The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-09-06
IA Commission Resolution
Brings On Merry Row
At Morning Meeting
NO POLITICS ARE
BEING PLAYED
Blakemore Is Rebuked. for
Asking for Deferred
Classification

The Fargo city commission today
passed a. resolution instructing the
city auditor to send to the secretary
OF the, Cass county draft board, a
copy of q resolution adopted July 25,
putting the commission on record as
not urging or countenancing the! CIV
ing Of deferred classification in the
draft to any city employe on the
ground that he was indispensable to
the conduct Of the city's business.
The resolution was introduced by
Commissioner Jordan, who ex-
planned that he had been asked sew
eral times why the commission had
not defined its position on the draft
ing Of city employees, and was adopt
ed without a dissenting vote.
Amendment Brings Row.
An attempt by Commissioner
Blakemore to introduce as an
amendment to the resolution a state
ment by Newton D. Baker, secretary
of war, condemning low brow" poll
ticians, who raised the cry Of pro-
German and traitor against those
who Sdisagreed with them politically,
participated a merry row when Mr.
Blakemore, after the defeat of the
amendment, inferred that the origi-
nal resolution was a. SLAP" at him
president Of the commission, had
hired a stenographer from The
Fargo Forum, ito see that the paper
igot it,
II have conclusive evidence that a
fstenographer from The Fargo Forum
WAS hired, and brought here to take
down that resolution" said Mr.
Blakemore.
|. The lie was passed by Mr.. Stern,
who rose to his feet and said
I've never hired anybody to take
down anything. There is a man from
! The Fargo Forum in the room right
! now ask HIM
! Commissioner Jordan interposed,
and asked The Forum representative
| If the young lady who covered the
commission meeting that day was a
! stenographer, and received the ans
wer that she was not, but was at the
meeting in her capacity as a re-
porter.
Tn not. doing things for political
effect, said Mr.. Stern, addressing
himself to Mr. Blalke1nere, sand I've
never made affidavit to secure de-
ferred classification for a city en1-
ploye as you did in the case OF your
bookkeeper, Mr.. Waite, who you
claim lis indispensable to your de-
partment, and who has no more
business being out Of the war than
any other young man.
No Employs indispensable.
There isn't a city employe who is
Indispensable My three boys, all
have, are in the service. If should
die tonight, there wouldn't be q soul |
here who would know anything about |
my affairs not even my wife. My |
oldest son is the only one that knows
anything about my affairs, and he
was not indispensable when war
called. He enlisted, and so did the
others.
Il did not ask deferred classifica-
tion for any employee answered Mr.. |
Blakemore, but merely filled out a |
statement at the request of Judge
Guptil, covering all the waterworks |
employees.
THE records at the court house
show differently interposed Com |
missioner Jordan. Il saw them my
SELF,
Covered Specific Case.
''I introduced that original resolu-
ton after l. had received several an
onymous letters and had the matter
brought to my attention by Ed Madi- |
son, who is in. this room, and / will |
say for your benefit, Mr.. Blakemore
l1lbLG IL cONSEGu# d SpGClIlC case THAT
Of your Mr.. Waite. Mr. Madison in
yestigated the reports that Mr.
Waite was being sheltered from the
service, and reported. to me personal
ly. He win tell you so himself.
Mr.. Madison, who was present,
took the floor, and explained to the
commissioner how he came to inves-
tigate the case, declaring that he ex-
ercised his rights as an American
citizen in so doing.
In the vote on the amendment,
Commissioner Blakemore voted yes, |
and Commissioners Stern, Jordan
and Strate, no, Commissioner Mills
being absent