Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-07
plSLCYAL ATTORNEY sENTENc.
Ed TO TWENTY YEARS IN
FEDERAL PRISON..
SOUGHT TO ossnRvcT
DRAFT MACHINERY
Convicted Under Espionage Act Of
Sending Out Litsraturs Designed to
oRasrfsrs With conseription Laws
Judge Wade Scores Prisoner and
Kind in Passing Sentence.

Des Moines, Dec. I'D. T. Blodgett
OF Des Moines, who violated the es.
pionage act by sending anti-draft lit
erature to Iowa registrants. was SEN
fenced to twenty yeans in the federal
penitentiary at Leavenworth by Judge
NJ. ]. Wade late Saturday.
In denouncing Blodgetts action in
hainng out the REASONABLE pamphlets
the court said:
ANY man who, In times like these
ciTculates this vicious pollution, ought
to be taken out, stood up against g
wall and shot. He is guilty Of an Of
tense against decency as we'll as against
the law, in attempting to poison the
minds of youths and parents"
Expected to Appeal.
Blodgett probably will appeal. His
bond has been fixed at $4,000. In his
motion for new trial, he accused Judge
Wade of deliberately inflaming the
minds Of the jury by delivering his in
structions lin q vehement and bolster
GUS manner, and giving emphasis te
his remarks by pounding his fist on the
desk" 81
Blodgett acted as his own attorney
and set up an insanity defense.
Judge Wade scathingly denounced
the prisoner as IAN outlaw who has
for the past ten years consistently re-
belled against authority and defied ev-
cry agent Of the government"
He compared men Of the Blodgett
type as assassins who are stabbing in
the back the young men OF the country
who are giving up their lives for the
United States and its sacred ideals OF
democracy. Judge Wade said in part:
'Tn this hour Of the nations agony,
1t is a source Of pride and qualification
to every true American to see how
thoroughly united are men Of all races
and classes and breeds in a determined
effort to crush the brutal power of Ger
many.
Fathers and mothers are sending
forth their boys to yield their lives;
If necessary, in the cause Of human
liberty. Men and women are giving
boys, and to make them effective in this
war. Little children are giving OF their
pennies. Men and women are giving
OF their time and their labor. The rich
are giving. and the poor are giving;
and isn't it too bad that in this hour Of
the nations trial, that there must be
a few-a very few. thank God, who are
rebels against all authorNy-who are
at heart traitors to their country, and
who in every effort are seeking to
neutralize the sacrifice OF their loyal
neighbors. -F
Republic Must Live.
SsfWe might as well come to a COM
mon understanding in this matter.
The only way that a republic can live
is thru spirit Of willing submission
!, to duly constituted authority. In q re-
public. the majority must rule: the
minority must yield. A nation divided
against itself can not stand; 1t must
fall: and ifSthis nation does not stand
III this nation falls. in the ruins will
lie the brightest hopes, and noblest
aspirations and fondest dreams that
ever brought joy to the heart Of man.
The spirit of this nation is kind
ness, tolerance, and generosity. The
policy of the government up to the
present time, has been one Of charity
toward those who err; but the time has
come when the power Of tho nation
must be asserted. This nation Is will
ing to fight the enemy in front: she is
willing to fight the assassin Of the air
the pirate Of the sea, and the master
Of the most brutal cruelty and treach-
willing to fight all these but she will
not consent to be stabbed in the back,
and traitors may as well shield their
knives or submit to determination.
"The fathers and mothers Of this
land will watch with pride the boys
marching away to the conflict. but they
will not submit to having them shot
in the back by cowardice or disloyalty,
no matter what name 1t may assume.
Speech Still Free.
There Is no disposition to hamper
the views or the pen Of any man or
any woman who utters helpful criti-
cism. who condemns error or mistake,
or men, provided the criticism IL in
tended to aind the government: but
the American people are not going to
permit few self -exalted cyclists to
poison the public mind, or to weaken
the spirit Of those who are heavy lad
en-. Men can not conceal under patrio-
tic phrases hidden desire to aid tho
enemy, nor can they dishearten, the
fighting forces Of the union with false
hood and calumny.
II have looked into the record Of Mr..
Blodgett, the defendant. find that for
more than ten years he has been a
consistent rebal against all authority
except that Of his own will. I find that
he has constantly manifested the most
alpreme contempt for the instruments
OF government.
RE has defied the courts. He has