The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-30
E. e. Murphy Says Republicans
Are s'Going Over"
Disguised With Governors
"Shameful" Acts, He Says.
ONE REPUBLICAN IS QUOTED
Governors Advice to German
Director Again Reviewed.
Letter Written to III. III. Wiebe
Is Given Out.


Democratic state central committee,
believes the Republican voters are de-
serting Governor Capper in droyes.
Especially is this true of those Kan
sans whose sons are facing the with
ering fire of the German guns on the
western front and who are disguised
with Capper's "shamefuP' acts as a
public servant, he says.
Murphy's statement quoting a Re
publican who has decided to desert
the Capper ship of state as given out
today is as follows
Republicans of Kansas whose sons are
facing the whitening fire of the German
guns on the western front and whose saw
ings have gone into liberty bonds to buy
munitions for our soldiers; are deserving
United States senator by the hundreds
because of his shameful acts as public
servant in catering to the traitorous pro-
seldom passes but what dozens of letters
repudiating Governor Cappcr's acts are
received at Democratic headquarters.
"One staunch Republican leader In the
western part of the state, after he had
stood Capper's pettfogsing as long as he
could, declared himself as follows:
How One Republican Feels.
81 have three boys who are facing the
hell on the western front. They have asked
TO odds and they have offered all to win
this war. We folks at home have striven
BONDS and support all other war securities.
Then when l read u1cGutradicted letters
written by Governor Carper to Hen who
declare themselves to be German paIifiscs
subtly suggesting to them that they need
not buy liberty bonds, il compels me to go
forth among my neighbors against him.
=" My CONS breasts a part of the wall
Of men that hold the might of the brutal
German soldier and my dollars form a
part of the wall of gold to support them.
In view OF these facts my vote meyer will
go to any man for his own benefit
This man vas one of the hundreds who
had become sickened at the methods Of
Governor Canper in trying to keep the
pro-German vote in line He was a rea der
OF OFT the e. Canper publications which have one
and another for the German sympathizer.
Comparison OF Records.
"Since the return of Senator Thompson
from the front IN France where he went
battles with words of good cheer and mas-
sages from home, there have been fran+.c
efforts to obscure Governor Capper's sal
lies to the German elements They knew
that Governor Capper's war record. a
pacifist before we were actually engaged
and his subsequent betrayal of American
Ideals for which our boys are dying. would
not stand comparison with the perfect
war record of senator Thompson WHOSE
every vote was for red bIooded American
ism. =
"A sample of Governor Capper's con-
duct of which all loyal Republicans ar.
ash, Is found in the correspondence
farmer, whose postoff:ce address is White
water, Kan. On April 16, 1918, more thea
Z, year after the United States had entered
the war, and when every loyal American
was asked to do his part in full, Wiebe de-
slrlng to avoid buying liberty bonds which
would be used to buy bullets to kill Ger
man soldiers, wrote the governor as fol-
lows:
Being Mennonite, am n member of
well organized church that forbids par
ticipatton in war in any form. Yet wish
to show my loyalty. But since l would
foster war in buying liberty bonds. 1 beg
for my permission to overturn to the Red
Cross the amount Of money that would be
my share of liberty bonds
"On the next day. Governor Capper
answered on the official stationery of the
executive office of Kansas cs follows:
April II, 1918
" MT. H. H. Wiebe, Whitewater, Kan.
Dear Sir: Answering your letter of
April 16 in regard to your duty toward the
war. will say that so far as can see there
should be no objection to contributing
fer to do it in this way. The main thing
IS for you to let it be known that you stand
back of the government and that you are
ready to do all you can consctentlorsly do ::
and if you give your money to the Red
Cross it seems to me that would be evil
dence of your loyalty to the United States.
Very respectfully,
"ARTHUR CAPPER,
"'Governor.'
"While the Wiebe letter is only one in
stance of abuse of the highest office of the
state of Kansas, it is sufficient to cause
hundreds of mothers whose boys are in
the khaki to chill with the thought that
for the army and thus place their boys in
for danOQr