Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-25

in the most fateful action any Ameri-
can executive has taken since 1861 if
not in all the nations history.
SoclALJsM'S NEWEST DRIVE.
Socfalism's newest drive Is launched
in Iowa, and the farmers of the state,
together with the working men, are
picked for the victims. The Nonparti-
san league which originated in North
Dakota few years ago and has spread
into Minnesota with the assistance Of
pro Germans, pacifists and other dis.
loyal elements, has branch office In
Des Moines from which organizers are
travelling into Iowa's agricultural and
industrial sections to enlist recruits.
1t is important that they be met with
a knowledge of just what the Noupar-
tisan league is. 1t is important that
they know it's origin. its aims, its spon-
sors and its menace. 1t is important,
in short, that they realize that it mere
" is an assumed name under which so
cialism In its most deadly. dangerous
and impractical form is attempting to
operate at this time, when its open anti
Americanism has stamped socialism
with its true title of disloyafty.
The Nonpartisan league organizer
says to the farmer: Join with US and
we will make you ruler Of the hand. We
will give you dominion over the mar
kets and industry, over politics and
money. We will start by taking from
the consumer higher price for the
products of your lands"
Then this same organizer says to the
workingman, the consumer: Join
with us and we will make you ruler.
We will put the reins Of political power
in your hands. We will increase your
wages and reduce your expenses OF
living"
To the producer the promise is of
higher returns for his crops; to the con-
sumer the promise is of lower prices
for what he buys. The fact that the
farmer sells what the consumer buys
and must take his increased returns, II
he gets them, from the consumer, fails
to discourage the Nonpartisan league
organizer. He is socialist, and prac-
teal thoughts never have appealed to
him.
The worker is told that his income IS
to be increased, and again the practical
aspect is overlooked. For If the work
ers wage is larger the things he pro-
duces must sell for more money. The
farmer. who buys these products of
labor, must supply the money with
which the worker is to be paid. But
consideration Of this practical fact
would spoil the Nonparttsan league or
ganizers argument. So he does not
consider It
Nor does he permit his victim to
consider it II he Is able to lead his
mind along the channel Of socialfsttc.
idealistic thought to which the Non.
partisan league Is committed and on
which it depends for the success Of
its propaganda,
For these organizers are propa-
pandists, nothing more. They have no
prospect of ultimate success for their
theories. They are following in the
path of the populist, the commonweal
army and all those visionary theorists
who in other years have flashed across
the political sky like stray comets,
famed for time and dropped at last
into the oblivion of failure.
1t is the organizer who obtains the
profit from the Nonpartisan league.
The man who conceived 1t, A. c.
Townley, had gone broke as farmer
in North Dakota. He was in debt, his
flax crop was failure. He was IN
desperate need of money, and the or
ganization Of a new political party Of
fered him the method OF recouping his
fortunes. So he capitalized selfish
ness and covetousness. He evolved a
set Of prospective reforms" which not
only we're impossible Of accomplish
ment but were impractical in the ex-
treme. With these, however, and with
the assistance of socialists. L W. W.,
agitators and pro-Germans, he organ
lied big following and won ono polit
ical campaign in North Dakota.
Now that state is productive no
longer. Townley and his organizers
have taken good many thousand dol
lars out of it in dues, for they collect
an annual tribute from each member
of their league. They have obtained
good many more thousands of dollars
in Minnesota; they hope to take more
thousands from the farmers and work
ingmen of Iowa. They are working
hard and rapidly, for they know the
bonanze can last only few years at
most. 1t will fail, but they WIN have
pocketed the money It produces.
The Courier has too much faith In
the good sense Of 1owans to believe
that the Townley brand Of socialism
and disloyalty Nill prove effective in
this state. For Iowans are loyal Amer
lean citizens. Being loyal, they are
awake to the disloyalty Of socialism in
any of its forms. They never have
been carried away by the glowing
promises made by the chasers of
'sisms" in other days. They are prac-
teal minded and fair minded. They
are not blinded by sectional nor fac
tional prejudices. They have too much
native intelligence to. be taken in by
the shallow arguments Of socialism
WHAT STONE STARTED.
The sort Of childish palaver which
characterizes partisan debates in
American legislative chambers when
they degenerate to personalities is
with us again, as a result OF Senator
Sfopa,S TRADE Of vest erday Witnesa