The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-09
ENFORCED LOYALTY
COMES IN ILLINOIS
IN TWO COUNTIES IN ILL
NOIS DRASTIC METHODS
ARE ADOPTED.
SOCIETY BUSY
Men Taken From Beds and Forced
to Kiss Every Star in Flag-Oth-
ers Made to Sing the National
Anthem and Do Other Stunts.

Anthem and Do Other Stunts.
St. Louis, March 9.--Enforced
loyalty has been placed on a bust
ness basis in Macoupin, Madison
and Montgomery counties in south
ern Illinois, where the activities Of
pro-German propagandiStS recently
became so pronounced that vigilance
committees in numerous towns
have forced hundreds of suspected
persons to make public manifesto
tions of their allegiance to the gov
ernment. In one town two alleged
leaders OF seditious movements
were tarred and feathercd.
Branches of the American De-
Tense Society operating through
vigilance committees i'll practically
every town in the district have tax
en- the lead in stamping out disloy-
atty. The first move to rouse the
propagandists was made in Staun-
ton, where an alleged |. W. W. and
a Chicago attorney were escorted
to the city limits, coated with tar
and feathers and started walking in
different directions. The reason
for this aggression was said to be
the activity of the men in causing
disSession among several thousand
coal miners near Staunton.
On the same night more than one
hundred persons were made 20 sign
pledges of loyalty.
Make Public Confessions.
News OF the use of such stern
measures spread and within week
Worden, Mount Olive, Gillespie,
Williamson, Hillsboro and several
other smaller towns made demon
strations. In some Of these towns
scores of persons were taken from
their homes and requested to make
public profession OF their loyalty.
Several men were taken from their
beds and, knceling on the sidewalk,
were forced to kiss eve, star in the
flag. Some were made to sing the
national anthem, while others were
compelled to play patriotic airs on
musical instruments. Protests
against such actions were construed
as evidences of disloyalty. In sew
eral such instances arrests were
made and federal charges preferred
against the men.
The most serious result of the
demonstrations was in Hillsboro,
where Clifford Donaldson, p years
old, was shot when the vigilance
committee called at his father s
home in search OF |. w. w. mem
berS. Shots were exchanged. DON
aIdson was killed and +. B. Emory,
city marshal, and Ernest Flath were
wounded. Later, it was learned
Donaldson had enlisted in the navy
only few days before his death and
that his father was unacquainted
with any OF the suspected persons.
Members OF the vigilance commit
tee deny that they counsel violence.
They declare that their actions have
the approval of civic officers. They
insist that the district embraced by
Macoupin, Madison and Montgom-
cry counties for some time has been
the objective of an active campaign
by pro-German Sympathizers.
At Union Miners Meeting.
As evidence OF their success they
point to recent meeting of repre-
Sentatiyes OF more than 1000 mem-
berS OF miners union in Staunton.
In less than one week after two al
legged sedition leaders had been
tarred and feathered, the union vot-
ed contribution of $50 per
month to the Red Cross, purchased
1000 worth OF thrift stamps, rein
stated all members who had lost
standing because of army or navy
enlistment, arranged for payment OF
their dues during the period of the
war, and ended a mass meeting in
such burst OF patriotic fervor that
the singing of the national anthem
was drowned in cheers for Presi-
dent Wilson and the government.
Reports from other cities where
demonstrations were staged indicate
that the same leaven OF patriotism
is at work and that prospects are
bright for a fulfllment of the wish
of loyalty leaders that the district
be made "one hundred per cent
American"