The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-07-19

OBVIOUS from the beginning that the
purpose and object thereon was ter
| fiCor1al expansion, and thereby to
subject to the authority of those
governments peoples of other lands
and countries. The language quoted
from the Indictment is an accurate
characterization of the German Aus
iran military machine and of the
purposes intended to be accomplish
ca, as indicated and shown by facts
Oh common repute at the time the
matter was published and circulated
1877. --'00A'
| 1t contains no reference to the
United States government. nor to
the president or the congress or
otnels IN official authority, and the
language used has no application To
either. We have in this countrv
no political autocracy, and no auto
cratic rulers, such as they have in
some of the European government
engaged In and which are wholly
| responsible for the war.
Eniistmentsz Not Hurt
Inc language makes no reference
10 enlistments or the otherwise for
matlon OF an army by the United
states, nor can anything therein
contained be constructed as adyocat-
ing non-asslstance in the prosecution
OF It's aims and purposes in entering
into the conflict. The language
therefore can have no reference or
applcation to the participation of the
United States in the war. at least
not in encouragement of enlistment
nor In advocacy of Withholding aid
ana assistance in the prosecution of
the same. A verdict declaring to the
contrary could not be sustained.
The object of the legislature in
the enactment of This statute was
not that the state should wholly
take over the burden of prosecution
OF the kind, which primarily are of
Federal cognizance. The purpose
was to aid the Federal authorities
in the prevention and suppression of
sedltlon and like conduct on the part
OF persons whose tendency to crit
clsm and condemnation of all things
governmental leads them to the Dor
der line of treason and sedition.
State VS.. Hc!m,-Minn., . 1856
N. w. 1s1.
For adjudications as to what acts
Or things done or said will consti-
tute a violation of statutes of this
KIND we loo.1 to the Federal courts,
for IN reality it is the Federal gov
eminent and its authority that are
challenged by seditious conduct,
rather than state authority, and the
courts thereof constitute the proper
tribunal for the establishment of
rules guiding such cases. Few rec
ent adjudications of those courts are
to be found in the reports, but the
decisions which might be cited will
not permit of a conviction on vague
influence Or innuendo. Masses Pub.
Co. vs.. Patten, 245 Fed. 1O2; u. S.
VS.. Baker, 247 Fed. 1874; U. S. VS..
Hall, 248 Fed. $50; Elk parte Mill
gan, 4 Wall. Fer the reasons stated
We hold that. the facts pleaded in
the indictment do not constitute a
violation of the statute.
Ruling the Same
z. The same conclusion must be
| reached as to the other indictment.
The excerpts from the leafet or cir
cular set out in the indictment, which
defendants are charged with circu-
latlng for the purpose OF deferring
enlistments, and in advocacy of nom
assistance to the government in sup
port of the war, purport to be a set
of resolutions passed and adopted
on June z, 1917, by a political or
ganization known as the National
Nonpartisan League. They We're
with other matter in one pamphlet
and distributed and circulated by de-
PENDANTS at the time and place stat
ed in the indictment. For the pur-
pose of clear understanding of the
matter so circulated, we set out the
resolutions in full, as they appear in
the Indictment:
Resolutions on the war by
National Nonpartisan League.
"Our country being involved
in world war, it is fitting that
the National Nonpartisan Lea
que, while expressing it's loyal
ty and willingness to support
the government in it's every nee
essity, should declare the prin-
ciples and purposes which we
as citizens of the United States
USIICVS SNOuIO Suluc OOI AiS%eAOA
in the conduct of the war.
whatever ideas we as indi-
viduals may have had, as to the
wisdom of our nation engaging
in this war, we realize that a
crisis now confronts us, in which
it becomes necessary that we all
stand unreservedly pledged to
safeguard, defend and preserve
our country.
GIN making this declaration of
our position, we declare une-
quivocally that we stand for our
country, right or wrong, as
against foreign governments with
whom we are actually engaged
in war. Still we hold that when
we believe our country wrong,
we should endeavor to set her
right.
1.-THE only justification for war
is to establish and maintain hui
man r; chts and interests the