The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-09-10
LEGION
TO ORGANIZE FOR
PATRIOTIC PURPOSES


"The question is asked repeatedly
What is the purpose of the Wisconsin
Loyalty Legion? This, of course, is
answered completely in it's preamble
and constitution, but l wish to add to
this personally and most emphatically
that the charge that there is any ul-
terror motive in this organization is
false" declared Walter l.. Goodland
vice president and secretary of the
Wisconsin Loyalty Legion
THE fundamental purpose is to
unite into one compact organization,
with branches in every county in the
state, all the loyal patriotic people of
Wisconsin, those who are with the
government in the war with Germany.
'"The men who have been instrument
tai in creating the legion realize that
this nation has engaged in a tremend-
GUS undertaking in entering the war
and one that requires complete unity
of purpose and the centralizing of all
national effort and support back of
the government.
THE nation was unprepared, it has
a colossal work ahead just to prepare
OF enter the war. This will task the
national resources and national effort
to the utmost; will call for great ex-
penditures and necessarily for great
sacrifices on the part of the people,
division of the people at such a
no CT
small element in the population could
greatly retard the war. Realizing that
such an effort was being made here in
Wisconsin by small minority, and
its danger, the Wisconsin Loyalty Lee
gion proposes to combat this work of
disruption and disloyalty, to create
and offer the means to loyal citizens in
every section of the state to rally to-
gether not only in defense of the gov
eminent, but in defense of the fair
name of Wisconsin.
THE first step in it's program was
the launching of the loyalty petition
This is being circulated in every sec
ton Of the state and already many
thousands have signed. 1t is proposed
to make this petition so strong and so
all embracing that it will forever lay
at rest the charge that Wisconsin is a
traitor state
Every loyal adult citizen in Wis
consin, if he has not already done so,
should seek one of these petitions and
sign it. If one is not available in his
locality he can secure asblank by writ
ing to the headquarters of the legion,
22S First National Bank building, Mil
waukee.
The campaign for membership is
not yet fully under way, but will be in
a few days. 1t is proposed to comb
Wisconsin from end to end and give
! every citizen an opportunity to be-
come member of the legion. There is
every reason for and none against any
patriotic citizen becoming a member.
Every effort will be made to separ-
ate the loyal from the disloyal We
are confident that the latter are not
numerous, but we propose, as far as
possible, to isolate them and to de-
stroy their power for evil.
I'VE have every sympathy for the
loyal citizens of German blood, under
stand how trying this world crisis is
to them and how much they are affect
ed and harmed by the efforts and agi-
tation Of those Of their blood who are
dlsloyal, but we wish to point out that
their best defense is to align them
selves openly and emphatically with
the Wisconsin Loyalty Legion. They
should not remain silent and inactive
and allow those citizens of German
blood who are disloyal by their words
and actions to cast suspicion upon
them
'This is no time for milk and water
citizenship. There is no such thing as
neutrality now for the American citi-
zen. 1t is the great and suspicious OPP
portunity for FLOODED men to
strike hard and true for America and
her great institutions, for world dem
ocracy and all it means for humanity.
"The men who fail to do so, and the
men who directly or indirectly oppose
or hinder the governments efforts will
live to regret in humiliation and
shame, their luke-warmness or dis
loyalty in this great national crisis
and world emergency.
Il wish to state that the Wisconsin
Loyalty League extends a hearty well
come to every citizen who is loyal and
faithful to the country, no matter of
what blood or condition of life. to
join it and help in the work of uphold
ing and defending the government and
III disproving the charge that Wiscon-