The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-30

converting Ii into q patriotic demon
stration, is believed responsible in
Fargo today for the action Of the
Peoples Council In abandoning its
plan to come to Fargo, despite the
assurance by Governor Frazier that
the council would be protected.
Notifies the Governor.
At IL o'clock, The Forum called
Governor Frazier by telephone. The
executive said he had been informed
some time earlier by the attorney
general that the meeting had been
called off. ,-
The crisis in the Peoples Council
affairs was reached Wednesday
evening when the announcement was
made in New York city that Fargo
had been picked as the convention
city, and the issuance of an addt-
tional statement by Governor Lynn
Frazier to the effect that the meet
ing must be protected.
In a letter addressed to the attor-
ney general, Governor Frazier said:
Order BY Frazier.
SHOULD the members of the Peo-
pies Council Of America for demo-
cracy and peace come to Fargo to
hold their convention previously
scheduled for Minneapolis, in view of
the surrounding circumstances and
particularly in view of the last dis
turbance in Fargo on the occasion of
q public address in that city, / fear
that some attempt, organized or
otherwise, may be made to break up
the meetings of the convention. l
herewith call your attention to this
situation and instruct you to take
such steps as are necessary to pro-
tect these people In the exercise of
their constitutional rights of peace
full assembly and free speech and to
prevent violence or mob action.
Please notify the sheriff Of Cass
county and the chief of police of Far
go that they are expected to do their
duty fearlessly and effectively in
this as in all other matters Should
any peace officer fail to do his duty
In preventing violence and protect
ing people in their right of peaceful
assembly you are instructed to bring
removal proceedings to GUST them
from office without delay. 1t will be
a lasting disgrace to the state II this
/ time we either fail to do our part
in the national struggle we are en-
gagged in abroad or If we here at
home yield to any spirit Of lawless-
ness and fail to distinguish between
real constitutional liberty and the
false hysteria of mob rule
I las 1t is our duty to enforce laws
against treason and sedition at times
like this, equally so Is IL our duty to
! protect citizens proceeding within
their constitutional rights as war
neither suspends nor breaks down
! our constitution.
THE meetings of this convention
+; will be held under the eye Of the fed
eral authorities at Fargo and If in
| the convention there is anything
reasonable. seditious or illegal, It
can be promptly and properly at
tended to by your department and
the federal department OF justice.
shall hold you strictly responsible
for the preservation OF order during
/ the convention and assure you that
I the entire power of the state civil
and military government will be
placed back Of you to see that order
is preserved"
AmpIifies Interview.
The governor also gave out last
evening a more extended statement
OF his own views on the situation, as
follows:
Il will do anything in my power"
said Governor Frazier last night, Ito
uphold the constitutional right Of
free speech of any organization
which chooses to meet in a lawful
and orderly way within the bound
aries Of this state"
II believe the people of the state
have the right to hear my fair state
ments of opinion and to form their
own conclusions. At the same time
those who exercise this right must
be held strictly accountable for any
abuse of 1t,
Il intend to warn officers of the
law on the one hand against per-
hitting unlawful or disorderly in
reference with the meetings that
have been proposed and on the
other hand to suppress promptly
and vigorously any attempt by the
persons who take part in these
meetings to stir up disorder them
selves or to promote disloyalty or
resistance to the government of our
nation.
and will guarantee to all men the
equal protection of the laws, but it
will not tolerate abuse of the pro-
lection 1t grants.
If the Peoples Council meetings
are held in Fargo or anywhere else
in the state l shall specially instruct
officers of the law to observe care
fully everything that is said and
done at the meetings and l shall
myself keep a careful watch upon
them.
'I intend also to consult with the
federal district attorney SO that
proper steps may be taken to guard
against violations of the federal laws
and to take prompt action If there
is any violation of the law
Max Eastman in Mill City.
Eastman, whose attempt at speak
ing in Fargo Tuesday evening re-
sumed in precipitating the patriotic
demonstration that smothered dis
loyalists, is today in Minneapolis,
holding conferences there today with
various Peoples Council leaders. in
Guiding Louis p. Lochner, executive
secretary.
Officials Show Attitude.
( When Attorney General LANCER
called on the Various Fargo officials
this morning, they all informed him
OF the high public feeling in Fargo
against the Peoples Council plan,
and each of the officials indicated to
the attorney general that any at
tempt to hold the meeting would I'M
doubtedly result in trouble.
Going TO Hudson.
: (By Associated Press)