The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-10-31
HARDING REPLY
TOCLAuD[ PORTER
BRANDS LETTER AS VICIOUS Ap.
PEAL TO CLASS HATRED.
THE RECORDS ARE COMPARED
Governor Says He Has Sacrificed
Everything to War Work Under
President, While Porter Sat
Tight and Drew Salary.

| Des Moines, Oct. Ex-Governor
Harding today addressed the following
reply to Honorable Claude r. Porter,
| Centerville, Iowa, the Democratic
nominee for Governor:
Dear Sir:-There is before me
your letter. vicious appeal to class
| hatred, given solely 10 the Home.
stead. In this you say, Il shall oppose
any man who has not shown himself
to be 100 per cent American. II is a
time when we should take no mans
word for what he is going 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. ] am glad to meet you on the
grounds which you state. You have
been United States District Attorney
in the Southern District of Iowa since
war was declared. You have not
raised 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
Jewish Welfare Fund. I have been in
every nook, and corner of the State in
the interests Of all of these funds. as.
sisting in organization, building public
sentiment. and soliciting.
Sat Tight and Drew Salary.
You have not said thing to make
Pro-German uncomfortable. Your
prosecution of the |. w. w. in Chicago
offended no Iowa voter. You have not
said thing to arouse the patriotism
of man or woman in the state TO
action. You have been content to draw
Your salary and let the thousands up
on 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 you utter in
this letter. have backed the Presid.
ent in all war activities with deeds of
accomplishment
Under the leadership as Governor,
Iowa has responded in men, nurses,
money and material, quicker and in
greater abundance than any other
state in the~union. All this didn't just
happen. 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. II surely i'll becomes a man hold.
ing the responsible position YOU do to
raise this question.
Every war committee that have
appointed has been composed of men,
bers from both political parties. Name
Il single recommendation or appoint
ment you ever made of anyone other
than a rock,ribbed Democrat.
Have Obeyed Superior officer.
President Wilson has been my COM
handing officer. have obeyed his re-
quests and orders to the letter. 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 we'll in buying bonds and Civ
ing TO the Red Cross and other helpful
causes rs has Iowa under my leader
ship, the nation could go on with the
war for another year without calling
for money from the people. The same
, thing is true with reference to men.
| ii all other states had responded in
men as Iowa has We would have an
army of selected men of over five
million, and an army of volunteers Of
over ore million. This would be an
| army of over six million men. While
contented yourself with drawing your
| salary and keeping quiet for fear you
would offend Pro.
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 discon-
| tented for their votes. fine way for
one in your position TO treat the Iowa
boys who are dying in France. fine
way for one in your position to treat
Iowa mothers, fathers and wives who
have given their sons and husbands.
and the people who have given their
money. ''He who comes into court must
come with clean hands"
"come Out in the open!"
| Don't answer that you We're prose
cutting /. w. WIS in Chicago. That
deal was arranged to pave the way
for another Democrat TO hold office in
Iowa. You refused to run for Governor
until you were assured of your pres.
ent job.
Why don't you come out in the open
for or against one language in the
country? Why straddle the fence? II
you love the Kaiser's language, why
not say so? If you want German taught
in the grade schools with public mon
ey. say so. You know. IL you have kept
in touch with STAIRS in this country
that foreign languages have been used
4.