The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-07
BAKER DECLARES
HE DIDN'T GIVE
OUT STATEMENT
CREDITED TO HIN
GAINESVILLE Farmer I'm
earths Nit of Socialist
Misrepresentation

Another deliberate misrepresenta-
ton on the part of the Socialists
who control the NOnpartisan league
and on the part Of the Socialist
newspapers they direct, has been
uncovered by ]. p. Hilgers, a farmer
of GAINESVILLE, Mimi, who has re-
received a letter from the private
secretary Of Secretary of War New
ton D. Baker, advising him that a
certain quotation attributed to Sec
rotary Baker. published broadcast
by Socialist papers. is absolutely
without foundation, and never was
authorized by the Secretary Of war.
The reputation by Secretary Of
AYR Baker Of this statement. used
by the Socialists in an effort to show
that the National Administration
was giving it's support to them, Is in
line with the reputation by United
States District Attorney M. A. Hid
reth. of Fargo, Of the attempt by the
same Socialists and the same So
cialist newspapers to use his name
to bolster up their cause. He brand
ed the attempt as shameless mis-
representation"
Secretary Of War Baker desires
me to say that he never made this
statement at any time, and never
authorized any person to make it in
his behalf" is the manner in which
Stanley King, private secretary Of
Secretary of War Baker dispOses Of
the Socialist attempt to use Baker
name in connection with their prop
uganda.
The GAINESVILLE (Minn.) Record
Review bares the attempt at using
Secretary Of War Bakers name for
the benefit OF the Socialists. as fol-
lows:
"That a statement published in a
number Of League newspapers and
credited to Secretary Of War New
ton D. Baker. was never made by
the secretary Of war or authorized
by him, Is the interesting discovery
recently made by ]. P. Hilgers. a
we'll known farmer living near this
city.
The statement published in the
Minnesota Leader, July 9th, also
appeared in the Nonpartsan Leader,
the Clay County Leader Of Aug. Is
and in the Fargo Courier News. We
give 1t below as 1t appeared in the
Minnesota Leader, including the
name Of Secretary Baker in capt.
tails at the end:
"Tn every locality we have a
partisan politicians who cry
treason, sedition, anarchy and
pro-German' against men who
differ with them politically. The
claims Of 'AmeriCanism' and 10y
alty put forth by these narrow
bigots are nothing more than
false faces worn by traitors.
Such charges convey to the Ger
man agent the information that
the country Is swarming with
kaiser. worshippers, and is more
dangerous propaganda than open
opposition. In many cases our
courts are being imposed upon
by low brOwed politicians who
are taking advantage Of the
spirit of loyalty in this land to
wreak vengeance on those whom
they can not meet honestly upon =
n political issue The man who
aids Germany now is a traitor
who merits death, and the man
who Is yelling 'sedition' to land
party politics. above all others
is aiding our enemies.-SECRE-
TARY OF WAR NEWTON D.
BAKER
Desiring to obtain full information
in the matter, Mr.. Hilgers addressed
a letter to the secretary Of war, In
closing the statement clipped from
one of the papers mentioned above.
I'm his letter he asked Secretary
Baker to state whether or not he
had made the statement quoted in
the clipping, and If 80. did he have
reference to those who accuse the
leaders of the nonpartisan league OF
sedition? In a few days Mr.. Hilgers
received the following reply:
War Department,
Washington, August 2, 1918.
! my Dear Mr. Hilgers:
THE Secretary Of War asks
me to thank you for your letter
of the 29th of July calling his
attention to a statement alleged
to have been made by him, and
a copy Of which you enclose. He
desires me to say that he never
made this statement at any time
and never authorized any person
to make it in his behalf.
May I ask you to be good
enough to advise me by return
OF mail the paper from which
the item was clipped.
CORDIALLY yours.
STANLEY KING,
Private Secretary.
SsIFw 7 D EJiIrar1