The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-04
BUSINESS OF LIVING
The People of the Grange F1nd
traitor in Their Midst.
BY MRS. EVA Lee NARD


I'VE had the most exciting time at
the grange tonight" Aunt Laura
sank into a chair and reached for q
palmleaf fan.
Tell us about it" Eleanor had re-
NAMED at home with the children.
You know Mrs. Marshall was
asked to provide speaker for the
evening. She got a Mrs. Jones from
town to come out and deliver a lee.
ture on Red Cross work. 1t was rear
interesting and after she had finished
her remarks she proposed that we
close the exercises by rising and sing
ing the Star Spangled Banner and
then giving a salute to the flag. You
have not seen the fine new flag that
the grange ladies have made. 1t is
nine feet long, and makes fine show
in front of the room. Well, while we
were singing 1 looked around and saw
Jason Snedley sitting there as straight
as a ramrod looking around defiantly
at the people who turned to look at
him in surprise. When the song was
finished we gave the salute all except
Jason. His wife was not there. Old
Mrs. Jones leaned over and asked in
an audible whisper, Are you asleep.
Jason? We are saluting the flag but
| he did not stir. OF course this aside
| called everybody's attention to the
| fact that Jason was acting peculiarly,
and when we had finished the salute
several turned to him and asked,
| What is the matter, Jason? Then
Jason stood up and said:
| Z" L did not salute the flag because
| it is against my principles. L am not
| in sympathy with this war and the
attitude the government has taken in
| the matter, and the flag stands for
| the government, therefore l cannot
salute the flag
| We'll, you could have heard pin
| drop; every one was so astonished
| that no one moved for some minutes.
,, He stood staring at the group of peo-
| pie around him in a defiant manner
! You don't mean that you are a
traitor to YOUR country said Mary,
who was standing beside me.
Il mean that the government
stands for things 1 do not approve of:
| in fact 1 am opposed to the things
the president has pledged himself
An angry buzz began to be heard
In the group that surrounded the man.
and l was afraid of trouble. I
thought 1 would try and pour oil on
the troubled waters.
suppose you mean you are op-
posed to war and do not think that
we had sufficient cause to declare
war on Germany. tho how anyone
could think that is past seeing, but
the president has declared war and
!, now no one can withhold his support
to a nation at war without endanger-
ing the nation that has protected and
enriched him. You are no. a German
sympathizer, are you, Jason?' / said
~ do not sympathize with any
government. If anyone wants to
know what 1 believe 1 will tell him
at any time that is set. claim the
right to free speech even If 1 believe
: things that the rest of you call treas
, onable- And with that he turned and
left the hall" Aunt Laurs suspended
the agitation of the fan which she
had not ceased to ply during her talk.
J wish you could have heard the in
dignant buzz that followed his exit.
} 1t was like hive of disturbed hor-
nets
well. I do not wonder; what ails
the man." asked Eleanor.
Hes queer; I've always known
} that, but 1 never dreamed he would
go SO far. 1 was afraid one while
they would go after him and do some
! damage" Aunt Laura settled back
! in her chair and resumed her fam
! ming.
|, What will the people 10 about II ?''
asked Eleanor. They will not let
this pass unnoticed. I-hope"
! mo. indeed. There are ever 80
many plans on foot to mske him see
him out of the Grange"
Il hope they will" offered Mary
who had been putting away her bon
. net with her accustomed care. "bu,
/ do feel for his poor wife and chill
dren. That poor woman has No
pleasure in life except coming to this
. Grange meetings and his children are
. queer enough, God knows, without be.
> ing tainted with treason in the neigh.
: borhood.''
! Poor woman, 1t is too bad =
! sighed Aunt Laura. IT cannot tel
what will be done, but certainly the
Grange can not allow reasonable tall
in its meetings"
(To be continued.)