, it should have been done last
winter, when it first became appar-
ent that the policy of drafting neces-
sary farm labor, or enticing them
into more renumerative work, would
lead t. serious food shortage and
that shortage, unfortunately, is now
upon us.
It fairly makes one sick at heart
to think of the many fine dairy herds
that have been sold at public auction
in our part of the country, because
of farm labor shortage, many of the
cows finding their way to the slaugh-
ter pen. However, the further break
ing up of our dairy herds will stop
if the McNutt order is enforced. My
readers may rest reasonably certain
that the bill amending the draft law
will retain the provision that no
farm labor needed in the production
of food shall be drafted.
If there is such a serious short
age of manpower as the President
and his advisors would have us be-
lieve, why don't we increase the week
hours from 40 to Sc or go hours,
with straight time? That would be
equivalent to several million new
hands, which is much greater than
the 100000 manpower shortage that
they allege exists. If there is such
serious shortage of labor, why is
it necessary to continue WPA at an
outlay of $50 millions of dollars a
year, including more than 100 mil
lions unexpended from last year. All
this was very well back in the days
when industry lay dormant and there
was little demand for labor but now,
when we are fighting for our national
existence, and when they tell us there
is labor shortage, it is hard to I'M
derstand, much less to explain. It is
almost certain that Congress will re-
fuse any further substantial sums
to WPA so long as the war continues
and the present demand for labor
continues.
A Timely Report.
Those Americans who last week
heard Wendell WILKES report to
the nation must have been greatly
impressed, as l was, by his search
ing analysis of the situation in Russia
and the Far East. Mr. Willkie was
at pains to explain that he spoke
as free citizen and not for the
White House. AS an American citi-
zen it is his right and duty to speak
out and this he did in the report,
which it is to be hoped will be taken
to heart by President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill In the
81 ,000-mile journey that Mr.. Will
kie made over the warning sections
of eastern Europe and China, he met
all the outstanding characters in the
drama that is being played on that
stage. Two things he found every
where: Hatred of Western imper-
ialism and admiration for the United
States as a non-imperialistic power.
The Russians and Chinese know that
we are not fighting for territorial
or commercial gains. Our objective
is higher and nobler-the destruc-
ton of totalitarianism, wherever
found on this globe.
Mr.. Willkie was most emphatic in
demanding that the English COM
pose their differences with India.
India is the greatest reservoir of
manpower yet untapped. Indeed,
India is the greatest source of supply
of war materials in the Far East.
Thanks to the English, India is highly
industrialized and that, together with
her great natural resouces in iron and
other strategic materials, makes it
absolutely necessary that she be pla-
Gated and brought actively into the
war. If India were made even rea-
sonably satisfied she could supply
enough troops, and arm them, to take
care of the Japs. Think what saw
ing that would mean to us in the
way of manpower and equipment
The Tories, both here and abroad,
hold up their hands in holy horror
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