New-York tribune., 1918-03-01
A. &. ownlev
Arrested as
Foe Of Draft
Non-Partisan League Presi-
dent Calls Seizure a
Political Conspiracy
Especial Corvespondencel

81. PAUL, Feb. 2S.-The long eX-
pected arrest of A. C. Townlcy, prcsi-
dent of the National Non-Partisan
League, following a near fight in the
ONCE OF the Governor, came to day
WREN Sheriff Carver of Martin County
arrived with wavant charging Mr..
Iownley with conspring to discourage
enllstments and obstructing the draft.
County Attorney Albert r. Allen.
who caused the arrest of Mr. Townley
and Joseph Gilbert. manager of the
Non-Partisan League in st. Paul. to-day.
said tonight that the men would be
brought to trial as soon as possible
Mr.. Townley's friends declared that
he and the organization he represents
are the victims OF a political con-
splracy.
What Pamphlet SAYS
League pamphlet, which. Mr.. Allen
says, tends to discourage enlistments
and support of the governments war
policies, follows:
we are unslte rably opposed to per-
nlttlng stockholders of private cor
porations to pocket enormous profits,
while at the same time a species of CO.
erclon Is encouraged toward already
poorly paid employees of both sexes in
urging them to purchase government
bends to help finance the war
I've declare freedom Of speech to
be the bulwark of human liberty. and
we decry all attempts to muzzle the
public press or individuals, upon any
pretext whatsoever. !. The tnwarranted
interference of military and other au-
thorlties with the rights of individuals
must cease.
The contributory causes of the pres
ent war are various, but above the hor-
hible slaughter loom the ugly MEETINGS
OF an economic system based upon eX-
ploltatlon. 1t is largely convulsive
effort on the part of the adroit rulers
Of warrlng nations for control of a
constantly diminishing market. Rival
groups OF monopoiists are playing a
deadly game for commercial suprem-
acy:
The rule of jobbers and spectators
must be overthrown ii we are to pro-
duce real democracy; otherwise this
war will have been fought in vain"
Yesterday a meeting of Non Partisan
League members and Public Safety
Commission officers was held in Gov
c1nor Burnquist's Office and a near
fight resulted.
A delegation Of farmers went there
to get reply to their appeal for pro-
lection from mob violence and inter
ference by sheriffs. The conference
lasted five '.ouys and, according to Nh.
Townley, the Safety Commission and
the Governor did not emerge with
credit
Farmers Make CHARGES
The farmers allege that Judge John
+. McGee, fuel commissioner OF Mime
sofa, lost his temper and threatened "to
beat the brains out" of Magnus John
son, member Of the Legislature and
vice-p president OF the Farmers Coop
erative Equity Exchange.
The farmers also state they offered
to pledge their unqualified cooperation
with the Public Safety Commission in
the furtherancc Of the war, but that
their offers were refused. The Non
Partisan League points 20 The fact
that Mr. 1ownley IS holding meetings
all over the state, at which support
to the President is pledged, and large
donations to Red Cross funds sub
scribed.
Mr.. Townley in discussing his arrest
said: "There is hardly declaration in
the pamphlet that has not been pub
licly indorsed by President Wilson,,
with the Overwhelming approval Of the
American people. 1t sets forth prn-
ciples exactly in line with the domestic
policies and international programme
expressed by Woodrow Wilson in his
recent message to Congress"
4. G.. Townley is, or was, North
Dakota farmer. lie migrated thare
from Minneapolis about ten years ago.
IIis first venture was az flax farmer.
II was not successful
He started the Farmers Non-Parti-
zen League three or four years ago.
At it's inception it did not number
more than a handful Of members. To-
day its membership is admitted to be
81 least 10000, Of whom 10000 live in
North Dakota. The remainder have
been enrolled from Minnesota, South
Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and
Warrington.
The Son-Partisan party has been
recognized az Il power in his section
Of tne country almost from the day it
waa organized. Its greatest triumph
wsz putting J. n. Baer in Congress
H. counts among its victories the defeat
Of several persons who have opposed it.
a