Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-24
COUNTRYMEN REPORT
SPREAD OF ANTI-U. S.
PROPAGANDA
RELIGION AS CLOAK
PROMISED PLENTY OF MONEY
NO WORK AND EASY LIFE
WARNED AGAINST PURCHASE
. OF w. S. S. AND OTHER WAR IN
/ VESTMENTS.

When two Roumanlans under the
guise OF religious teachings under.
took to spread | W ". propaganda
among employees Of the Ottawa Silica
company, they little dreamed they
We're precipitating themselves into a
vsritable hornets nest OF unalloyed
American patriots who once were
their own countrymea.
When the two men made Their pres.
enee known with arguments against
War Savings Stamps and pictured &.
5. dollars killing their r.uropeon
brethren. II didn't take their loyal
countrymen long to get active. Re
ports were made 20 James Herring,
mead oi the west side sand plant and
immediate action was demanded 10
check Inrther spread OF the Honman.
ian | W. ". stun
sheriff Davis and his deputies were
called into the ease ami they soon
took charge Of the two strangers, who
after hearing they were being sought
made hasty steps out of town. Two
koumanians who were with them dur
ing their propaganda spreading trips
were taken in custody and subjected
to rigid questioning. They gave their
names as John Tomichak and John
CelOt Both denied they believed IN
the teachings OF the l. W VS. "a
were permitted to 20 with warnings
that close watch would be kept IN the
future Of their every movement.
Part Of the pian nung ont as bait
for converts was iot the two men 10
promise thelr nationals plenty OF
money and no work They instruct.
ed their auditors all they would need
in the future was a fork and spoon
In Roumanian idioms that mters the
fork and spoon artists viii have
plelty OF money without having to
toil for It
Their argument against the War
Savings Stamps was entirely sedit-
ions. They inferred that all money
would be lost in seven or eight years,
beating around the bush with adyen-
tst theories that by then the world
would be AN burned up or come 10
an end
Two OF the men approached with
this propaganda were John Mack.
owner of 81 900 worth of w S. S,
and John Florence, who has already
purchased $4o0 in stamps and is still
OF them The two men are members
OF household that 100 per cent
American. and to date Is among the
high lights Of very interesting w
) s drive. having sold among the
boarders $3.600 Practically every
man invested all his savings in
stamps.
II didn't set we'll with Mack and
Florence when they heard the two
strangers using religion to cloak their
real operations. Others of The house
hold felt the same way A war ooun
Gil was called and ii was unanimously
decided that something must be done
forthwith to check the evil. They
naturally thought OF their bosses first
Superintendent joe Gyger was in
formed of the work being carried ON
by the antAmericans and he and
Mr. Herring held q conference with
the result they decided official action
was needed at once. The sheriff wa'
called into the case and he had little
trouble rounding up Thomachek ant
Celot. The two men wanted wors
got away. however, before the officer
took chase after them and now ar,
supposed to he headed toward Aurors
to carry on their operations.
When Mack and Florence 'old o
Their heavy investment In w. =. s
Sheriff Davis wrung their hand
warmly. A look into their eyes let
no doubt in ones mind hut that the
were for Old Glory first. last and al
the time, II they weren't they woul,
be seeking elsewhere for work.