The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-21
While Case Ponds In Court,
Defense Board Assumes
Jurisdiction
SEEK TO BREAK
LOYA.LIST BODY
Steps Proposed To Make
Fargo Society Subject
To Council Orders
Especial to The Forun.>

Bismarck, N. D.. May 21.-A man
charged with disloyGlty may travel
about North Dakota, delivering leo
lures from the public platform under
the protection Of the governor or the
state, and under the protection Of the
state council of defense.
That is the state administrations g
answer to the point raised by the
Fargo War Organization. which sew
eral days ago asked the governor and
council Of defense to use their power
in keeping men, under charges OF
disloyaltys from continuing platform
work.
The state council Of defense. in ad-
>dition to turning down the Fargo
proposal, also indicated, at q hearing
held in Bismarck Monday afternoon,
when Leo Horst, one Of the speakers
held by the Fargo War Organization
to be Objectionable to loyal Amerl-
cans, appeared before the council and
told that body how loyal he Is and
was, that it might seek to put the
Fargo War Organization out OF bust-
ness unless that body comes under
the Jurisdiction Of the council Of de-
Tense. A rule was proposed though
not acted on, that would require all
patriotic organizations to acknowl-
edge obedience to the state council
OF defense,
Though summoned by the council
of defense TO appear before it in sup
port Of the charges made against
Leo Horst, the officers of the Fargo
War Organization did not do so. In
stead. they addressed letter to Gov
ernor Frazier, calling attention to
the fact that they had raised no
question as. to the guilt or innocence
OF Lso Horst; they only went to the.
proposition OF whether or not men
whose loyalty Is clouded by federal
charges of espionage should be per-
gmitted to speak in the state until
such charges had been removed.
~ Appeal Futile
In view Of Governor Frazier's ac-
ftion in extending protection to Horst
when he spoke at Page last Friday
evening, the governor detailing the
sheriff and states attorney Of Cass
county to go to Page and give the
speaker protection against threaten
ed violence, the officers OF the Fargo
War Organization took the position.
that 1t would be futile to further
prosecute their proposition before
the executive or the council of de-
3ense, OF which he is chairman. '
The council Of defense called Leo
Horst before it. Mr.. Horst, a. speak
er for the Nonpartisan league. has
been charged by the United States
with violation Of the espionage act.
Before the state council, Horst plead
ed his own cause. declaring he was
absolutely loyal to the government,
and had no intention, in addresses he
had made for the league, to interfere
with government war plans. 81
The Fargo War Organization took
the position that the question Of
Horst's guilt or innocence of the fed
eral charge was not an issue-the
principle is whether or not men
charged with disloyalty should be
work until they have been cleared OF
suspicion.
Randall Case.
In the case Of N. s. Randall, the
FSonpartisan league agitator, convict
ed in Minnesota courts Of disloyal-
ty, and who was billed for tour Of
North Dakota, only to be barred
from the state when the Nonparti-
sans discovered the righteous indig-
nation their action had created in
communities where they sought to
have him speak, the situation is held
somewhat different. At no time have
the Nonpartisan publications sought
to defend their action in bringing
him to the state, and loyalists hold
this is an open confession of the
guilt OF the league leadership in at
tempting to foster convicted dis
Iaoyalist upon the people.
Fargo Body Attacked.
The attack made upon the Fargo
War Organization by the council Of
defense members developed during
the latter part of the Monday ses-
sion. No action was taken,
The Fargo War Organization is a
body OF Fargo loyal Americans. over
200 in number. and growing rapidly.
The defense council raised the
question of the Fargo War Organi-
zation's authority to exist, and it was
urged by one member that the de-
tense board should pass a rule com
peHing all patriotic organizations to
affiliate with the war council and ac-
knowledge obedience TO 1t.
At the beginning of the session,
che council assumed it had the right
to inquire into the guilt or innocence
OF the parties whose cases were
pending in the courts. as is that of
Horst.
r.