The Tomahawk., 1918-03-21
NONPART|SANS GIVE
TO RED CROSS FUND
Minnesota League Speakers
Turn In Thousands to Help
Win War.

| VIII wal
Charges made by Big business that
the National &onpartisan league Is a
disloyal organization received another
body blow when announcement was
| maize that several thousand dollars
had been collected III MINI esota for
the Red Cross, during the past month
under the auspices of the league. A
large part of this money came as the
result Of personal appeals by A. c..
Townley. president of the league,
| and was taken in collections at meet
ings that he addressed.
In some parts Of the state OF Min
| nesota the league has been obliged to
| put up fight for the fundamental
| right of free speech. Evidence has
been unearthed pointing to q state
| wide conspiracy OH the part OF hank
| ers. profiteers and politicians, to dis
| rupt the league by breaking up its
| meetings and charging it with being
a disloyal organization. Mob violence
| was cesorted to in several places to
| interfere with league speakers and or
ganizers. In a number of instances
mobs were led by officers, of the law.
Farmers Demand Rights.
So serious did the situation become
| that the farmers determined some
thing should be done to secure their
| rights. More than $50 farmers. rep
| resenting every county in the state.
- Do, nd 1ni oripV-
ances before the governor, demand
ing the removal Of three sheriFs
and one states attorney whose flag
rant law violations, they declared,
had much to do with rousing a SEN
timent that threatened a serious d.
vision in the people Of the state at
time when all should be united in
common purpose for the winning OF
the war.
The spokesman for the farmers
cited over twenty instances Of vio-
lence on the part Of local officials,
one Of the latter going so far as to
| threaten to kill a league speaker
The farmers we're accompanied by
delegation from organized labor. Not
| receiving assurance from the gov
ernor lhcy laid their case before the
United States district attorney and
| promised to carry their grievance to
the highest authority in the land If
the prosecutions were not stopped.
Received Wide Publicity.
The lawless acts on the parts of
the officials who stopped league meet
ings received wide publicity, which
carried with 1t the implication that
the league was disloyal. The daily
press III and out of tho state pub
lished unfair and glazing accounts OF
| the occurrences at these meetings,
utterly ignoring the hundreds of
otfe. meetings being held in the state
which were not being fnterfered with.
In some Of the latter city and county
officials We'd with each other in en-
Pertaining the lea que speakers and in
seeing that the farmers were given
the accommodations which they re-
quired III the way OF hall
Where the League is Known.
There was no trouble in those ports
Of the state in which the league has
been organized for some time. A
notable example Of this was the meet
ing at Thief River Falls, which was
neld in the city auditorium, followed
by dinner given to Mr.. Townley and
other formers by the Commercial
| club.
The many harmonious meetings OF
| the league, at which patriotism was
the dominant note and at which large
collections for the Red Cross were
taken up, have taken the ground
from under the conspirators and have
convinced the people Of the state
| that sinister influences were at work
trying to prejudice them against the
farmers organization.
Caused League Boom.
The reaction among the farmers
was even greater than among the
people of the cities The evidence
that they were rallying to their or
garization was made apparent by the
RAPID increase in membership. It ia
| estimated that over 5000 farmers
Joined the league in Minnesota vol
unfairly and without solicitation on
February %, the day of the league
| precinct caucuses.
| Coal Ten Cents a Ton.