Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-09
HASTINGS SAYS
MONEY WAS A
REPAYMENT
League Stores Official Asks
Attorney General For
Investigation.

S>Oee SA sAS
States district court for more than a
year to avoid a disclosure of the A.
nancial records either of the National
Nonpartisan league, the Consumers
United Stores company and other cor
porations which he controls, Mr.
Townley's financial secretary" J. J..
Hastings Of Fargo, has made a de-
mand on the attorney general Of
North Dakota for an investigation "in
justice to the league, of which I am
financial secretary, and the corpora
ton, of which 1 am president" to use
his own words as published by the
Socialist newspaper in, Fargo.
Mr.. Hastings demand on the attor-
ney general, If made in good faith,
would involve a disclosure by Mr..
Hasting of the records of both the Ma
tional N~onpartisan league and the
Consumers United Stores company, a
thing that his chief, A. c. Townley.
has been opposed to doing, and
against which he has been making a
fight for yer a yea in the federal
proceedings in which he asks absolu-
ton from the payment of about $780,
600 in debts, against which he has
balanced assets worth about $500.
The demand hat Mr.. Hastings has
made on the attorney general, Will
liam LANCER, is tn result of the pub
LEGATION of the Photographic copy of a
check drawn by Mr.. Hastings as presi-
dent Of the Consumers United Stores
company, a corporation, in favor of
the National Nonpartisan league, a
political organization. The league
Socialists have only a few days ago
caused one arrest in North Dakota
under the corrupt practices act of the
state, charging that an agent Of the
Joint Campaign committee has So
licited contributions from corpora
tions. Gifts of money or other val
liable things by corporations to politi-
cal organizations is q thing forbidden
by law.
Mr.. Hastings, in connection with
the telegram he has SEN to the attor-
ney general, according to the Socialist
newspaper that quotes him at some
length, says that the 5000 check
represents a repayment by the Con-
sumers' United Stores company to the
National Nonpartisan league OF
money loaned by the league to the
stores company.
can investigation to determine
whether or not this Is the case would
necessarily cover the accounts Of botk
corporations, and it would necessarily
have to be a thorough going account
ing If it is to be satisfactory" said q
Fargo accountant today, who was
asked whether or not he would be
willing to take the books of the
at a few entries-and go. on record as
Ito what they meant. ST
If the league loaned money to the
store company, n the store COM
pany made repayment of money sc
loaned, 1t would be necessary for ar
accountant to go into the records at
some length in order to definitely es.
tablish that fact"
Purpose of Corrupt Practices Act.
'The purpose of the corrupt prac.
tices act of North Dakota as 1 under
stand it, is to absolutely divorce poll.
teal interests from corporation inter
ests." said a Fargo attorney this
morning. "a rather unusual condi.
ton is developed in this matter, where
a political party is said to have made
a loan to a corporation. n the cor
poration makes a repayment there
of. The whole spirit Of the act is the
discouragement of any such com.
munion Of interest between political
organizations and private corpora.
tions, and it is surprising to fund such
q condition at a point from which We
have heard SO much recently about
corporate influence in politics."
Investigation Interesting.
In the event that Attorney General
William LANCER accedes to the request
of Mr.. Hastings for an investigation
of the National N~onpartisan league
and the Consumers United Stores
company, a detailed report of such in.
curry would create no end Of interest
in North Dakota n elsewhere, in
view of the oft published statements
covering the gigantic nature Of the A.
nancial operations aof both institu-
tons, each of which has handled sums
up in the millions of dollars.