The Cordova daily times., 1918-03-19
PATRIOTISM IS "ENCOURAGED"
 BY .VIG|LANTE


 loyalty has been placed on a business basis in Macoupin, Madison and Mont where the activities of pro-German propagandists recently became so pro- nounced that vigilance committees in numerous towns have forced hundreds of suspected persons to make public manifestations of their allegiance to the government Tn one town two al legged leaders of seditious movements were tarred and feathered
 Society operating through vigilance committees in practically every town in the district have taken the lead in stamping out disloyalty The first move to Oust the propagandists was made in Staunton. where an alleged leader of the I. w. w. and a Chicago attorney were escorted to the city limits. coated with tar and feathers and started walking in different di- rections. The reason for this aggres- sion was said to he the activity of the men in causing dissension among sev- eral thousand coal miners near Staun- ton
 On the same night more than one hundred persons were made to sign pledges of loyalty.
 News of the use of such stern meas ures spread and within a week Wor- den, Mount Olive, Gillispie, William son, Hillsboro and several other smaller towns made demonstrations. Tn some of these towns scores of persons were taken from their homes and re. quested to make public profession of their loyalty, Several men were taken from their beds and, kneeling on the sidewalks, were forced to kiss every star in the flag. Some were made to sing the national anthem while others were compelled to play patriotic airs on musical instruments. Protests against such actions were construed as evidences of disloyaltv. In several such instances arrests were made and federal charges preferred against the men.
 The most serious result of the demonstrations was in Hillsboro. where Clifford Donaldson, 21 years old, was shot when the vigilance com, mittee called at h7s fathers home in search of L ". ". members. Shots were exchanged, Donaldson was killed and E. B. Emory. city marshal. and Ernest Flath were wounded Later it was learned Donaldson had en- listed in the navy only few days he. fore his death and that his father was unacquainted with any of the SIS. pected persons.
 Members Of the vigilance commit tees deny that they counsel violence. They declare that their actions have the approval of civic officers. They insist that the district embraced by Macoupin, Madison and Montgomery counties for some time has been the objective of active campaign by pro. German sympathizers.
 As evidence of their success they point to recent meeting of represen- tatlyes of more than 500 members of a miners union in Stanton. In less than one week after two alleged sedi- ton leaders had been tarred and feathered, the union voted contribu tion of $810 per month for the Red Cross, purchased $1000 worth of Thrift Stamps, reinstated all members who had lost standing because of army and navy enlistment. arranged for payment of their dues during the period of the war, and ended a mass meeting in such a burst of patriotic fervor that the singing of the national anthem was drowned in cheers for President Wilson and the government.
 Reports from other cities where demonstrations were staged indicate that the same leaven of patriotism is at work and that prospects are bright for fulfillment of the wish of '1oy. alty' leaders that the district be made