Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-11-16

rich presiding, sentenced Edward
Hofstede, charged with inducing
young men to violate the registration
draft law, to serve four months on
each of three counts, the sentences to
run concurrently. Hofstede, who
was, up to the time of his incarcera-
tion in the Lewiston jail, editor of
the Orofino Tribune, is to serve his
time in the Clearwater county Jail.
In passing sentence the Court took
into account the fact that Hofstede
had been in Jail already for several
months, and that the war had only
begun and the defendant might have
misconstrewed his rights under the
circumstances as to free speech. 50
says the Moscow dispatch to the Spo-
kane Review.
The sentence is considered alto
eether too trivial for the offense by
the great majority of the citizens of
Orofino and Clearwater county, and
when the news reached Orofino there
was undisguised disappointment. 1t
was hoped the community would not
be longer cursed with one of the most
disloyal and outspoken enemies IF
government with which the county
has long been afflicted. Feeling
is at fever pitch and the people are in
no mood to put up with more of trea-
son on the part of a German propa-
Sandist whom, judged by his work.
SIS a German spy.
When Mexican bandits raided and
murdered Americans Hofstede ex-
pressed delight and approval; when
there was talk of going to war with
Germany to protect American rights
this yellow hound declared he would
like to fight with the Kaiser, that
outrager of women and murderer of
babies. When war was declared and
citizens. in response to the sugges-
tions of the authorities, organized a
company of Home Guards and began
drilling. this avowed anarchist openly
insulted the members, and provoked
assault; when the Government sent
officers to Oroflno to recruit, Hofs-
tede personally appealed to the young
men to not enlist, and at the same
time an organized campaign was
Launched through the mail, the pur-
pose of which was to hinder enlist
Inent by campaign of terror among
the mothers.
There were few mothers who did
rot receive anonymous letter holding
up the mangled remains of their sons
as the price they We're to pay for a
capitalistic war waged to collect the
money of Wall Street. Then the boys
we're personally approached by Hofs-
1ede. and written letters by Hofs-
1ede, the purpose of which was to
discourage enlistment and delay the
work Of organizing against Germany.
Hofstede's Office was the clearing
house for treason, traitors and the
discrimination of pro-German litera-
ture. His front windows. facing the
post office, were constantly filled with
insulting letters rejecting on the pat
T1otism, loyalty and honesty of scores
Of the best citizens Of the community.
His reprehensible attitude aroused
the most bitter feeling, and talk of
mob violence was common. The fact
that his conduct was of character
that was thought to be sufficient to
land him in the penitentiary legally,
restrained the citizens who decided to
Jet the government handle him.
When the government urged the
farmers to grow increased crops. this
man wrote and signed letter to a
farmer near Orofino urging a reduc-
ton in crop production. But tho the
matter was placed in the hands of
the government nothing was done.
When the government called for
the registration of men between 21
and 80 Hofstede ragged. He organized
his forces and concluded his cam
paign with meeting at the Mooers'
farm two miles east of Orofino. At
this meeting six young men were in
duced to defy the law; three of the
boys testified at the trial in the Fed
eral Court at Moscow that Hofstede
Tor their failure to register.
On this charge Hofstede was ar
rested, held in Jail during the sum-
rner and fall on default of a $1O.-
COO bond, and found gully on three
counts, when tried tin the Federal
Court at Moscow last week.
And his sentence is four months in
the Clearwater county Jail.
The Hofstede case should be laid
before the Department OF Justice and
thoroughly investigated. The con-
duct OF this man all along bordered
II. In fact. II did not amount to trea-
son. and to turn him loose with an
apology. and excuse his treason on
the presumption that he. lawyer
man who had seen service In the
ulu uol KNOW WnaI n1
~as doing. and did not appreciate the
gravity OF his offense. Is to make a
farce and travesty out of the ar
fair The Federal attorneys were
quoted as saying. when Hofstede was
arrested. that he and John Dunlap OF
Oroftno were the worst offenders the
authorities had been called to deal
with.
At time like this. with the coun-
ery at war, an example should have
been made of this arch-enemy.
lf one sells an Indian pint OF
whiskey the penalty Is about -four
Years. but when an avowed anarchist
nstills treason into six young men
and three of them swear they are In.
nuenced to defy the government In
me matter of registering for the