Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-15

indignant at the continued delays and
%evasions of Robert NJ. Lat>ollettc. in
bringing to an issue the investigation
OF his conduct now being made by
the Committee of the L.. S. Senate,
have sent the following petition. to
Vice President Marshall, acting as
President of the Senate.
The Nigilantes. Il non-partisan or
Eanization formed by the writer's of
America for patriotic purposes. res
specially petitions you to bring to the
attention of the honorable body over
which you preside. the enclosed letters
of protest against the continued MEM
bcrsi1ip in the highest council of the
nation Of Robert NJ. IaFollctte.
"Thc Vigilantes are passionately
devoted to the principle Of free speech
and Il free press. Nothing less than
the conviction that Senator I4aFollette
has abused 10Th OF these with the de-
termined purpose of utilizing them to
the injury OF the United States, plac-
ing his individual views and personal
egotisln above the welfare of the
country he is pledged to support.
would move the writer's Of these let
tiers to the step they arc now taking.
"In his crisis of our country many
privileges must be abridged that the
country may survive. Freedom of
punt ILlCl 1IINc, "IISlS Ia VII IIdy
%injurc the nation or bring comfort to
it's enemies. is II of these. The
spokesman of a small minority, which
holds the privilege of expressing in
dividual views superior to aught else.
should at least not be permitted to
~promulgate this unpa:riotic> theory as
a high official Of the country he fouts
and d~enuonces.
ut has long been notorious that
Senator LaFollette will leave no eff
fort untricd which may interfere with
! the efficient prosecution of these Unit
ed States of the war against autoc-
racy. With insolence and audacity he
has impugned the country's motives
and condemned its acts. And chiefly
because he Is a member of the Unit
ed States senate. and continues to
hold that membership while he spouts
rebellion and sedition. he has become
the leader and cncourager of every
species of anti-Amcricanism existing
in this country whether the SAME be
pro-Germanism skulking in the by
ways or the less sinister but equally
dangerous resistance founded upon
pacif1snl Or sheer coWardice.
LAS writer's, whose business it is to
keep themselves Informed of the sem
tin1ent of the country. we can testify
that not a seditious utterance of SEN
ator LaFollette has been allowed to
lie fallow. All the un-American pub
LEGATIONS still allowed to continue their
insidious propaganda find in him a
wealth of that treason they no long
or dare Express from their own pens.
The Hearsts. the Nierecks. the Har-
rises and their like publish all of his
writings and speeches in full and in
the most prominent sections of their
journals. They cHtol him to the skies.
they defend him against the patriots
who would unmask his sophistries and
they clearly convey to their readers
that there can he no real danger in
defiance of the will of the country, as
en- representatives of the people, so
long AS LaFollette is permitted to IN
Joy the honOrS, the ~emolunlents and
the privileges Of membership in the
highest council of the state.
THAT this situation is a menace to
the integrity safety Of the nation.
that it does much to prevent the soli-
darity of sentiment needed to wage an
efficient war. is sufficiently patent. and
iustifies The N~igilantes, we r firm
ly convinced, in trespassing' upon
your valuable time and that of the
honorable gentlemen associated with
you.
Gsigned) Charles ]. Rosebault.
Managing Editor.
Accompanying the above were indf-
vidual letters from 40 authors. each
of these condemning the activities of
the Wisconsin senator, as these are
viewed by the individual writer, from
which the following are excerpts:
Lawrence T.. Abbott: "If soap box
orators in the streets of New York are
forbidden, as they ought to be forbid
den. to attack the course Of the gov
eminent what shall be said of the SEN
ator who uses his franking privilege
to disseminate attacks UPON that gov
eminent"
Ralph Henry Barbour: $50 long as
Robert NJ. LaFollette retains his seat
in the United States senate, so long
shall We hear the echoing mouthings
Of his disciples"
Abbie Farwell Brown: THE. paci-
fists are sowing sedition: both those
who act from sincere but untimely
principles, and those VIII are traitors
who wish to see mischief triumph.
They should all be restrained. Ger
tainly none such should be allowed to