Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-21
LA TOILETTE AND OTHERS OF HIS
ukDENOUNCE WAR; LOUD CRIES
OF YELLOW GREET SENATOR
Wisconsin Scion Declares America Went to War Because
Of a Few Stubborn Citizens--Mayor Van Lear of
Minneapolis Gives Real Old Socialist Talk.
(By Tom Parker Junkin.)

(By Tom Parker Junkin.)
St. Paul. Mimi, Sept. 21.-The
United States of America Is about
to send probably two million OF
its hest Young men to war and to
expend its treasure to h extent
Of fabulous millions because q
handful of obstinate American
citizens insisted on journeying to
Europe on foreign owned vessels
which were carrying munitions of
war to Great Britain.
The American people are to be
called upon to make the great
sacrifices demanded by such a
war because the men OF great
wealth ana-the corporate inter-
ests practically dictated 1t.
These were the reasons given
nv United States Senator Robert
IaFollette in an address last
night before the Nonparttsan
leagues conference OF producers
and consumers at the st. Paul
auditorium.
A tremendous audience gather
ed to hear Senator LaFollette.
Many apparently expected there
sWouId be something DOING" II
the senator and the Socialist may
or of Minneapolis. Thomas Van
Lear, or A. G. Townley, president
Of the Nonpartisan league should
oyerstep the bounds Of true loyal
ty in their efforts to monstrat
their intention to insist on the =
rights of "free speech in critcis-
ing the administration for enter
ing the wa and the methods OF
conducting it thus far.
Mayor Van Lear was unsparing IN
his den%unciation of a lists
war" His speech was such as might
have been expected from one seeking
a. nomination for governor, Tor IN
stance, from a radical elemen OF the
citizenship of Minnesota.
Mr.. Townley dragged out his speech
to kill time until the "big card could
arrive. and he had a hard time of 1t
amidst the cries for "LaFollette." we
want to hear LaFollette." His talk
brought forth nothing particularly
new, and the applause was not to be
compared with that tina. was given
! Vsn Lear.
Big Audience Greets Little Bob.
But the vast audience fairly "raised
the roof when little Bob arrived. He
was given an ovation that lasted sew
eral minutes. His talk was rather I'M
interesting until he reached the point
where he told the cause of the war,
according to his opinion.
I'VE are at war" he said. because
a lew obstinate Americans insisted on
voyaging across the ocean on foreign
owned vess els carrying munitions OF
war to Great Britain"
Near the Riot Point.
There were cheers for this, but
I, there were also Kisses, and cries. and
much shaking of heads, and one cour
- ~ e, no frinf in the 011lnrV- aim nSi
created a riot by yelling, you are vel.
low, Bob" n
There was instant commotion, anG
II cries of "put him out, and a movement
"a that for a moment seemed to portent
lcan outbreak .ssB But the Senator ans
u Town1ey and Governor Frazier sfI9aSs
ed for order and finally h storm SUB
e sided. There were other disturbance
during the Senator's speech, SOM
members of the audiecce t'eing TOT
deeply stirred to keep their feeling,
ertirely suppressed.
Defends Free Speech Abuses.
LaFollette threw down a distinc
challenge to the Minnesota publ,
safety commission and other organiza
ticns which have been endeavoring t
tended to create disturbances am
which certainly serve to divide tn,
people on the true issues Of the war
He proclaimed his Ioudest for "fre,
speech" and denounced in urmeas
ured terms those who had sought t.
prevent the abuse OF free speech.
He acclaimed against the manner il
which the war spirit was forced as h
said, by great monied interests. H
denounced the manner in which tn
var was being financed. He cried
shame on the administration" H
declared that the United States shoul
not besin the war until there had bee
a popular referendum on the subject
The one topic he did not touch or
but one on which he has heretofor
t-been bitterly criticised was the arm
draft law. He did refer to it of cours
in his demand for the CONSUMPTION O
wealth as men had been conscripte6
The war should be financed as we e
alorg, he said, and in this ann in
directly sho we'd his opposition to tn
liberty loans. He declared that tn
wees of the nation for 80 years fol
lowing the civil war were due almos
entirely to the wrongful methods @
1nacing that war by bonding for Z