The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-06-20
sTRAIGHT-OUT AMERICANIsM

z
two years ago espoused the cause Of
the non-partisan league with all it's
vigor and run its subscription list up
thousands through the northwest as
result of it's support. It comes out
very squarely on the issue at this time
and our readers can judge it them
selves. Surely we are rot the only
one who is wrong. Why not boycott
the Country Gentleman?
The nonpartisan league won the
sympathy and support Of a great body
of worthy farmers. on a platform that
declared for the betterment of local
farming conditions in North Dakota
and adjoining states.
The Country Gentleman was the
first national publication to comment
at length on the growth Of the league.
These comments were concluded in
the weeks of our entry into the war
against Kaiserism. We pointed out
then that the league was in a strong
position to render a great patriotic
service by mobilizing agriculture for
war within the zone Of it's immediate
influence.
It did not seem in any degree prob
able that the sort of farmers who had
pioneered the Northwest prairies could
be m:sled or hoodwinked into standing
for a type Of leadership that would
indorse any other course than straight
out Americanism.
There is but one logical assumption,
in our judgment: That the men, no
matter Of what origin, who had in
vested their lives and fortunes in
American soil would, in crisis which
threatened the very existence of the
American nation and American insti-
buttons, demand of their leaders and
all of their leaders representative
unqualified support of the government.
A wise and forward looking leader
ship could have capitalized the crisis
to great and lasting advantage. But
the record Of events during the past
year, as set down in ample detail in a
series now running in The Country
Gentleman, reveals that this wise and
forward looking leadership was lack
ing to the nonpartisan league.
Straight-out loyalty and American
ism were not adopted as the keynote
of the league doctrine. On the con-
trary, the anti-war sentiment of rabid
pacifists and Bolshevists was allowed
to run riot.
Mr.. Townley arranged the lament
able La Toilette mass meeting.
League leaders and league-owned
newspapers branded our war to set
men free rich mems war. Few op-
portunities to snarl and whine at our
beginning efforts to wage war were
overlooked. Every prosperous and
successful institution Of our industrial
structure which made it possible to
make war in great way became a
target for attack. League politicians
truckled to I. w. w. trouble-makers
and anti-war hypenates. Wherever
there were compact neighborhoods Of
Teuton sympathizers there you heard
of league organizers garnering six
teen-dollar membership fees for the
leagues war" chest.
So it was until millions of families
among them many thousand members
of the league, began to give their sons
to the cause. As our national war
spirit became positive and overwhelm-
ing those league agitators who: had
been the worst offenders began to
hedge and trim. They proclaimed
such lip-service loyalty as would not
ALLEVIATE numbers Of anti-war hyphen-
ates who had paid their way or were
likely to pay their way into league
membership.
The war situation has throughout
it's full course Of development demand
ed greater national unity. In our
spirit Of get-together is our greatest
strength. But when the crisis Of the
time called for the get-together Of ev-
cry last man, woman and child,
group of nonpartisan league organic
ers we're allowed to subsoil in the
hearts of malcontents and to accept
memberships from disloyalists. They
sowed the seed Of envy and distrust
and reaped harvest of sixteen-d ollar
fees. Hamlets, villages and towns
were broken up into warning groups.
Old grudges were sought out and re-
kindled.
Is it any wonder that several Of our
greatest farming states are seething
with bitterness and hate at a time
when every effort should be directed
toward harmony and unity?
No one will question the American
ism Of q multitude Of farmers who are
enrolled in the league And no fair
critic will blame these loyal husband
men for the misdeeds Of hired .agita-
tors who are responsible only to a
little group that rules the league or
ganization and controls it's finances.
It is their great misfortune to be un-.
able to dominate or even to know just
how the politicians in the league are
maneuvering for new memberships.
There is no doubt in any fair mind
that the farmers of the Northwest
were victims of many abuses, but
there is good medicine as well as bad
medicine for both economic and hui
man ills. At this time and for all
time, for that matter, there will be
poison in the bottle that does not bear
Uncle Sans loyalty label, the same
kind of poison that Lenine and Trot-
ky administered to war-tortured
and Czar-ridden Russia, bringing a
great nation to its knees for the Prus-
sian wolves to rend.
The Times Record editor has receiv-
ed a card announcing the safe arrival
overseas of Chas. w. Hahn, who is in
the 10th field artillery band, Fifth
Division, American Expeditionary
Forces. Mr.. Hahn was a former val
ued employe of the Times Record edi-
tor On the Valley City Courier, and
1u;11 no rom onnh orod from hiS sn1ondid