The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-08-23
Tote Fair on All Sides.

IOle f0If OQ All SIuCS.
Tuesday morning R. A. Berkner,
on his arrival at the garage found
large card pasted on his window
with the pen printed words PRO
German Gas sold at all hours, re-
gardless Of the request Of the U. S.
govt
Mr.. Berkner says that the proba-
BILE instigation to the putting up of
the card was the fact that the night
before he had accommodated q party
who had travelled west from Wis
consip, and would have been tied
up here unless he or some one else
had supplied them with gasoline.
He further explains that there are
no government orders or restric-
tions in regard to the matter, the
rules for selling being simply rules
adopted by the dealers themselves
in order to put q check on the sale
for JOY riding and other needless
use of gasoline. The rules are not
intended to work hardships on le-
Ultimate users of gas, and he says
that supplying these travellers when
he did was only matter of COM
mon business courtesy. and the put
ting up of the card on his window
is a silly piece of business. He
says if anyone has any fault to find
with his loyalty he will be glad to
have them come out openly and he
will be pleased to talk it over with
them.
There are many brands of patri-
otism and many ways Of exhibiting
these, but we believe one Of the
poorest ways Of showing our loyal
ty to country is to stick up cards
or paint mans property during
the night. In the first days of the
war excitement, when the Kaiser $
spies and puppets were openly de-
flying or talking against the govern
ment, there may have been some
excuse for work Of this kind, but
under present conditions, those who
carry on this mode Of showing their
own patriotism or calling attention
to charge Of disloyalty of others,
are making a mistake and doing a
useless and improbable thing, and
it should be discontinued. The
law is we'll able to take care of any
cases of open disloyalty, and the
night painting and card hanging
business should be abolished in the
community. 1t simply tends to
create bitterness, where there
should be no bitterness.
However, it would not be digres-
sing to say right here that in our
own local case the socalled Non
partisan League has been one Of the
main stimulants of this bitterness,
and that is why it is an unfortun-
ate thing that the league should be
a political factor at this time.
Whatever may be the principles
for which the league claims to be
striving, and without regard as to
whether these principles or ideals
are wholesome or unWholesome,
the fact remains that the league
has drawn to its support all Of
what is generally looked upon as
sympathetic to pro-Germanism or
antagonism to the war. We may
camoflaugh or seek to explain or &C.
count for the fact as best we may,
but the truth of it sticks out so
plainly that those who run may
read. Is it any wonder then that
the loyal, deeply patriotic man
looks askance at the party, regard
less of what its professions may be-,
when he sees what used to be CAL
led the German American" vote
solidly lined up under its banners.
And this is the reason Why we say
it is unfortunate that the class spir-
it Of the Non-partisan league should
be brought to the fore at this time.
It is doubly unfortunate for our
citizens of German blood, who by
thus massing themselves together
create very justly suspicion on
their loyalty, which even the most
liberal minded Of their fellow citi.
zens are bound to take cognizance
of.