The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean., 1918-06-05

Wealth saw to it that the conditions
would be created that would make it
practically impossible for us to keep
out of the war.
Mr.. Townley:-I do not not know
anything about that.
! Senator Reed:-I will read another
one:.
Wealth was SO greedy that it had to
build the greater fortunes, even it it
took the sacrifice Of millions of lives
and entailed suffering of more than
nine-tenths of the worlds population.
| Do you agree to that?
Mr.. Townley:-Where is the wealth :?
What don you apply.
Senator Reed:-I will read on that
is specific:
| 1t was the demand of ewalth that
we should prepare great Navy and a
great Army to enforce the existing po-
lltlcal and economic system not only
upon ourselves, but upon all the world,
present and future. 1t requires 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?
Nh. Townley:-l would have to make
a study of that.
Senator Reed:-You would have to
make study OF. that before you would
be willing to fepudiate it?
| MI. Townley:-Or agree to it.
Senator Reed:-Yes. 1t does not
strike you at once that that state
ment, made under present conditions
in this country, is calculated to give
aid and comfort to the enemy and
weaken us in a time Of war? That
does not strike you?
Mr.. Townley:--It may be now, but
this statement OF these statements
were not made at this time.
Senator Reed:-They were made
after the war was began.
Mr. Townley:-After we entered
the war?
Senator Reed: - Certainly. They
must have been made after that. 1t
says:
It was the demand of wealth that
we should prepare a 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. It requir-
ed that we should impress into the
service of war every available man
and woman at nominal pay for their
time.
M. Townley:-I do not gather any
thing from that that would indicate
at what time it was written.
Senator Reed:-I will read another
sentence that may help you:
No one can reasonably justify oul
entrance into the war solely because
some cf our citizens were unlawfully
murdered.
! That would seem to indicate, even
to a farmer, that We were in the wal
at the time that was written. Do you
agree to that statement?
Mr.. Townley:-No, sir.
Senator Weeks:-I want to ask you
something about conscription. This
is copy of what is in, that book:
It has indeed been humiliating to the
American people to see how the wealth
grabbers, owners of the "big press,
actually attempt by scurrilous editor
falls and specially prepared articles to
drive the people as if they We're lot
! of cattle to buy bonds, subscribe for
the Red Cross, to register for con-
scription and do all the other things.
Do you think that would tend to
prevent the prosecution of this war
effectively?
| Mr.. Townlev:-I think it is very
foolish and unjustifiable statement to
be made at the present time.
! Senator Weeks:-But you support
that man for Governor of your State :?
Mr.. Townley: - You are reading
things / have not read before.
Senator Weeks:-I am assuming
that they are true and were uttered
since the beginning of the war. What
/ am trying to do is get at the lead
ers. You have purged everyone else
of any connection with the charge
| made by Judge McGee. Now, here is
political leader who is saying those
things, and you are the leader of the
Organization. Do you approve Of that?
Mr.. Townley:-I would have to
! make study Of that. I would have
to understand it.
Senator Weeks:-But you won't say
E! that you do not approve of that?
Mr.. Townley:-I don't approve OF
the Interpretation that I get from
your reading 1.-THE meaning you
place upon it.
J Senator Weeks:-I do not mean the
Interpretation. I mean the words.
Wouldn't you agree that this is det-
rimental to the activities of the Gov
ernment in the prosecuting the war?
Mr.. Townley:-I should say it would
/ The Acting Chairman:-On June II
you are quoted as saying:
Why should We buy liberty bonds
when the Government makes us pay
enormous prices for equipment to run
our farms? Take the profits of big
business to pay for the war. Well
never get any thing from the govern
ment for anything We do in this strug-
gle. Why should we help the Govern
ment if it won't help us?
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