The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-29
TOWNLEY Played
AS A TRAITOR BY
FORMER MEMBER
OF THE MARINES
Immense Crowd At Boise
Cheers Attacks On
League Leader
rs NOT POLITICS
BUT PATRIOTISM
Returned Soldier Speaks
Mind Before Perform
ing Circus Stunts
Especial to The Forum

Boise, Idaho, Aug. ga. G. Town
ley, president Of the Nonpartisan
league, who spoke in Boise Friday
night, was Saturday night branded as
pro German, and a traitor by Jack
Williams, the human fly" a former
member of the United States Marine
corps, who has fought in France
Williams, who spoke to a crowd of
several thousand Boise people at the
intersection of Eighth and Main
streets, is touring the country to boost
enl1stments in the Marine corps, and
at the time of his speech Saturday
evening was accompanied by Ser
geant McCracken and Sergeant Har-
per Of the Marines. The former is
standing sponsor for the novel re-
cruiting agent during his tour
through Idaho, and travels with him,
and the latter is in charge of the
Marine recruiting office in Boise.
This Pronunciation Of Townley UNI
der such auspices fairly took the
crowd off its feet. Amusement
quickly gave way to. an enthusiasm
that knew no bounds. Every charge
that Williams made against the Nom
partisan league president was re-
ceived with attentive silence and fol-
lowed by deafening applause and
cheering. ..s
Low Opinion of TownIey.
Before starting his climb. Williams
was introduced by Sergeant William
B. McCraclxen, who announced that
the human fly" generally spoke on
enlistments for the marines, exclus-
lively, but he.would speak on this &C.
casion on pro- GermanisTn. AS he
touched upon the subject Of Will
Jams topic, he said:
Last night you had a man speak
in this city who is branded nationally
as aspro- German. will let Mr. Will
Jams tell of that mans record as
viewed by fighting men Of the ma
ton.
Beginning with the statement that
on September Ia he would be back in
the marines, with which organization
he has already fought in France, Mr..
Williams declared he would back the
President in carrying out the war
program to the giving of his life if
necessary. cor anything else that I
possess Is his for the asking" he con-
cluded. ..
Quotes Indiana Speech.
In a voice that reached the farther
corners of the cross street audi
torium, Mr.. Williams said: ,..
II will not say word about
this mans politics. I have no
political quarrel with him, but
when the United States, a little
over a year ago declared war on
Germany, A. G.. ToWnIey, who
was then in Indiana, told an
audience there that any man who
enlisted in the United States
army was a murderer.
With a murmur of intermingle6
surprise and indignation, the audience
then heard him shout after a brief
pause: 'He was right. A hell of a
lot Of Germans have fallen in the
past few days by men Of the United
States army, who have enlisted since
he made those utterances. Townley's
theme was that we had no business in
the war. 49, ~
Taken From the Stage.
The crowd manifested their con-
tempt for man Of the type as de-
scribed by Williams. They were
quieted by the speaker when he con-
tinued: II had the pleasure of see
ing A. G. Townley taken from the
stage, after making. the most sedi-
tious speech 1 ever heard. While
talking to Lynn J. Frazier last night,
he told me Townley had never been
taken from q rostrum for making inn
proper utterances. He Is mistaken,
for I saw these things with my own
eyes. Boise is the first place I have
ever been in where Townley attempt
ed to speak that he was allowed to
complete his program, but I knew two
men were near him in your city Fri
day night, wearing the uniforms of
the United States service, who would
do their duty if he overstepped the
bounds Of speech in sIurring remarks
the nation.
IF men OF my old company,
rryb owe YIorY Pierbffy7cr IN EN3,araa ~