The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-05-31
UPHOLD FREE SPEECH.
FORD URGES COUNCIL
Asks That County Bodies Be Instructed as to
Their D,lties in Assisting to Enforce
Laws, Prevent Lawlessness.

to the state council OF defence then
IN. sessiOn in which he asked the
council to take steps toward the pre-
yention of further interference in
Montana with the right of free
speech and the right to make public
addresses, and pointed out that rep
resenfatives 04' the NOnpartisan
League have III various counties of
the tate been stopped from holding
meetings and delivering addresses.
He also pointed cut that members of
county councils of defense have been
among the persons who have inter
tered with Nonpartisan the League
worksrs and prevented them from
making speeches.
Mr.. Ford states in his letter that
the constitution and statutes of Mon
tana. as well as the general cOnsti-
tuition, have been repeatedly violated
/ IN these matters; says that the state
e and eonnty councils of defense were
expressly created to assist the regu-
,e lar anthOrities to enforce the law,
ot prevent lawlessness and uphold the
30 rights of free speech and free meet
ss ings; and calls upon the state cOun-
n Gil 10 Instruct the members of the
n county councils as to their duty in
ne the nrxmises to enforce the laws
er TO prevent lawbreaking.
m He takes up the Miles City case
A. or J. A. McGlynn, who was prevent
~ ed from speaking by a number of
pevso1s in that city, and charges
:. p4at inter sted persons" in that city
AfteraTards made the trial Of the men
rharg4I with the coercion and kidd
70 mapping of McGlynn a farce by vali-
Gus nfs ans designed to maize light of
The oHfense and the infraction Of the
us aw
iis' He Expresses the opinion that the
Mtontinuance of such mob violence in
"!!I1e state will bring about conditions
vpf disord T and subject the law-abid-
sn'ng people of the state to grave in
'tEaulses and heavy penalties. He
with the statement that he
havglll continue to make every effort
q ps4form his sworn duty as attor
Whitley eeneral, and urges the state
ldersuneil of defense to xeEt itself in
he assistance of himself and all the
authorities to put down
v the evils of mob viof nee and disre-
Ie .sa1ai of law, so that free speech and
he right to make public addresses
ssaay Be guarant ed everybody. His
J - MIR FORD's
, 81 LEITER
ii I5eIena, Mont, May 2T, 1913.
s,oa TO the Montana Council of De-
snse. Helena, Mont.
q ntiemen:-
ahs Attorney general of the safe
~ Montana, | fe it my duty to call
"a & the Intention Of your honorable
-.,05dy. to resent violations OF th2 state
snstitation and laws in q number OF
Vpunties Of the state, and certain cir
&. hlmstances in relation to such vio-
nor 1ions which, in my opinion, are
ere atteils of tn mendoas Importance toI
S, sqery citizen of the state.
He'd 9a'The light of free speech a9ak stAe
D Ight ID make public addresses have
Pls4en xlnied individuals in the eourf-
4 Sees e. which | refer, by violence
Dr. I'd iii direct violation Of laws and
m tSe denial has ben affected by il-l
+;onsnidatiotl !; and forcible coercion.
Ia hssrthsx1nore, it is common knoWl-
ge that in many cases members of
unfy councils of defense partici-
ted In these unlawful proce~ dings.
Is cases have been rather num-
GUS.
SUBMIT TO
COERCION
hks The persons so misused have been
ng ut by Self-constituted committees
III in1pHnned that they would not
,Ine peI7nifted to make addrasses;
wss at tfl4 committeeman would see
in VI Thy we're prevented from doing
therS' and hat if they attempted to
3 o'c4ka a1ldresses they might subject
he 1nsssIS to violence and even
v,auef HR fbe}r lives into danger. / do
.za9M what would have happened
s. hs< persons persisted in at
make addresses, because
Is, sfinued on Page Two)