The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-16
THE UNION DAYLIGHT STORE
OPEN SATURDAY. EVENINGS CLOSED SUNDAYS

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
and other war activities most of us
would have ben ashamed if North Da-
kota's loyalty record today. Most OF
our people were and are paying in
terest on heavy encumbrances. ifof
Courier.News and the German Drive
| "At the time of the beginning OF
the great drive by the German army
on the 2lst day of March this year
the purpose of which was to destroy
the allied armies and capture Paris
and the channel ports, the. interest and
feeling in this country was intense.
The nation almost literally held its
breath for days You all remember
the strain under which you lived those
first days of that awful drive, the re-
suits of which meant so much to flu.
ture generations OF men. TOwnley's
morning newspaper at Fargo, whose
policy TOwnley swears under oath ne
received 100000 a month to. direct,
came out with flaming headlines
across it's front page, declaring: Gate
way to Paris falls to the Germans"
That headline sent chill of dread
and apprehension to the hearts core
of every loyal American man and
woman who read it. I remember we'll
the morning that | got that paDer and
read those headlines, and ] also re-
member with what incredulous sur
prise ! read the press dispatches in
the body of the paper below the head
lines There was absolutely nothing in
these dispatches to justify any such
sta tement as appeared at tie head of
the paper, And nothing has appeared
in the press dispatches from that day
to this to justify those headlines, and
l am morally certain now that there
never will be any news from over
there which will justify any such out.
rageous statement by any American
newspaper. itiF =
What Prompted Him.
Now let us for moment analyze
the purpose or possible reason which
could prompt an editor to print such
headline in an American daily news
paper at that time. Do you suppose
on that night in his office in Fargo,
when he directed the setting up of
that paper, he was prompted by de-
sire to do something which would
give courage to the fathers and moth
ers of the boys who were over in
France fighting their country's bat
ties: or was he prompted by the same
sinister influence, that the June be-
fore was guiding Townley's brain
when he declared that this was war
of the rotten rich and that the sons
and daughters of America were being
sacrificed in the interests of prof.
teers? s... -': -
while the Courier-News Is protest
ing it's own purity and the greatness
of Mr.. TOwnley ana his hand-picked
state administration. l challenge him
to explain to the people Of North Da.
kota any or all of these incidents.
There are many of these incidents
which have caused the prejudice now
existing against these men in the
state. 1t is not because anyone be.
lieves that any substantial number OF
farmers, or any substantial number OF
any particular class of citizens In this
state, are not or were ut any -time
disloyal in, their allegiance to the fed
eral government, but there is belief
that these socialist leaders felt they
owed greater allegiance to the plat
form of their party. as promulgated IL,
st: Louis. than they did to their
country. In order tina: you may have
better understanding OF why these
men might be loyal, am going to
read to you the last socialist national
platform,
Breads Socialist platform which
urges continual opposition to all
movements to raise money for war
purpases.)
4 Winning the War. the Great Issue.
while the economic issues here
presented are of vital Importance to
the citizens of this state, 1T should be
borne in mind that their settlement is
| of secondary consideration in comrar
isOn to the one great issue and pro
gram which we have before us and
which we must carry to successful
and victorious conclusion and that Is
the winning of the war. We were driv
! en- into this war, driven into it because
Prussian autOcracy and democracy
such as ours cannot live side by side
! in the world. The two ideas are dia
metrically opposed on> or the other
must fall And democracy is not go
i ing to fall. We are not fighting fpl
territorial gain, for commercial gain
or for military power, but rather, fol
! the great principles upon w ich oul
country was founded and upon which
| It will endure long after Prussian mill
tarism remains but detested memory
1 in the minds of men. But in any kind
Of contest it is we'll to never under
rate your adversary. and in this con
test our nation is facing the graves'
crisis in it's history.
1.-THE last four years have been
the darkest period Of all the years
Of progress and ACCOMPLISHMENT
Of mankind. We are dealing with
q powerful and interruptions ad-
versary, who knows no law but
force and who will yield to moth