The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-08-09
CALLS FOR ACTION.
Aiken County Patriotic League De-
nounce< Utterances.

Ing NOuGd. HiSI-l vi 'itN -AA'N1 >N
~ Patriotic League, which is COM
posed OF nearly 200 of the leading
citizens of Aiken and vicinity. and
which has several. branch leagues
rhroushout the county, an organlza-
ton formed when the United States
entered upon the world war, the
speeches made by c. L. Blease at
Pomaria and F'ilbert and the effect OF
such expressions coming from a
former governor and political leader
we're discussed and the tactics of Mr..
Blease denounced.
The league adopted the following
resolution, calling upon the federal
authorities to silence the antl-war
propaganda in South Carolina:
"Whereas. the public safety is
menaced and the war measures OF
our government are discredited and
discounted, and thereby aid and COM
fort is afforded the enemies of the
United States by loose and disloyal II
not seditious and reasonable talk
freely induced within the borders OF
our county and State; and
"Whereas, in opposition to the Sc
lective draft, registered men are IN
fuenced to claim exemption by those
who in public addresses delivered IN
South Carolina and in private con-
versation denounce the president and
the CONGRESS of the United States be-
cause the United States is embarked
upon a war for human liberty ana
for our own defense and rights, ana
those who discuss and urge that the
constitutionality of the selectl'e
draft law be tested; and
"Whereas, there is undoubtedly on
foot in South Carolina an organized
purpose and intent to poison the
minds of the people against the par
tic;nation of the United States in the
war, to sap the loyalty of the people
under unprincipled and unscrupulous
leadership seeking political prefer
ment and to that end striving treas
onablv TO create dissatisfaction with
the selective draft and to obscure
.nd boc1oud the real meaning to the
American people of this war, and
Whereas, the influence OF such
unlawful and disloyal leadership
spread broadcast throughout the
State by at least one newspaper IN
Charleston which has been avoWedly
pro-German up to the time of the
entrance of the United States into
the war and which since then has
distorted the facts in regard TO the
allies of the United States, seeking
TO dissatisfy the public with the con-
duct of the war and injecting partl-
san politics for the purpose OF Great
ing a situation which would be am
barrassing to loyal, patriotic and red
blooded South Carolinians; and
..Whereas, it is evident that the
influence of this propaganda is tell
ing in South Carolina and that dis
satisfa action with the selective draft
;s ;ncreasine under the influence OF
nerson or persons who are openly
and brazenly denouncing the state
and federal governments and VINO
are locked to for leadership in this
State by a large portion of our peo-
pie, and
"Whereas, we, as patriotic and. 10y
al American citizens and citizens OF
South Carolina, are moved to save
our State from the unutterable shame
of such consequences as may be eA-
pected to follow if the propaganda
now being so vigorously pushed IS
allowed to go unchecked, and
Wn6rodS, Ill lSAoi oiSO' '
prejudice, and blindly, many of our
people are following such leadership
and succumbing to such influence, we
believe, to their own ruin, and are
themselves encouraged to indulge IN
disloyal and unworthy language for
the reason that the seditious and
reasonable utterances Of their lead
ers are unchallenged by the State
federal and military authorities and
they are emboldened thereby;
Now, therefore, be it resolved:
81. That we, the Aiken County
Patriotic League, with malice to
none, but moved by patriotic impulse
and desire to avert Threatening
trouble and perhaps bloodshed, call
upon the authorities of the State OF
South Carolina, the United States
government and the war department
to take such steps as may be neces-
sary to Immediately check this prop
ooond, in South Carolina. whether by