davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American., 1942-01-22
RETIREMENTS, PENSIONS
AND LIENS
Editor Askov American:

Editor ASkOV American:
In an earlier article I gave an
authentic statement covering pen
sions and salaries as related to Min
nesota district court associate and
supreme court judges.
Here 1 wish to pass upon U. s.
Supreme court justices salaries and
pensions, and pensions to widows of
Presidents.
The Supreme court retirement law
provides that any justice who re-
tires under provisions of this act,
who has served less than ten years,
shall receive annually during the
remainder of his life, sum equal
to half the annual salary he was
receiving.
After justice has served ten years
or more, he shall receive the same
salary received at the date of re-
tirement. There is no reference to
placing lien upon his property
The Supreme court consists of one
chief justice whose salary is S20,-
500 annually; eight associate justices
at $4,000; 1876 district court judges
at $4,000; 81 circuit court judges at
$12, 500, and II special miscellaneous
judges as follows: Five in the court
of customs and patent appeals at
$12,500, five in the circuit court of
claims at $l2,500, and seven in the
customs court at $4,000. This gives
279 judges and justices with an an
nual aggregate of S3,048,000, stag
gering sum for the class of justice
the common people receive.
The first widow of a President
granted a pension was Mrs. John
Tyler, $4,000 a year by act of 1882.
$1O0 a month granted her in 1880.
There has never been any per-
manent law on this subject, although
since 1882 all widows of Presidents
have been granted $4,000 annually.
There evidently is no provision
which removes a Presidents widow
from the pension rolls, in event of
remarriage, for Mrs. Grover Cleve-
land is still drawing pension, al
though she remarked. Lump sums
have been given to some widows, as
in the case of Mrs. Lincoln, who was
given one years salary, or $4,000.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison is drawing
a pension, as are Mrs. Theodore
Roosevelt, Mrs. William Howard
Taft, Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Mrs.
Warren C. Harding and Mrs. CAL
vim Coolidge.
All widows are not so fortunate
as to have had a President for a
husband, nor all men to hold judge
ships, and they are finding their
positions are somewhat reversed as
to the fine tribute President Roose-
welt made covering money to be ex-
pended in defense. quote: From
them that have shall be taken, and
to them that have not, shall be
given," but am under the impression
that before the emergency is over we
all will be classified as "them that
have"
HARRY P. FELGATE.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
PINE COUNTY RURAL
SCHOOL NEWS
Extra Curricular.
A. E. GUSTAFSoN. County Supt.

Due to war restrictions on tires,
ETC., our sectional and county de-
clam, spelling, music, quiz and play
day contests may all be cancelled this
year. Sectional leaders will decide
on this soon.
It is also well to note that the state
fair will not hold contests this year
for rural spelling and declamatory
champs.
Teachers are urged to have pupils
prepare more work for the county
fair. Premium lists for 1912 have
been mailed to- all teachers some
time ago. Seventy-seven dollars in
premiums has been sent this week
to the teachers to distribute to their
respective prize winners for 124
prizes awarded for school exhibits
at the August, 1941, Pine County
fair. This money was turned over to
us by the Pine county fair board for
distribution at the close of the calen-
dar year. More and better exhibits
are encouraged for 1912.
School Attendance.
When you arise before daylight
and think of the rural teachers who
are already plodding to school in all
kinds of weather to make the school
building comfortable and arrange
their work for the busy days with
those ambitious groups of youngsters,
you can appreciate the many duties
and the long hours of the average
rural teacher who must be master
of many trades" We are fortunate
that the lion weather the first week
in January has turned out to be
gentle again. We hope the average
of good weather will thus continue
for another few months. Our at
tendance in all of our rural area is
very good. Only very few isolated
cases of poor attendance. Most of
these seem unavoidable.
During the past seven years we
have had excellent cooperation in
most all cases pertaining to the prob
lens of attendance and attendance
laws. During this period of seven
years, we have had no court costs or
expenses against Pine county in OBJ
tanning the full respect of the laws
that affect attendance.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
HAVE NAMES WITHDRAWN

Editor Askov American:
Andrew Engebo of Sandstone,
wrote very fine letter ON this law
of licensing all dogs.
1 agree heartily with every state
ment he made.
His suggestion that all who signed
petitions for licensing all dogs write
to the county auditor and ask to
have their names withdrawn from
said petition should be acted upon by
every signer.
l am sure that a lot of signers Of
said petition did not really under
stand it correctly either.
Perhaps if someone in each COM
munity would take it upon himself
to get the names of all farmers who
are opposed to the law, that would
help too.
Let us all work together and do
away with this law.
MRS. TRACY STREET.
Sturgeon Lake, MINI.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
ANTAGONISTS DANGEROUS

Editor Askov American:
A world crisis is at our doors. It
consists, primarily, of racial antagon-
isms. Such antagonisms arise out of
the assumption that one race is su-
perior to others. .
Even if that were true, yet the an
tagonism is dangerous. Human tides,
like ocean tides, advance and re-
cede. A race may be dominant one
century, and dominated 10 centuries
later. ""
When the world was "big" such
antagonisms were not SO dangerous.
Now that the world has contracted
to the size of single state it is preg-
nant with grave threats.
The time is due when human be-
ings, regardless of race, color, re-
ligion or politics must agree on one
thing-that all are humans, that all
have equal rights.
There is need for d mass move
ment made up of humans. This does
not mean a melting pot" which as
sumes that races must fuse and be-
come one. Each race is entitled to
it's characteristics. Each must grant
the same rights to all others.
This involves, of course, equality
of opportunity. No race must be
permitted to exclude any other, or
all others from access to the "good
earth"
Here is a field for constructive
work.
o. M. THOMSON.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
DESTROYING SELF-RELIANCE

Editor Askov American:
The air is continually filled with
talk about destroyers of democracy.
I ask in the name of good horse
sense, who has done the most to de-
stroy this republics democratic form
of government since the latter part
of 1893? Did not the New Deal
start at once to blast out foundation
stones of our Constitution? Also
to create a subservient high court?
And many other things, seemingly
intended to destroy the spirit of
self-reliance of the masses.
do not believe that up to 1884 any
nation on earth had any dislike
toward this nation (U. S. A. unless
Great Britain did. The wars in
Europe date back for ages; they
have become family feud. I note
that the young u. S. Senator from
Minnesota who went up and down
the country trying to work us all
into a war lather has not offered
himself to stop bullets of the Axis.
A very few years at most will tell,
if this war ever ends, that the best
form of government we need expect,
will be as one of a combination of
nations constituting a world power
dominated by one man. In this
United States there will be from
twenty to thirty million appointees.
They will be snoopers and will tell all
what to eat and wear, what to work
at, and how much work must be
done. And remember, the. worker
Askov American., 1942-01-22
FREE MAILING FOR SOLDIERS

Editor ASkOV American:
When we had the other war the
boys "over there" didn't need to put
any stamps on their letters, just put
soldiers mail" on the left hand corn
er of their envelope.
Wouldn't it be better still if, all our
boys in the camps now, have their
mail sent free and not have to wait
until they get "over there? We do
things more modern nowadays any
way. This is only thought or
suggestion. 1t probably wouldn':
work.
We can't treat our boys too good
or good enough even if it is only
about a postage stamp. Can't we
vote on something like that too? We
vote on everything else.
MRS. A. B. c.
Sandstone, MINI.
Askov American., 1942-01-22

from school and work. 1t is only
by separating the ill from the well
that this expensive illness can be
controlled.
Miss Nelson attended the public
health institute for county nurses at
the Center for Continuation Study
at the University of Minnesota Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday last week.
She reports that there were many
good lectures and that she received a
certificate of attendance.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
"FIRE-EATERS" MISSING
Editor ASkov American:

Editor ASkov American:
In the short time which has elapsed
since the United States entered the
war, several of the leading opponents
of the Administrations foreign policy
have offered their services to the
nations armed forces. Among these
are Chas. A. Lindbergh, Rep. Hamil-
ton Fish, Gen. Robert E. Wood and
Senator Clark of Missouri. This
makes us wonder what has become
of the fire-eaters including our own
Joe Ball who were so all-fired anxi-
Gus to get us involved as there has
as yet been no word of any of them
offering their services! Is it possible
that the interventionists are isolat-
ing themselves at home until the war
is over?
H. H. OPHUS.
Erskine, MINI.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page ~

out of his way to insult another coun-
try.
AS is well known, Herr Hitler
does not like what he prefers to
call non-Aryan races, and for his
particular hostility he has singled
out the Jews. There is nothing on
record to show that he loves the
Japanese, and when he now is
their ally, the reason is one of
expediency far more than of ac-
tual friendship. There could be no
real friendship between Berlin
and Tokyo. There is none. There
is merely an alliance.
But that alliance isn't working
very well, for neither Germany nor
Italy can, if they wanted to, send
reinforcements to Japan. Britain and
the United States have seen to that.
Own Worries.
And there is this, too, that both
Hitler and Mussolini have plenty
of worries of their own. The Ger
man campaign against Soviet Rus
sia has turned out to be one grand
failure, and the nazi troops are flee
ing even faster than did Napoleon's
Grand Army" 130 years ago.
The Russian strategy has developed
into one steady and relentless chase
of a wounded animal, and all military
experts concede that Hitler simply
hasn't got a chance in Russia. The
retreat may not be quite as fast as
some reports have indicated, but it
is consistent, and the Germans do
not get single chance to stand still
and fight back effectively.
They are falling back on all
fronts leading to their principal
Objectives, Leningrad, Moscow,
Rostov, SevastOpOl. There is no
present prospect that they will
ever come back.
So, perhaps, even if Hitler did
want to support his imperial friend
in Tokyo, he could not. He has his
own hands full.
Bad There, Too.
And in Lydia it does not look bit
better. Here both Germans and Itali-
ans keep on retreating before the
British who now have cleared the
30O-miles wide eastern part of the
territory of enemies; few days apart
the British took the cities of Solum
and Halfaya, and their efforts hence
forth will be confined to driving the
axis armies out of western Libya.
Complete German defeats on
the Russian and the Libyan fronts
are bound to affect the final out
come of the general war.
And-this is something to be con-
sidered, too: The United States forces
have not yet begun to fight the axis
combination in earnest. That may
turn out to be the decisive factor.
Askov American., 1942-01-22
Opinions OF Others

(Short timely letters on topics of
public interest are welcome whether
or not the writer's opinions con-
form with those of the American.
All letters must be signed with the
writer's name for our information.
Signed articles always are more ef.
fective, but If the writer does not
wish to have his name used. it will
be withheld).
Askov American., 1942-01-22
Health Ward
Information furnished by Pine County
Nursing Service.

AS next week, January 80, is Presi-
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt's birth
day, and the march of dimes will be
in progress, we wish to bring to your
attention that there are over hum
dred crippled children in Pine coun-
ty that need special and scientific
care. Most of these children have
been taken to the state clinics by
the county nurse and treatment pre-
scribed. The money obtained from
the birthday donations is used in part
by the National Foundation for In
fantile paralysis at New York city, Of
which Basil O'Connor is president,
and percentage left in the county
to use here for such patients. Our
county director is j. J. Madden of
Pine City. "
Research Being Made.
Virus research, which has been car
ried on by eminent doctors since
the beginning of the Foundation four
years ago, has disclosed valuable facts
and we now know something of how
the virus is spread, but to the pres
ent time have been unable to pre-
vent its spread. This disease is be-
ing studied similar to other diseases
that are Infectious and contagious,
such as diphtheria and smallpox were
before they found the prevention and
cure.
Last year our crippled children
were visited by Miss Nora Hoel, a
trained physiotherapist who was TAX
en- to their homes by Miss Laura
Nelson, county nurse, who encouraged
the parents to get the children under
the doctors care and to carry out
the treatment he prescribed. These
children are visited as often as Miss
Nelson visits the territory in which
they live.
This week four maternity visits
were made, three health visits to
pre-school children. One home was
visited where the children were i'll
with communicable disease. Two
visits were made in behalf of Grip
pied children, to secure medical
check-ups, one with genital dislo-
cation of the hip and the other a
speech defect due to cleft palate.
One visit was made to a tubercu-
losis patient and two others to sick
adults. Two schools were inspected,
district 46 at Henriette and IS north
of Askov, and home visits made in
regard to defects found. Two homes
were contacted in behalf of children
whose hearing is defective.
One home visit was made for the
care of child with skin infection,
four visits for defective vision and
one for a child with apparently a
complete nasal obstruction. A num-
ber of children were found to be in
school with colds. Children should
be put to bed at the first sign of a
cold and isolate themselves from
others during this most infectious
stage and there will be less absence
Askov American., 1942-01-22
A MIND OF ITS OWN

Editor ASkov American:
After reading the editorials in just
one issue of your paper, l am de-
termined l can't get along without
it. This is one paper in which you
find the truth; one paper that speaks
a mind of it's own.
Please accept my check for years
subscription.
BILL SANDERS.
st. James, MINI.
Route l.
Askov American., 1942-01-22

will have nothing to say about
wages.
But we are now in the war and
must all help win and elect the
right men to office, and try to block
the move laid out many years ago.
S. w. CRAIGER.
New London, MINI.
Askov American., 1942-01-22

During the time that America was
in the World war in 1917 and 1918
there was much criticism of the many
dollar-a-year men in Washington.
That example of "a years ago should
have been real lesson against repe-
tition of the same illicit procedure
now.
Chairman Truman's committee re-
vealed that as of Jan. S, 1912, there
were 255 dollar-a-year men working
for the OPM, and 631 others en-
ployed without compensation.
On the face of it and without in
vestigation, ordinary businessmen
with experience and common sense
know that such procedure only leads
to favoritism, graft and corruption.
Whether these 886 men received a
dollar a year or no compensation
from the government, the result is
the same for anyone knows that a
person cannot live on dollar year.
The committee reported that these
men could be termed lobbyists Gin
very real sense.
Pearson and Allen report that a
number of them have received sub
stantial increases in the salaries they
continue to draw from their COM
panies, while working for the govern
ment "for nothing. The columnists
reported, also, that "it costs the FBI
$3.50 per man to investigate the back
ground of these officials"
The Senate committee believes
that the government should not con-
tinue to accept the loan of dollar-a-
year and woo without compensa-
tion) men by companies with so large
stake in the defense program" and
that mo man can honestly serve two
masters"
The committee added that Labor,
as well as industry, must assume re-
sponsibility for the meager produc-
ton of defense articles. Both labor
and industry have been too much
concerned with their own interests
and too little concerned with the ma
tional welfare"
Askov American., 1942-01-22

got the impression he didn't particu-
larly like the job and that he'd just
as soon have gone home. But he
seen his duty and he done it.
1t wasn't question of free speech,
sez he. And he wasn't trying to
monkey with one of Mr.. Roosevelt's
four freedoms. He made that very
clear. 1t wasn't even the principle
of the thing. There was a specific
statute, he pointed out, which for
bade sending that sort of stuff by
mail. In legal theory, the difference
was rather fine; so he read out of
the dictionary instead of from the
statute itself. The jury looked i'm
pressed, the defendant looked amused,
while the judge yawned and looked
as if he were bored with the whole
affair.
Henry Nyklemoe represented the
defendant. Local residents said it
was the sort of case that was his
particular meat. He'd take it Just
IOr the Sport OIL tIle LnlnS.
Had the defendant threatened the
president? Mr.. Nyklemoe wanted to
know. No, he hadn't; for, obviously
he could no more have carried it out
than he could have carried out a
threat to pluck the moon out of the
skies and hurl it at our peerless
Franklin D. A prophecy, perhaps, or
a prediction of what would hap
pen, but certainly not a threat
1t seemed like unanswerable logic,
but the government attorney was ten
acious. He stuck to his point. 1t
wasn't prophecy; it was a threat
and as such punishable under a par
ticular law.
While the jury was out, spectators
discussed the case in the corridor
One wanted to know who Roosevelt
thought he was, anyway Musso-
lini? He was reminded that Roose-
welt probably hadn't even heard of
the case. Well, he wasn't Mussolini
anyway, the spectator doggedly main
tanned.
Nobody seemed to take thought that
it was also an offense against Sena-
tor Ball, for he, too, had received
one of the cards. One spectator said
that Ball was already so dead any
way that he could not be any deader,
SO what the heck was the difference.
All he'd have to do would be to lie
down and fold his hands and not
even an undertaken would know the
difference.
The jury came in again. 'Not
guilty!' they said. The lesson in the
verdict and in the attitude of the
spectators was that we have yet
long way to go before we succumb
to the idiotic super-patriotism which
swept the land in 1917-1918
Askov American., 1942-01-22

In the words of the Senate defense
investigating committee, the war out
put was slow because of a mesh of
bureaucratic red tape, official bung-
ling, selfishness, and greed.
It is to be hoped that the inef-
ficiency will be cleared up through
reorganization of the OPM and by the
appointment of Mr. Nelson as gen.
eralissimo of war production. Mr..
Nelson is heralded as businessman
and executive of great ability, he is
regarded as a man with drive and
grasp of the dimensions of his task.
Nelson knows at first hand the prob
lens and faults in production for the
past year and half.
Ernest Lindley, another Washington
writer states that: "a year ago, when
it became clear that the National
Defense Advisory Commission had
to give way to a more effective
agency, Nelson was the choice for
top man of most of the New Dealers
directly concerned with the defense
effort He had done an excellent
job of undermining purchasing meth
ods by the quartermaster corps. But
the President chose the Knudsen-
Hillman combination instead, and for
a time Nelson was almost ostracised
by the industrial group around Knud-
sen. Leon Henderson received the
same treatment. Nelson submitted
his resignation at least once"
Askov American., 1942-01-22

taxpayers they are supposed to rep
resent, have no place in govern
ment positions. They should be ousted
without delay. If they serve the gov
ernment they should be paid. There
can be and may always be too much
manipulating and maneuvering in
government affairs, but when there is
a group of dollar-a-year patriots
around, it is obvious that things will
not be right.
Even the suspicion of wrong-doing
under that set-up is not good for
the morale of the country, now when
the best possible morale is needed.
The national administration with
Donald Nelson as boss of the OPM
must clear up the situation thorough
ly so that there may be complete
confidence on the part of the people
that things are right in Washington.
When America is at war all Ameri-
cans are in it and deeply concerned
over successful outcome. We have
read and heard chatter about those
who were against the administrations
foreign policy prior to the war, now
seeking bridge on which to cross
with honor in order to give whole
hearted support to the administration
in the war Also, that such former
non-interventionists were responsible
for the lack of preparedness on the
part of America and in turn respon-
sible for the Pearl Harbor disaster.
If it did not concern a vital and
serious matter, which involves life
and death and American freedom,
people might pass off those vitupera-
tions with shrug of the shoulder and
laugh, but this problem of effec-
tive national defense and prosecu-
ton of the war is a very serious one.
Critics of those who disagreed with
the foreign policy of the last few
years, and who still harp on it, should
read the report of Senator Truman's
committee and ponder the question of
responsibility. In the words of Ray
mond Clapper "this Truman report
is an encyclopedia of what is wrong
around Washington"
The report must be shocking to
honest and fair-minded people from
one end of the country to the other.
The charges in the report cannot and
must not be passed over lightly and
forgotten in a week or two, but fol-
lowed up and prevailing conditions
thoroughly fumigated.
Full strength and cooperation of
our people, whether at the front OK
at home, is necessary. 1t is the unity
we must have to be successful, and
that unity is best acquired and main-
tanned through confidence in our
government.