Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-29
the socialist ticket. was

states on the socialist ticket, was
chancellor.
Mr.. Haywood was convicted for dis
loyalty and acts Of brutal glawlessness
to 20 years in prison and q fine Of
$4,000. Eugene ". Debs has likewise
been convicted and sentenced for~dis.
loyal ~utterances to q long penitentiary
term.
This is not simply the letter Of an
attorney to his client: 1t shows La
Sueur's sympathetic interest in the.
work Haywood was doing in organic
Ing n I. w. W. force. and LIE Sueur's
opposition to the ~ and to two Of
inc most Important measures Tor Its
The platform Of the socialist party,
adopted since the declaration Of war
stamps those who still profess it a.
disloyal. That platform has never been
repudiated. Is it strange that an or
g~anization formed and led by men
who have so recently belonged to a
party with such a platform should be
suspected by thinking people?
Sedittous Methods Of the League.
What r the methods of this
league. What gospel does its leaders
preach? They depend for their sue
cess, upon their~ability. to convince the
farmers that the hand Of everybody
else Is against them, and that they
are a downtrodden. despised. and out
ragged class. and appeal to them to
join the league and follow its leader,
Who Is represented as their special
friend, who, like a new Noses, will
lead. them, out Of the wilderness where
they have been wandering for, 10,
tnesesamany years. 1t lis charged that
In their ~insidious and sinister de-
nunciat!ons they skimp along as close
to the brink, Of sedttion and fdisloyajfy
as they dare and violate the purpose
II not the letter Of our sedition laws.
A number of league organizers
nave been arrested and several Of
them convicted for seditious utteranc-
es, but that has apparently OCCASION
eo no change in their general meth
DDS: Instead of the league explaining
their party creed and appealing for
its adoption, they continue to. preach
the same gospel of fierce class hatred,
n to praise as martyrs to the cause
their associates who have been caught
in the tolls Of the law.
In the, recent primary election in
Minnesota they named as their candi-
date for governor the author of a
book claimed to be replete with utter
ances tending to incite opposition 10
the government in the wal. I shall not
express my opinion Of that book or
1t author. Against him was pitted the
present governor. No one questions his
oSVS144OAs Ill Ills do.
pointees on the state safety commits
sion, were fiercely denounced by
league leaders for their work in sup
pressing seditious utterances and 9th
erwise UNFOLDING the government in
this war. The natural effect Of this
campaign was realized Is, the pri-
maries clearly show.
Senator Nelson was a candidate at
this same primary election. No praise
is too strong for the sturdy virtues 81
this loyal and exceptionally capable
and useful man. His opponent, James
A. Peterson. then under a four years
prison sentence for, seditious utter
ances, did not have the official or
avowed support of the league. No one
can seriously contend that a person
could knowingly cast a vote for Peter
son and against Nelson who had any
realization of his obligation to his
country. or n pride in the good
name Of his state, though no doubt
many did SO inadvertently.
The official returns show that in al
most every precinct in the state where
Lindbergh received a large vote, a
large vote was also cast for Peterson,
The similarity between their votes is
SO striking that no one can mistake
their stKnifcance. They. demonstrated
Beyond e doubt thatlthe men who
were willing to disgrace the state and
NA AAOooo6O VI CI1cSE 70 the Kaiser
were in the ranks Of the N%onpartisan
league. 1859
1t is not claimed that the rank and
file, the mass Of the members. of 9TH
ers who may have voted the NonparH-
san ticket. are disloyal. The surprising
thing is that SO many good and true
men could be inveigled into such an
organization at this time, when above
all other times. patriotism demands a
united country. Men who live in the
midst Of the. activities of this league
need no such. Representation. They
know what Is going on. Can you won
der that people who are giving their
all ins this ) great struggle and. tAfa
aroused ito 1.-THE highest pitch Of pa
triotic devotion refuse to have this
organization preach its \ paralyzing
gospel Of d~issension and distrust?
The program of the league shows
clearly its socialistic character, and
the leaders have not abandoned their
! creed. They propose to establish