New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
Evasive When Senators
Quiz Him on Lindbergh's
Statements
Feels for Bolsheviki
Parties Question if He Sup
ports Partisan Candi-
date in Minnesota
[Stdf Correspondence1

WASHINGTON, May l. Instead of
taking all the credit for the Nom
Partisan League for what has been
done by the farmers of the Northwest,
as MS prepared statement sought to do,
"A. Z. Townley, president of the league,
and under indictment on two charges
IN Minnesota, spent several hours to-
day parrying and evading questions of
the Senate Military Affairs Committee.
Iownley sought to-day's hearing to
reply to the charges made by Judge
D. F. McGee. of the Minnesota Public
Safety Commission. Judge McGee laid
virtually all Of the blame for the dis
loyalty in the league on its leaders,
saying most of the members were
"misled, but they will see the daylight
soon."
The committee therefore confined
Townley to a defence of the leaders,
which simmered down chiefly to him
self and Charles A. Lindbergh, former
member of the House OF Representa-
tlves, now the leagues candidate for
Governor of Minnesota.
In Harmony With Bolsheviki
II suppose" Senator Reed remarked,
you still are in harmony with what
the Bolsheviki in Russia did in this
war?"
Townley said the league is in SYM
pathy with what the people of Russia
are trying to do; that it 1aments what
has happened.
The question of Lindbergh's writings
since the war was precpitated by
SENATOR kC tnI1
caught Townley by surprise. Senator
Weeks started to read extracts from
Lindbergh's book and read the follow
ing credited to Lindbergh:
The next step was to resort to con-
scription of men. In some states even
women are forced to register. The con-
scription is intended to raise, by force
if necessary, armies to march across
the seas to fight in q foreign land
scription to vote of the people, so
Congress voted to conscript men for
the purpose"
Parries His Questioner
"Do you approve that sentiment?"
Mr.. Weeks demanded.
II do not know whether that is a
part of tho book" Townley replied 81
do not know the context. have not
read it,"
Several more excerpts from Lind
berghs book were read by Senator
Reed, but he failed to get a definite
expression from Townley.
'I will read one that is specific" the
Senator finally said, heatedly. He read
as follows:
at was the demand of wealth that
we should prepare great navy and a
great army to enforce the existing po-
litical and economic system not only
upon ourselves, but upon all the world,
present and future. 1t required that
we should impress into the service Of
war every available man and woman
at nominal pay for their time"
DO you agree to that?" Reed de-
manded.
II would have to make a study of
that" Townley answered.
The witness questioned that Lind
bergh had written the book since the
United States entered the war, where
upon Senator Weeks read this extract
credited to Lindbergh:
ut has been indeed humiliating to
the American people to see how the
wealth grabbers, owners of the big
press actually attempt, by scurrilous
editorials and specially repaired articles
to drive the people as if they were a
lot of cattle to buy bonds, subscribe
to the Red Gross, to register for con-
scrlption and all Of the other things"
Evades Direct Answer
"Do you think" Weeks asked, "that
would tend to protect the prosecution
of this war effectively?"
~ think it is very foolish and un-
justifable statement to be made at
the present time," Townley replied.
Weeks: "But you support that man
for Governor of your state ?"
Townley: "You are reading things
that I have not read before