Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-26
WEST BRANCH Abb
TOWN THAT REFUSED TO FIGHT
ESSAYS TO TELL PUBLIC
WHY.
REPUDIATE LETTERS
.',s SENT BY INDIVIDUALS
Declare obioquy Undeserved and That
Men Who Refused to Subscribe, to
Federal Oath Misunderstood situa-
tion-Rsady to Fight If Country
Needs Services.

K
Needs Services.
Muscatine, July 26.-Wests Branch,
Iowa, Ia superior town in many re-
spects, has found itself suddenly held
up to public scorn as a Benedict Ar
mold or Judas Iscariot among munich
palities Reproaches, insults and threats
are flung upon the little citys unhappy
head The wrath of q nation seems
focused with pitiless accuracy on a
hamlet attired, according to the ancient
custom, in sack cloth and ashes. Wen
may the hapless residents weep and
moan and throw dust in their hair. The
onus, distinctly. is on West Branch.
There is a reason-and, inevitably,
an alibi Captain J. c. McGregor,
Of q troop of cavalry re-
cruited In West Branch and vicinity.
received two letters from home while
he and his men were IN the militia
camp after Iowa had modified. Both
letters said, in substances:
you tried to take our boys to war;
you need not return to this town."
One letter was anonymous, the
other was signed:
''C1tizens of West Branch"
Following that, when the soldiers
were asked to take the federal oath
which would empower the president to
send them into Mexico, If necessary,
the whole company revolted. An Iowa
City PHYSICIAN veteran Of the Span
ish- American war-who was in scharge
of the hospital squad attached to the
troop. wired the war department to
transfer him ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
away from such a yellow bunch"
Thirty Out Of Forty Quit.
The newspapers and the press asso-
Citations carried the story all over the
United States. Captain McGregor pre-
vailed finally on ten Of his men, in
Guiding his first lieutenant, to stick
chucked the whole business and went
home.
The case. at first blush, looked nasty
a gainst West Branch among the aver
age reasonably patriotic Americans.
OF course, those who looked upon the.
flag as passe symbol found 1T a
hopeful sign" But the nation is
notSmade up of many such. The may
or of West Branch, L. D. Bell, tells
broken1y of the letters he has received
from all sections Of the country, in
Guiding the long forgotten state of
Louisiana and when it Il stirred it is
not difficult TO imagine the unrest In
tho other forty-seven-or is it forty
eight?
Eastern editors, who. for one reason
or another, are not at the border in
person, laid violent hands to their
and>produced vitriol. The
putburst was SO widespread that West
Branch. even yet, doesn't know all
that has been said. Clippings from all
directions continue to pour in. But
the newspaper writer's were hampered
and restricted by certain postoffice
regulations In the matter Of self-ex-
preston. Private persons writing pri-
vate letters felt no such qualms, ap-
parently. and some Of the things they
wrote scared the stationery.
They were bitter" Mayor Bell says,
"oh, tell you-they were bitter!"
Really. you pity the man who has to-
read them-sturdy, honest citizen that
he is.
Each letter left its separate sting,
likened by the mayor unto salt and
vinegar in a raw wound.
But what Of the captain?
The captain straightway became a
hero. Not SO much Of hero at home,
perhaps, for they feel that he shouldn't
have made those letters public, but
nationally he Is somewhat of an idol.
Before he was captain he was a pny-
still is, for that matter.
The boys persuaded him to join the
troop which was organized about a
year ago. Twice a week they used to
drill in full regalia on Main street be-
fore an admiring populace. All, those
were days! Intervention was a vague,
shady cloud afar off: cloud no larger
IF 1t must be said - than a mans
hand. The boys sseoteaa the doctor as
their leader. AS far as West Branch
was concerned he was the rose Of
Sharon and the lily Of the valley.
Some men play in unexpected luck.
He is one of them. Forsaken by his
men and repudiated by letters from
nome he tumbled into heroship. Sew
eral cities wrote him and said they
wanted him to settle with them after
his work on the border was finished.
West Branch might fout patriotism if
It would, but they-the other cities
priced it. They desired men like Cap
tain McGregor Incorporated into their
An outcast. he was sought
after.
For a time he considered accepting
one Of the invitations, but he decided
that, after all. he would forgive West
Branch and return
Now For tho Abb.
Now comes the alibi. which is divid-
ed into two parts:
(a) The letters and co. the mercur-
al militiamen.
(D The city Of West Branch dis
avows the notes. An investigation
failed to disclose the writer Cor writ
ers). No responsible person will ad-
NIT heSis guilty. The mayor stated
publicly that West Branch was proud
Of Captain McGregor: that he would be
welcomed home and that things would
be made hot" for the writer's if they
are caught. He begs to assure the cap
tain. that West Branch is most patriotic
In its devotion to the flag. The letters
did not reflect the sentiment of the
town; town that gave its sons into the
NAV of the civil war and again in 1898
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