The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-08-23
FOR WAYS THAT ARE DARK

For ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain" commend us to the
hackers, organizers and slackers OF
the Non-Partisan League. II there
il any honest purpose in the league,
that purpose when pointed out will
be worthy of commentator, but from
the methods employed to secure men,
bers. the claims set forth by its de-
tenders, and the general character OF
the local solicitors so far as known to
the public the suspicion is naturally
engendered that there is mighty little
in the organization that honest, loyal
Americans can endorse. Most OF the
membership is secured through mis-
representation, and evidence is con-
stantly coming before the people that
the chief stock in trade Of the hackers
of the league Is Misrepresentation
Here is an instance of the question:
able methods employed by advocates
of the Non-Partisan League, and 1t
should cause every man in Okanogan
county to be careful and not accept
every statement made by agents, who
are working for the fees and with
little regard for the cause they advo-
cate. A short time ago several pa
pers in the county were supplied with
a flamboyant set Of whereases and
resolutions, adopted by Okanogan
County Pomona, in which the claim
was set up that the Non-Partisan
League had been proclaimed loyal
and patriotic by the president and the
Bureau of Public Information. and
not supposing that the Grange, or
the members thereof, would resort to
falsehood, several papers in good
faith published the communication. 0.
Fl. Woody, of the Okanogan lndepend-
ent. happens to be from Missouri, or
at least his action would so indicate,
as he had to be shown. Mr.. Woody
got into communication with the au-
thorities at Washington and received
the answers as given below. The en-
tire article is rich reading and should
open the eyes of those who have been
induced to follow false gods by the
oily tongued solicitors who are keen
to secure membership for the league
at 81 per head:
Some weeks ago the Independent
was handed some resolutions passed
by the Okanogan County Pomona
Grange with a request from the act
ing secretary, P. A. Larson, that
they be published. One paragraph
contained statements that appeared
to us to be exaggerated and the reso-
lutions were therefore held up until
the matter could beinvestigated. The
paragraph in question read as fol-
lows:
Whereas, our President, Woodrow
Wilson, has, through the Department
of Justice, made very exhaustive in
vestigation Of the National Nom
Partisan League, and its leaders, and
has, through the Bureau Of Public In
formation, proclaimed them most
loyal and patriotic. and as proof OF
his confidence in them, as such, he
has, and is now sending his personal
representatives to their meetings, to
speak from the same platform words
of encouragement and good will OF
the administration towards their Or
gainzatiOn."
The editor of this paper wrote
three letters to the three different
branches of the government referred
to the President, the Department OF
Justice and the Committee of Public
Information, and replies to these let
ters have been received and will be
found below:
Washington, d. c.. July %, 1918.
Mr. o. H. Woody,
Okanogan, Washington.
Dear Sir:i
In answer to your letter of July
18th, no division Of the government.
to my knowledge, has ever made any
official procurement as to the Nom
Partisan League, either approving
or disappearing it.
GEORGE CREEL. Chairman.
Committee on Public Information.
Washington, d. c., July 20. 1918.
Mr. o. H. Woody,
Okanogan, Washington.
My Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 18th instant adj
dressed to the President, has been
referred to me, and l beg to call
your attention to my letter to you
under date of the 23rd instant, re-
garding the matter.
GEORGE CREEL, Chairman,
Committee on Public Information.
Washington, D. c., August 8. 1918.
Mr.. o. II. Woody,
Okanogan, Washington,
Sir:
Receipt is respectfully acknowledge
ed of your letter Of the 18th instant,
inquiring as to the truth OF state
ments made in quotation which you
state is taken from resolutions
sent your paper for publication.
No official statement has been is
sued by this department with refer
ence to activities, loyalty or patriot
ism of the National Nom Partisan
League. Respectfully,
JAMES L. O'BRIEN.
Special Assistant to the Attorney
General for War Work.
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