The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1918-10-25


theodore Roosevell's speech lat
Billings, Montana, recently: /,
nave so keen feeling about the
'nJustice to which the farmers wera ev.
poseu mere in the northwest that when
,ne Non-partisan league first appeared
was inclined to welcome II and ia
oeileve In 1t and | wished to co-oner.
ate with 1t. 1t was with real reluct.
ahce that ] was obliged to believe that
me leadership that controlled it was
OF such character as to threaten This
country with evils analogous to those
whlch came from Bolsheviklsm abroad
and from |. W. W.-ism at home.
The !. W. W. leaders have
Deen convicted Of disloyalty to
america by Chicago jury. They
nave preached and practiced sedi-
ton. A federal grand Jury In
Kansas has just indicted the or
ganization itself for plot to .
overthrow the United States gov
eriaiiaent. establish a reign of ter
ror and seize all property, Here
IN Montana 1t has become a men,
ace TO the mining, lumber and
farming interests, using lawless
violence and mob conspiracy as its
weapons and the federal authori.
ties have been gravely remiss in
failing to handle the situation
fearlessly and vigorously: yet 1t
was to the leader of this organiza-
ton, w. o. Haywood, that the
secretary and one OF the moving
spirits Of the Non-partisan LEAGUE.
wrote on April 5, 1917, Just as we
were going to war, and In his let
ter, copy of which | hold In my
hand, he spoke of this damned
war business and that Il think the
fight should now be conferred
against spy bills and conscrip-
tion.' In other words, these two
responsible officials of the |. w.
w. and Non-partisan league were
proposing to fight measures to deal
with traitors and make our par
tivipation in the war effective.
Pro-Gernans For Them.
mo patriotic American can afford
to support either organization and
any politician who 10 Joined up with
either lie dIscredited. There la not a
German abroad or pro-German a,
home, who does not wish success to
the Non-partlsan league as at present
controlled, and to the |. w. Wand
they wish them success because they
recognize them as anti-American and
40 containing within them the threat
Of reducing this country to somewhat
the same condition to which the Boil
shevlklsm has reduced Russia. Il
these men had had their way veal
ago or If they had their way now, they
would make our beloved country ar
object or scorn to all free nations anC
a byword by derision Sor the foreign
despotisms, for these men, whether
actuated merely by an evil fanaticisn
or by more sordid mstives are, natural
Nv and inevitably, the enemies Of
America. just as Lenifle and Trotzk!
were of Russia. Whether consciousl!
or unconsciously. they play the game
of the autocratic governments that arr
hostile TO the United States and the,
should be repudiated by every far-see
ing and patriotic American.
To Those Misled.
AZ know well that there are null
titudeS of honest and upright men
among the rank and file of the
Non-nartisan league, just as there
are thousands of good but mis-
Informed men in the ranks of the
T w. w. Insofar as these men
have. and | believe they have,
inst grievances of which they COM
nlain. 1t Is our business actively
and affirmativeIy to strive for the
remedy of these grievances. ana
when | say Strive, | mean not
merely hot air, but action. 1t is
orr business to act affirmatively
SO ms to redress every just grieV-
ance of the farmer and to show
that we recognize that he is lit.
erally the bedrock foundation OF
our whole American social system
70 remedy these things that are
wrong In the labor world when
force here and there, bodies OF
vor,,men into the |. w. W.. De-
cause they don't know where else
70 On. but the leadership OF both
the Non-partisan league ana the
T w w. represent BolshevlKisim
nure and simple and nothing eise'