The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-05-16

settled if all parties to the war had
gotten together and agreed to settle it.
Senator Reed. OF course. IF all the
parties in any controversy wanted to
settle it, they could settle anything.
The trouble is there are some stubborn
gentlemen over there trying to settle
it with cannon.
Mr.. Townley. Yes sir, exactly.
Senator Reed. I will read another
sentence to see if you agree with that:
Wealth saw to it that the conditions would
be created that would make it practically inn
possible for us to keep out of the war.
Mr.. Townley. I do not know any
thing about that.
Senator Reed. I will read another
one: 5.
Wealth was so greedy that it had to build
the greater fortunes, even if it took the sacri-
fee of millions of lives and entailed suffering
of more than nine-tenths of the worlds popu-
lation.
Do you agree to that?
Mr.. Townley. Where is the wealth :?
What do you apply?
Senator Reed. I will read one that
is specific:
It was the demand of wealth that we should
enforce the existing political and economic
system not only upon ourselves, but upon all
the world, present and future. It requires
that we should impress into the service of war
every available man and woman at nominal
pay for their time.
Do you agree to that?
Mr.. Townley. would have to make
study Of that.
Senator Reed. You would have to
make study Of that before you would
be willing to repudiate it?
Mr.. Townley. Or agree to it.
Senator Reed. Yes. 1t does not
strike you at once that that statement,
made under present conditions in this
country, is calculated to give aid and
comfort to the enemy and weaken us
in a time of war? That does not
strike you?
Mr.. Townley. 1t may be now, but
this statement or these statements
we're not made at this time.
Senator Reed. They were made af-
ter the war was begun.
Mr.. Townley. After we entered the
war?
Senator Reed. Certainly. They
must have been made after that. 1t
says:
It was the demand of wealth that we should
prepare great navy and great army to
enforce the existing political and economic
system not only upon ourselves, but upon
all the world, present and future. It required
that we, should impress into the service Of
war every available man and woman at nomi-
nal pay for their time.
Mr.. Townley. I do not gather any
thing from that that would indicate at
what time that was written.
Senator Reed. I will read another
sentence that may help you:
No one can reasonably justify our entry into
the solely because some of our citizens
were unlawfuly murdered.
That would seem to indicate, even to
a farmer, that we were in the war at
the time that was written. Do you
agree with that statement?
Mr.. Townley. NO, SIR.
Senator Weeks. I want to ask you
something about CONSUMPTION. This is
a copy of what is in that book:
It has indeed been h,miliating to the Ameri-
can people to see how the wealth grabbers,
owners of the "big press actually attempt by
scurrilous editorials and specially prepared
lot Of cattle to buy bonds, subscribe to the
Red Gross, to register for CONSUMPTION, and all
the other things
Do you think that would tend to
prevent the prosecution of this war
effectively?
Mr.. Townley. I THINK IT A VERY
FOOLISH AND UNJUSTIFIABLE
STATEMENT TO MAKE AT THE
PRESENT TIME.
Senator Weeks. But you support
that man for governor of your state?
Mr.. Townley. You are reading
things that I have not read before.
Senator Weeks. I am assuming
that they are true and were uttered
since the beginning of the war. What
I am trying to do is to get at the
leaders. You have purged everyone
else of any connection with the charge
made by Judge MCGEE. Now, here is
political leader who is saying those
things, and you are the leader of the
organization. Do you approve OF
that?
Mr.. Townley. I would have to make
study of that. I would have to un-
derstand it.
Senator Weeks. But you won't say
that you do not approve OF that?
Mr.. Townley. l don't approve of
the Interpretation that get from your
reading of 1.-THE meaning you place
upon it.
Senator Weeks. I do not mean the
Interpretation. I mean the words.
Wouldn't you agree that this is detri-
mental to the activities of this govern
ment in prosecuting the war?
Mr. Townley. I SHOULD SAY 1T
WOULD BE.
The Acting Chairman. want to
ask you if you agree with this senti-
ment:
The flower Of the young manhood of this
nation is going across the water to bleed; as
we are told, for the honor of the country, but
it needs some effort for me to believe that
these young men are going to fight for the
freedom of democracy. I believe and fea1
| they going to bleed for the profits of the
damned pirates who profit from food and
| food products.
| Do you agree with that sentiment
| Mr.. Townley. NO.
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