The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-06-13

w. members; and while Gov. Frazier
may have been capable Of drafting
such . document, being one Of the
league leaders himself, it is said in the
press Of North Dakota that lie Seuer
is the man who wrote it, and the gov
Iernor adopted it. For further particu-
lars see Bacon's ct ownleyism.
] want to mention one thing more.
In the World Almanac and Encyclo-
pedia, page 139, is a quotation from
the preamble Of the /. w. w. consti-
tuition which states their aim to strug-
gle on until they take possession of
the earth and the machinery Of pro
.duction." That Germany proposed to
hire the anarchist element of our pop
ulation to obstruct the governments
war plan is known, and the I. w. w.
are that element. That organization
it is known, proposed to paralyze the
military power of the nation. The
leaders Of the Nonpartisan league, who
were 50 intimately related to the
II. w. W., must have known their char
acter and aims even before the peo-
pie generally could have known, and
yet they proposed such legislative
changes in North Dakota as would
tend to put the people at their mercy.
Among the proposed amendments to
the constitution of North Dakota was
one referring to military service. In
the article on militia" in the present
constitution is the following:
persons whose religious tenets or
conscientious scruples forbid them to
bear arms shall not be compelled to-
do so in times Of peace, but shall pay
an equivalent for personal service"
: The proposed amendment is to
strike out the words, Gin times Of
peace" How much Of accompai shment
was hoped for from this particular
change l do not know. They have
learned, however, that the operation of
the draft law of the federal govern
ment is not subject to the constitution
of a state. But in the state itself, in
ternally, it would have it's effect. I'm
der such constitutional provision the
state militia would consist of such.
persons as may choose to enter it and
are fit, but under no condition could
the state compel a man who refused on
the ground Of conscientious scruples."
In case of invasion or some other
emergency requiring military service
the state might be helpless to repel
the invasion or defend itself.
On the principle that the whole must
include the part, the same conditions
would also apply to the power Of the
sheriff Of every county and their depu-
ties. Under our present regime, if the
sheriff meets with resistance, he may
raise ''posse comitatus" to assist him
in his duty, and any person summoned
by him and refuses to serve may be
fined or imprisoned. Take away the
power of compelling man to do his
part in restoring or maintaining order
in his own community or state and
you then take away also the safe
guards against mobs, rioters, invasion
and disorder.
The l. w. w. have established
reputation for themselves of this kind,
and the league leaders and legislators
have proposed legislative changes
which would facilitate the carrying
out of their destructive and vicious
program. 1t is not surprising that the
I. w. w. would favor this change, but
when I. w. w. and anarchists can hold
positions of leadership in the league,
and by some slight Of hand sperfor-
nance obtain support in their efforts
to deprive the government Of the
requisite power to maintain peace and
order, it becomes a serious menace.
Along this same line it appears to be
a part Of the same program to dis
credit the sheriffs and peace officers
all over the state in the press and
from the platform.
Yours very truly,
Richard Hamer.
Female German Aliens Must Register.
d y - a.l. r r-r b -. ~ III