Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-03
Editorial Comment
Watch This League.
(BOSton HeraIdl

! The recent primaries in Minnesota
and North Dakota got only the brief
est mention, if any at all, in most
i newspapers of this part Of the coun-
try, and that. we might suppose.
| would be all that their news value
would warrant. Yet behind the brief
dispatches there lies a political story
of tremendous significance-a situa-
ton that may develop into something
of vital Importance to the country.
The whole thing centres round the
ambitions of the So called -Parti-
san League which sprang into sud
den power in North Dakota in 1916
when il captured the goyernorship,
the Legislature and the courts. Since
then it has pushed it's organization
into half a dozen other states-Min-
nesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebras-
ka, Montana, Michigan and Wiscon-
sin in particular-and, though it
works in ways that are dark, its goal
is plain. Its aim is to tie up the
farmer vote with the union labor vote
in a radical Socialistc program. 1t
| has attracted to itself all the ele-
ments that might be grouped as l.
W. w, anarchists and bolsheviki-
| and especially all the pro- German
| elements.
| Since North Dakota was Republi-
can it worked through the channels
| of nominal activity in that party. In
| the primaries the other day it evil
| IDENTIFY held it's own and renominated
| the officers that it elected two years
| ago, though independents. fighting on
a platform of loyalty made an earn
est attempt to rout the league. The
/ contest was so bitter that there were
riots in several places. Mothers with
sons in the service paraded with
banners denouncing the league and
| it's leaders. Drafted men signed a
petition that the Governor be not per-
mitted to address them. Mr.. Creel
! sent letters declaring that "the league
| is not in harmony with the national
though its leaders had
! claimed him as a member. But the
| league organization was so effective
| that it seems to have held the fort.
Its assault on Minnesota was a
! failure, however. 1t moved its head
! quarters from Fargo to st. Paul and
| put all its energies into an attempt
! to defeat Gov. Burnquist for renom-
| ination at the primaries. He had Won
| its hatred by refusing to allow the
peoples Council" to assemble in
| Minnesota and by being q hundred
| per cent American. 1t spent money,
! for it's financial resources appear
ample. but Gov. RurnquiSt won re-
nomination by $4,000 over his oppo-
nent. who, by the way, has been I'M
| der indictment in three counties for
discouraging enlistments. Senator
/ Nelson was rcnominated with 100000
votes, but his opponent, selected by
the league. got 10000 votes, though
! under indictment, and since been
taken to Fort Leavenworth for Vlo-
| lating the espionage act
Minnesota thus Loyalty stood the
test but the league Is not discour-
/ aged. 1t has courage of substantial
kind. for its Golfers are overlooking.
/ 1t has about 250,000 members in the
! states earlier mentioned, and@ every
( one of them paid sixteen dollars when
! he Joined. some of them making gifts
I of far more than that. Think what
! the Populists or the Farmers Al
/ lance would have done with fund
! like that All this fund is at the dis
posal of the president of the league,
one Townley, formerly an active So
cialist, who has had trouble on &C
count of anti-dr activities.
! The league cannot be dismissed as
! a passing political freak. In peace
! times it would be bad enough; in war
! it is a menace. In Minnesota it met
a loyal wave that turned it back, ana
I similarly in Nebraska, Kansas and
/ Iowa it's organizers have had things
made very uncomfortable for them.
/ But it promises everything; it draws
! the disloyal and the disgruntled. The
more promptly the people OF the
United States understand what it is
/ and the closer they watch it, the bet
! ter for our country and for the world
! cause to which it is committed.