The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-05-17
MINNESOTA CANDIDATE
DISCUSSES DISLOYALTY
Speech Made by Charles A.
Lindbergh, Candidate for Gov
ernor, Endorsed by the Non
partisan League, at Rochester.
Mimi, Thursday, May 9th.

Every decent citizen in the United
States is convinced that our wal
aims are absolutely just and that the
Presidents peace program must pre-
vail and every decent citizen in the
| United States is behind this war and
Wiling to make every sacrifice to
carry it through to victory. Modern
warfare, however, is not alone a ques
ton of military might. Eevry pro-
ductive resource of every belligerent
nation is being strained to the utmost
and the nation which first falters be-
meath this strain will be defeated,
even though it's armies seem victor
ious. Production on the fields and in
the factories at home is just as i'm
portant as fighting on the battle
fields abroad.
Production is an economic problem
and we must solve this problem to
the best possible advantage before
we can win this war. To participate
in the solution Of this problem is the
duty of every patriotic citizen. Our
boys are holding firm in the trenches
abroad. We must play our part at
home by supporting them with
promptness and efficiency.
After bitter experience, England,
France and Italy, found that private
ownership with It's inevitable profit
eering had failed and these govern
ments were forced to take control of
the essential industries. Russia fail
ed to ta:ze such step, with the re-
suit that the nations economic sruc-
tute collapsed and today Russian
armies are practically out of the
field. The lesson ought to be plain to
the people of the United Stats. Our
Government will be forced to control
the basic industries and any delay in
this matter is simply prolonging the
war. We need not go abroad for OBJ
ject lessons. Private profits have de-
layed and handicapped our own war
program. The Hog Island scandal is
still fresh in the nostrilS of the people
and more recent revelations show
that our aeroplane construction pre-
gram has been seriously interfered
with by the unconscionable greed Of
private selfish interests.
The railroads broke down under
wasteful and inefficient private man
agement and the President was fore
ed to take them over to prvnt a dis
asterous congestion. Profiteering in
the coal mines tied up our shipping
through a lack of fuel. The produc-
tion of copperiwas curtailed and cur
tailed deliberately so that higher pri-
ces might result. The millers and
packers are exploiting the people at
home by excessive prices. Our nation
al efficiency lis shackled by profteer-
ing and wastefulness in many lines
of industry.
There is only one remedy and that
is to have the government conscripc
industry just as it has conscripted)
men. This is not political question
as to the advisibility of pubic owner
ship. 1t is a question of winning the
war and all true patriots should for
get politics and unite in demand
ing speedy action toward this end.
To refuse to take this step is to court
defeat and the interests of a compar-
atively few profteers should not be
allowed to jeopardize the fate of de-
mocracy.
The National Nonpartisan League
is unequivocally pledged, to carry out
this program. 1t was the first polit-
ical organization in America to de-
mand war control of industries and
it IS the only organization in America
today that is backing up President
Wilson in his fight with the politi-
clans and profiteers TO carry out this