The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-02-20
QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS.

QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS.
Arthur Lawrence of Doand, S. D., has addressed to these papers a list of
questions which W shall answer severaly as follows:
Queston-Dont you think the great mas of farmers are loyal, ard are
quite able 70 decide whether the principles set forth by the Nonpastlsan
Answer-These papers have repeated over and ver again their conviction
that the great mass of farmers m loyal and that their loyalty has been prov
Ell in the increased crop production of the past season. The principles openly
set forth by the Nonpartsan league are OF course % ro'German' mere
fore, o this point, there is no question for the farmers tt decide:
Q-Do you think the farmers could be led to support IN organization which
was disloyal to the spirit of u government?
A-No, but the farmers might be deceived by leaders who are more loyal
to their own political fortunes than they ire to the government.
Q-What we wish to know is the aim and object to be reached by the lea
NJ and If it were reached and matenaized would the country suffer loss of
principles of democracy?
A-1he ostensb1e aim and object of the Nonpartsan league is to improve
the condition Of the farmer. But the real aim oft the leaders of the organza-
ton is-quoing from a pamphlet issued last autumn by the league Itself
"to capture the government"
Having captured the government the league plans to introduce practices
which we submit would cause the country, in the words Of our innrrogater,
CT the rights of the lew constitution which the Nonparhsan league proposes
for North Dakota is this provision:
The right of the state u any political subdivision thereof to
engage in any occupation o business for public purposes shall
not be denied o prohibited.
Nonpartsan leaders have definitely declared their intention of invoking thru
tn state ownership of elevators, Touring mills and packing plants.
This is not ar autocracy of kings but n autocracy of politics. For here,
mark you, is the key to the scheme: The pamphlet above quoted sets forth
al n of the fundamental league ideas that "there must be efficient control
of the organization by a small body and executive committee"
This SIS the principle which has actually characterized the operations of the
league to date and this is the point at which the league parts company with
real democracy A realization Of the economic and political aims Of the Nom
partisan league leaders would mean a state owning its industries and A. c.
io"nley and his associates owning the state. The government, instead of be-
controlled by voters Of all classes and occupations, would be controlled by a
Bolshevik soviet placed at the head of a distinctly class organization. Recent
world than the Bolshevik leader.
VIVIAN w "'H6SA AUSJ W. HN Vic SAu4CA NIHUC0HP vi IS NOApOAI
san league with the brush of disloyalty. Here agar, is where the leaders of
the organization have taken advantage of its membership. Wishing to be all
things to all men they have changed their oratoncal tune to suit the time and
place. Before A. c. Townley discovered what a mistake he was making in
assuming that the farmers If sol districts were dmloyal he delivered himself
o. such utterances as the following at Wllibn, N. D., n June 6:
The flower of the young manhood of this nation is going across
the water to bleed, as W e are told, for the honor Of the country,
but it needs some effort for m to believe that these young men
are going 20 fight for the freedom of democracy. I believe and
fear they are going to bleed for the profits of the damned pr-
ates who profit from u food and food products.
And the following at Beach, N. D, IN June II:
Why should we buy Liberty bonds when the government makes
is pay enormo profits for equipment to run our farms? Take
che profits Of big business to pay for the war Well never get
anything from the government for anything that we do in this
struggle. Why should we help the government if they won't help us?
These are the sort Of speeches that came from MI. Townley before the far
stuff he pedded to isolated communities until the entire country vas aroused
by the notorious speech delivered by Senator La Toilette at st. Paul under
MI. Townleys auspices.
Do We question the loyalty of the farmers of the Northwest? We do not
More than that, we do not wish this loyalty misrepresented. We would deem
it a calamity Of the widest moment if the farmers Of the Northwest, with
patriotic record heretofore unsuhied, IS a whole, be led to partake Of thu
stigma which The leaders of the Nonpatisan league have drawn upon tina
organization. And rather than question the ability Of the farmers to judg
of the character and principles of the Nonpartisan leaders W ask them t.
take nobodyis word but look into the records, as these papers have done, ant
nee for themselves-St. Paul Pioneer Press.