Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-22
Chairman Craig POurs Hot Shot
Into Opposition; inaccuracies
In Democratic Publicity Nailed

certain political publicity matter is
sued for newspaper use by authorit!
of your committee. designated al
New Mexico Democratic No. H. This
contains statements which depart So
radically from the truth that | fee
it my duty to bring them to YOU
personal attention. ! can not believe
that they We're issued with your
knowledge or consent. TO so believe
would be diametrically opposed to my
estimate of your fairness and regard
for truth and fair play, particularly
IN political contests and the public
business.
This particular matter has been be-
TORE me for some time and would
nave been laid before you long since
but for the fact of our agreement to
refrain from dstracting the public
attention with political matters dur
ing the Liberty Bond Campaign. Our
Committee and the Republican can
didates have scrupulously adhered
TO that agreement. The fact that
certain of your candidates, notably
your candidate for the United States
senate, Mr. Walton, have disregarded
the agreement and have made politi-
cal speeches and canvasses in their
own behalf during the Liberty Loan
campaign, is l am sure an occurrence
that was without your knowledge or
beyond your control
New Mexico Democratic No. 1" as
issued to newspapers by authority of
your committee, and a copy of which
is before me, contains twenty para
graph questions, each one of which
by inference seeks to convey a false
impression, or carries a mis-state-
ment of fact or deliberate untruth.
Some are libelous and within the in
tent, If not the letter of the espionage
act, since they both bring into cues
ton the loyalty of citizens of unques-
tionable loyalty, and seek to impede
the successful waging of the war. |
desire, however, to direct your spe-
cific attention to but five of the TWEEN
ty paragraphs, being those attacking,
by inference, and by direct state
ment the efficiency. integrity and pa
triotism of the New Mexico State
Council of Defense I wish to point
out to you before passing to spe-
cific discussion of each of these five
that the New Mexico
Council of Defense has worked
throughout under the direction and
has been guided by the policy of the
National Council of Defense, appoint
ed by our great COMMUNICATIVE chief,
President Wilson; and that in at
lacking the policy and efforts of our
state council your publicity commit
tee or agency is deliberately attack
ing the National Council of Defense
and by inference at least, is also at
lacking the commander-i chief of
our armies.
The first of the paragraphs to
which your particular attention is di-
rected, reads:
THAT the State Council of De-
Tense has had 1925, 600 to spend
during the past seventeen
months and that no itemized re-
port has ever been issued to tell
the people of the state how 1t has
been spent?"
The fact that a question mark is
appended to the above does not rob
1t of its intent as a direct statement
Of fact. 1t is not, however, state
ment of fact, but a deliberate UNI
truth as you and other well informed
men are aware. The information is
conveyed that s325.00 has been spent
by the Council of Defense, when, as
you know, no such amount has been
expended. The statement that no
ltemized report of the Councils ex-
penditures has ever been issued. is
i1sproved by the fact of the widely
published report of the Hon. Charles
K. Brice, disbursng officer of the
Council, who is now a candidate
upon your party ticket for district
ludge of the fifth judicial district,
and whose integrity has never been
questioned so far as we have been
aple TO ascertain, save in the para
eTaph quoted above; by Hon Neill B.
ffeld, in his keynote speech before
your recent party convention, and in
Inc resolutions written fof and adopt
ed by your convention.
AS you are no doubt aware. Judge
BfIce MADE his report on council of
defense expenditures following a de-
tailed audit by A. Il. James, director
OF the Taxpayers Association of New
Mexico, certified public accountant
or known ability, which ability has
demonstrated by his discovery and ex-
posture OF the accomplished steals in
connection with the states series CO.
pond issue, which occurred during the
last democratic administration of our
state treasury, and upon which both
civil and criminal proceedings are now
being sought in the courts.
statement No. 2, concerning the
council of defense, reads as follows:
That of $4,000 loaned to
farmers of the state to increase
agricultural production, only $1S.-
600 has been collected and only
$575 in INTEREST,""
The inference is sought to be con-
Veyed in the above that money has re-
NAMED uncollected which should have
been collected, and also interest. II
San only conclude from this that your
press committee. or agency, disap-
prove of loans of money to farmers Of
New Mexico to aid them in increasing
food production during the war and
n fighting the disastrous drouth OIL
he past two years; yet hesitate to |,
conclude, without your definite as
'nrance, that snch is your policy and
hat OF the candidates upon the demo-
ratio STATE ticket. eE Sfs
The purpose of the state council of
tefense, modelled after and approved |
" the general purpose of the national !
council of defense, has been to use
very proper method to stimulate the |
God uroduction during the war: to as
list the producers in a practical man
Ter, and not TO add to their burdens. |
Is you are of course aware. many New
dexieo farmers SOUGHT financial aid
rom the federal land banks and Nwere
lenied it,. A crisis existed. These
armers REQUIRED aid, With the alter
lative of failure, and consequent alb
dilute stoppage OF their productive eff
ort and the productive capacity of
heir lands. With ADEQUATE security.
nut without desire or effort to produce
n interest bearing profit for the state.
he council of t1efeYtse advanced funds