Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-10-28
GOV. HARDING
WRITES PORTER
Governor Writes Searching
Letter Showing Porter
to be a Craven Pol
itician.
HIS RECORD
Says Porter has Openly In
GIVES HIS RECORD
Says Porter has Openly In
! vited Support of Dis
loyal Elements.

Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 2S.-Governor
w. L. Harding today sent the following
open letter to Claude r. Porter, demo-
cratic candidate for governor of Iowa*
There is before me your letter, a vi
cious appeal to class hatred, given sole
ly to the Homestead. In this you say,
III shall oppose any man who has not
shown himself to be 100 per cent Am
erican. 1t is a time when we should
take no mans word for what he is go
ing to do, but should judge every man
by what he has DONE" In this letter
you attack my leadership of the state
of Iowa on patriotic grounds.
Sir, l am glad to meet you on the
grounds which you state. Z You have
been United States district attorney
in the southern district of Iowa since
war was declared. You have not rails
ed your voice in public in favor of the
sale Of Liberty bonds, in favor of the
Red Cross, in favor OF the knights of
Columbus war fund, in favor of the
Y. NJ. G. A., in favor Of the Salvation
Army war fund, or in favor of the Jew
ish welfare fund. l have been in every
nook and III of the state in the in
terests of all of these funds, assisting
in organization, building public senti-
ment and soliciting.
You have not said a thing to make a
pro-German uncomfortable. Your pro-
secution of the l. w. w. in Chicago Of
Tended no Iowa voter. You have not
said a thing to arouse the patriotism
of a man or woman in the state to ac-
ton. You have been content to draw
your salary and let the thousands upon
thousands of loyal, busy people OF Iowa
give Of their time in these great causes,
backing up the president. The backing
the president needs now is deeds, not
''sobs' like o utter in this letter. l
have backed the president in all war ac-
tivities with deeds of accomplishment.
Iowa's Record.
Under my leadership as governor,
Iowa has responded in men, nurses,
and material, quicker and in
greater abundance than any other state
in the union. All this didn't just hap
pen. 1t was work and leadership Of
men and women from both parties and
every creed and belief. You are the
first man in Iowa to raise your voice
for division along race lines. or creed
lines. 1t surely ill becomes a man hold
ing the responsible position you do to
raise this question.
Every war committee that I have ap-
pointed has been composed of members
from both political parties. Name a
single recommendation or appointment
you even made of anyone other than a
ck-ribbed democrat.
Meets wilson's Every Request.
President Wilson has been my COM
manding officer. / have obeyed his re-
quests and orders to the letter. l have
executed more than two thousand of his
orders and been 100 per cent in all of
them. If every other state had done as
well in buying bonds and giving to the
Red Cross and other helpful causes as
has Iowa under my leadership, the ma
ton could go on with the war for an
other year without calling for money
from the people. The same thing is
true with reference to men. II all 9th
er states had responded in men as Iowa
has, we would have an army of select
ed men Of over five million, and an
army of volunteers of over n million.
This would be an army of over six
million men. While all this work vas
being done, you have cOntented your
self with drawing your salary and keep
ing quiet for fear you would offend Il
Pre-.
Porter Is Yellow.
Now when an Office beckons, you
want to get ON the presidents coat tail
and ride in. At the same time, you are
willing to appeal to the discontinued
for their votes, a fine way for one in
your position to treat the Iowa boys
who are dying in France, a fine way for
one in your position to treat Iowa moth
ers, fathers and wives who have given
their sons and husbands, and the peO-
pie who have given their money. He
who comes into court must come with
clean hands,"
Don't answer that you were prosecut.
ing l. w. VS. in Chicago. That deal
was arranged to pave the way for an
other democrat to hold Office in Iowa.
You refused to run for governor until
you were assured of your present job.