The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-02-01
SPEAKER FOR LEAGUE
PLACED UNDER ARREST
Joe Gilbert Stirred Up Some
Trouble At Lakefield
HEARING SET FOR FEB 4
Declared He Would Carry the
Case To Highest Court In
United States
Especial to The Free Press.]

Especial to The Free Press
From Thursdays Daily.
Jackson, Mimi, January 24.-The
National Non partisan league an
nounced a meeting at the village of
Lakefield for Thursday, January "a, at
two o'clock in the afternoon. AS soon
as this meeting was announced the Of
ficers of Jackson county, including the
director of public safety, the president
of the America First association, the
chairman of the county board, the
sheriff, county attorney, auditor, reg
lister of deeds, postmaster at Jackson,
and the officers of the village of
Lakefield directed letter to E. A.
Bowen of the Non partisan league at
st. Paul, asking that the meeting be
not held and setting forth the rea-
sons. The letter read as follows:
Jackson, Mimi, January 10, 1918.
Mr.. E. A. Bowen, National Non par
tisan League, st. Paul, MINI. Dear
Sir: l have your letter of recent
date, announcing a meeting of the
non bipartisan league at Jackson, Min
nesota, on January "a. Our country
at the present time is passing through
the most dangerous and critical peri
cd of it's history. The very life OF
the nation and the perpetuation of the
great principles of democracy and
free government are in the greatest
danger. The sole business of the
United States today is the winning Of
the war, and to that end all of OUT
resources, of material, money and
must be used.
"It has now been established be-
yond the possibility of successful con-
tradiction that our enemies would
long ago have been defeated and the
war ended had it not been for the
fact that they were able successfully
to disrupt the unity of purpose of
the peoples of the allies. The victory
against Russia, the temporary victory
against Italy were not won by arms
but were won by espionage, intrigue,
deceit and propaganda, set on foot by
Germany in the allied countries. And
if a victory is won by the central
powers against us, it will not be won
by bayonets and bullets, but will be
won by the breaking down of the
morale of the American people, and
by the disruption of our unity. Vari-
Gus organizations and societies have
been formed in this country under
German direction and financed by
German money, with the view to de-
the United States, as Rus
STA was demoralized 1t is the duty
of every person in this country who
has vestige of patriotism or Ameri-
canism left in him, to combat this
German propaganda and intrigue to
the fullest extent Of his strength On
ly by so doing can America be safe
for democracy, to say nothing of max
ing the world safe for democracy.
"The Non-partisan league, which
you represent, has usually been class
ed as one of such disloyal organiza-
tons. It matters not to us whether
your organization has been brought
into existence or fostered by German
influences or not. The fact remains
that the work which it is doing at
this time is most disloyal and most
injurious to the best interests of this
nation. At time when all good
Americans are endeavoring to create
a unity of sentiment, to crystalize
public opinion in favor of a vigorous
of the war, to put aside
party differences and class hatred,
and to work together in one common
cause for righteousness and for hui
manity, you go about the country
sowing seeds of dissension, class
hatred, and social unrest. You try to
divert the attention of the American
now before it. The fact that your
is drawing unto itself the
strong pro- German element and dis
loyalists of all classes in the country,
makes it quite evident that we have
not misjudged it's true character.
eff there is anything wrong with our
social and economic systems, these
matters can easily be deferred until
our nation is once more in a state
of peace. When the nation is in a
death grapple for existence, you and
your organizations are doing your
worst to fetter and weaken it, and
thus give aid and comfort to our en-
emies. In our opinion, your action is
not only most disloyal, but is sediti-
Gus in the extreme.
1--WE have asked you and other
speakers belonging to your organiza-
ton to keep out of this county. We
do not want you here at all, and any
attempt to hold further Non partisan
league meetings will be likely to re-
suit in very seriousc disturbances.
For that reason we shall use every
measure at our disposal to prevent
you from speaking here and to pre-
vent your organization from holding
any further meetings in this county.
Yours truly, R. G.. Muir, director OF
public safety; o. C. Lee, sheriff.
"The undersigned heartily endorse
the views and sentiments expressed by
the director of public safety in the
foregoing letter: P. d. Mcclellan,
county auditor; E. H. Nicholas, coun-
ty attorney; John L. King, postmas-
ter; Harry M. Burnham, chairman
county board; O.. Thoreson, chairmay
America First association; R. ]. Hill,
register of deeds; ]. G. Branch, chair
man America First association for
Lakefield; H. l.. Bond, local director
public safety for Lakefield; James
Rost, president village council, Lake
field"
League Met With Opposition.
"On the afternoon of the 23rd, JOS
eph Gilbert, state secretary of the
league and three or four other speak
ers and organizers appeared at Lake
field and insisted on holding a meet