The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-03
THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE.

e governor Capper Is to be comm end
ed for finally putting his emphatic re-
pudiation Upon the Nonpartisan league
propaganda. He does this by reprint
ing this morning from the Larned
Chronoscope, an article which says:
Governor Capper makes this state
ment:
Il would not accept the Non-Partisan
league Endorsement for United States sena-
tor If It was offered me. I have no inter
est in that organization. directly or indi-
reetiy, nor in its officers, organizers or
members, and ! do not indorse their pro-
gram ! am still very anxious to get hold
the bipartisan league, II it is spreading
pro-German propaganda in this state sor
difficult for the government to win the
war"
A few weeks ago the organ of the
Nonpartisan league was quoting a
statement from Governor Capper,
which was circulated broadcast, as
indicating that the governor was not
opposing the league. This change Of
front upon the part of the Kansas
executive is refreshing; it is, of course,
patriotic and most commendab1e, al
tho the governor does not yet go quite
far enough; nor as far as other gov
ernors go.
There has been much evidence that
league leaders have been working
along disloyal lines. So assured on this
point have been many Kansas COM
munities that citizens of Salina, Smith
Center, Colby and Ellsworth have
driven out Nonpartisan league organ
izers- Topeka has not done so. On
the contrary, she is nursing a nest of
Nonpartisan league organizers in this
city and their supporters and abettors.
These men are parties named Stevic,
Trapp and Brown, members of the
Chamber of Commerce Stevic is
office manager of the National Nom
partisan League" according to his
card recently distributed, and has an
office at 526 New England building.
tenants of which have asked to have
Steyic ousted!
How long will President Mcintyre.
Secretary Kirkpatrick and the board
of directors of the Chamber of Com
merce permit these men, who are liza
bilities to Topeka, to remain in this
Organization?
How much longer will Governor
Capper permit the editor of his labor
column, Luce. to defend such men as
Stevic and denounce the State Journal
before the reputable laboring people
OF Topeka, for exposing the nefarious
work of alleged leaders?
= The Topeka Industrial Council. with
its hundreds of fine, loyal members,
a manager of the Nonpartisan League
like Stevic.
" - 4.ss.,s...ss ----- -sss-1s.s..= s. '
/ 4 AGovernors of the middle west are
awakening to the insfdious invasion
Of their states by Nonpartisan
Leaguers., Governor Neville, Demo-
crat, of Nebraska, in a vigorous state
ment requesting the organizers of the
Nonpartisan League to leave Ne
braska, says:
Your organization has been used
to promote the circulation of sediuous
literature, calculated to arouse anti
American sentiment, class hatred and
in general to interfere with the sue
cessful prosecution Of the war"
Governor BurnQuist. a Republican,
of Minnesota, as one paper expressed
it, burned" the league in a scorching
letter, recently defeated Lindberg, the
Nonpartisan League candidate. In
Minnesota the league helped nominate
Van Leer, the Socialist mayor of Min
neapolis. Governor Norbeck of South
Dakota also denounces the Nonparti-
san League. Governor Harding of
! Iowa has done the same.
The Wichita Rotary club, in it's re-
port on the Nonpartisan League. after
a thoro investigation, said: THE
Nonpartisan League is doing it's best
| to get into Kansas. 1t is endeavoring
to elect members of the legislature.
Every loyal Kansan should carefully
investigate every candidate for the
legislature, and find out whether or
not he is in league with or in sympa-
thy with the Nonpartisan League,
which has been making a desperate
attempt to gain a foothold in this
state.'
The Rotary club report continues:
The Farmers union. the largest
farmers organization in Kansas is
opposed to the Nonpartisan league.
| Maurice McAuliffe, president of the
union. has thrown the full weight of
| MS influence against the league and
its program.
Substantial farmers organizations
| of North Dakota, South Dakota and
other states have shown a. similar at
titude toward the league. In view of
these and other important considera-
tions your committee does not believe
that the Nonpartisan league should be
considered as farmers movement,
but as a propaganda which goes deep
er. and has an inSidious and dastardly
| purDose.'
| The report in strong language con-
demns the league leadership as pro-
| German and finds further that the
! leaders are of questionable purpose
being connected with the l. W. w.
and other dangerous elements.
| The executive board of the Saline
| County Council of Defense submitted
to the people of Saline county this in
| formation: