The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1916-05-25
N0NPARTlSAN LEAGUE IS
CREATURE OF T0WNLEY
Charges Against Leader

Charges Against Leader
A. =. Bowen, one time Socialist par
ty candidate for governor. playing
safe, resigned from the party. Charg-
es ranging from violation Of the par
ty pledges and constitution, to fraud,
deception, falsifying records and 9TH
er serious acts, having been prepared
against o. NJ. Thomson, d. C. Dor
man, H. G. Teigen, Grant S. Youmans,
Leon Durocher and A. C.. Townley,
the king-pin Of our troubles and the
present car Of the Non-partisan
league. He showed his true colors
early when in the fall Of 1914 he was
sent rs an organizer for the Socialist
party to Morton county. He prompt
ly forgot his duties rs laid down by
the Socialist party, and unknown to
the executive committee induced q
few Socialists to put up enough money
to buy q Ford auto, explaining that
he could cover the county quicker and
better that way. Then rs now, Town.
ley's great aim in life was 20 get the
money.
Beginning Of Work
Surveying Morton county, he saw
an opportunity Of interesting a large
number Of farmers in the pseuoo-so-
cialist organization, and naturally the
best way to arouse their interest was
to have them pay for it, telling his un-
suspecting victims that he was organ
izing the farmers-but not that he
was an accredited Socialist organizer.
He proceeded to lure them INTO an Or
ganization Of which they knew moth
ing and could have no vosce in the
management, just as he has done in
the Non-partisan league. They were
pledged to pay a dollar a month. The
first dollar was to 60 for overhead ex-
penses, and the rest for different pur-
poses. To save trouble, he urged them
to pay the $12 in cash, which was
frequently done. When work reach
ed q certain point, he took the auto
into the next county, where when
work reached q certain point he would
return the auto to Morton county, pro-
cure another auto in the county being
worked, and appoint q local organ
iser to collect dues and secure new
members in the first county.
Called to Account.
This scheme worked fine, and be.
ing the busiest time Of the year when
most Of the members Of the executive
committee under whom he was work
ing were busy ut their own affairs OF
were out Of town, he started his or
ganization in several counties ana Sc
cured four or five automobiles before
the executive committee heard Of his
scheme and, calling him in, strictly
ordered him to stop this wildcat or
ganization plan. Ignoring orders he
jumped out and began organizing an
other county and bought another au-
to. When this became known he was
called in and separated from the pay
roll. That effectually stopped the
Non-partisan league plan Of organi-
zation within the Socialist party.
Plans Present League.
Immediately Townley, Bowen and
Teigen began to plan similar organ
ization on the outside, and finally
drafted typewriter form for organ
ization Of the Non-partisan Political
league. Asking my approval of this
plan, saying it would relieve the So
cialist party Of any responsibility, and
being refused, they at once began ia
lay plans to get control of the So
cialist state committee (which was to
meet soon), in order to over-rule the
executive committees objection to
their scheme and allow them to pro
ceed rs before, Townley, through
Continued m namo co,,o~