Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-05-03
THE NoaPHRTfsAN EEAUeE
BRANDED BY ROTARY CLUB

MSS
several Weeks ago the wichita,
Kansas. Rotary club. began an inves-
tigation OF tHs National Nonpzrtisan
League. a movement which originated
in North Dakota. and which is en-
tering Kansas. committee coa-
sistfng Of three men went through a.
mass or evidence. including the yari-
Gus programs and resolutions offer
ed BY the league. and made its report
which was unanimously adopted and
endorsed by the club.
The report in strong language con-
demns the league as ro-German pro-
paganda and finds that the leaders
are If questionable purpose. being
4 connected with the I u. ". and
other dangerous elements. The com
mittee consists Of ". H Purdy. chair
man. Fred C. Young and George V.
Smith Their report was enthusias-
tieaiiy endorsed by the club as fol-
lows;
Your committee finds that the Non
partisan League purports to be a
farmers organization and that it
gained control Of North Dakota in the
last election on the issue OF a state
owned terminal elevator which was
authorized by two consecutive refer
endum votes Of the people; that az
Ter the league obtained control .
bill complying in every respect with
the demand as expressed by the peo-
pie was bitterly opposed by Presl-
dent a c. Townley OF the league and
vetoed BY Governor Frazier. In
short, the league leaders defeated
the express wiz and paramount issos
OF the farmers. the issue upon which
the league itself was founded.
The Farmers Union. the largest
farmers organization in Kansas. is
opposed 10 the league. Maurice Nc.
Auline, president OF the Union. has
thrown the full weight Of his inhu-
enee against the league and its pro-
gram. Substantial farmers organ
izations Of North Dakota, south Da-
kota and other states have shown =
similar attitude toward the league
In view OF these and other import
ant considerations your committee
does not believe that the Nonparti-
san leagns should be considered as =
farmers movement, but as q propa-
ganda which goes deeper, and has an
insidious ard dastardly purpose.
Inasmuch as our Investigations co
not warrant the belief that this move
uent is for thte benefit Of the farmer
but rather for the beneht Of q few
demagogues who are exploiting the
farmer. it seemed advisable to look
into the past records and Affiliations
OF the men who control the league or
seem 10 be its chief benefciaries.
We believe that the league mem
bers are not knowingly disloyal or
eulpable but that the leadership is
dangerous in this respect, and mas
much as the leaders. through pecu-
lous control Of the league the move
ment should be oppised on patriotic
grounds.
A c. Townley. president. went
bankrupt in a large scale farming
operation. was employed as q Social
ist agitator and has a questionable
career. He opposed the first liberty
loan and has a long record as a sti-
mulator of class hatred and inciter OF
Industrial disturbance.
\. E Bowen. who collaborated
with Townley in organizing the lea
que. was candidate for governor Of
North Dot1ata on the Socialist ticket.
and is also an agitator of the soap
box variety.
Arthur LeSuer. executive secretary.
Of the league. is an attorney for
the I. ". ". He was one Of the or-
ganizers OF the Peoples CounciI-
and had the oversight Of legislation
enacted by the league members. He
IS a Socialis. of she rabid type. and
protected the interest Of the I. ". ".
D. c. Coates. who until recently
was the organizing and planning
brains Of the league. is an expert
enced Socialist politician he was
once lieutenant Governor Of Colo
-ado and later was elected commits
sioner Of Spokane as s Socialist. he
vas closely associated with vm- Hay
wood. head of the I. W. ".
O. NJ. Thomason ran for Congress
IN the Socialist ticket in 1914 and
vas the editor Of the -Ieonoclast-
abid Socialist paper. He IS one OF
he chief organizers.
None Of the above men are FARM
rs. Townley once engaged in two
a-ge scale tractor-farmins expert
nents. beth Of which ignominiousiy
allied. All are of dangerous type
va have documentary prOof that