The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1918-10-10
Likened to Trotzky and Lenine

Likened to Trotzky and Lenine
An editorial by Theodore Roosevelt
in Kansas City Star: The absolute
prerequisite for successful self-govern-
ment in any people is the power of
self-restraint which refuses to follow
either the wildeyed extremists of
radicalism or the dull-eyed extremists
of reaction.
The dreadful fall which has befallep
Russia is due to the fact that when
her people cast off the tyranny of the
autocracy they did not have sufficient
self-control and common sense to
avoid rushing to the other extreme
and plunging headlong into the gulf
of Bolshevist anarchy.
In this country there are plenty of
highbrow Bolsheviki. They are so
fatuously ignorant that it may be a
dangerous fad. Some of them are
mere makebelieve. sissy Bolsheviki,
almost or quite harmless. Others are
sincere and foolish fanatics, who
mean well and who do not realize that
their doctrines tend toward moral dis.
integration.
But there are practical Bolsheviki
in this country who are in no sense
highbrows. The l. W. w. and the
Nonpartisan league, just as long and
SO far as it's members submit to the
domination of leaders like Mr.. Town
ley, represent the forces that under
Lenine and Trotzky have brought ruin
to Russia.
If these organizations obtained
power here they would cast this coun-
try into the same abyss with Russia.
l. w. w. activities have been offici-
ally set forth by the Chicago jury
which found the I. w. w. leaders
guilty of reasonable practices. These
leaders protested that they were only
trying to help "the wage slave of to-
day" and had not taken German mon.
ey. But the jury found them guilty as
charged.
The Nonpartisan league endeavored
to ally itself with the I. w. w. since
we entered the war, when the league
was started. l felt much sympathy
with it's avowed purposes.
hope for and shall welcome wisely
radical action on behalf of the far
mer, but only destruction to all of US
can come from the venomous class
hatred preached by the present leader
ship of the league.
Some Of its leaders have been con-
victed and imprisoned for treasonable
activities. Some Of the leagues re-
representatives. have been actively pro-
German.
Some are Socialists or socialist an
archists. For the first six months of
the war and until it became too dan
gerous, they were openly against the
war, against our allies and for Ger.
many.
The only half secret alliance be,
tween these leaders and certain high
Democratic politicians is deeply dis
creditable to the latter.
Victory of the league in its recent
effort to gain control Of the Repub-
lican party in Minnesota and Montana
would have given immense strength
to the pro-German and Bolshevist ele-
ment throughout the country, and it's
defeat was matter of rejoicing to all
right-minded and patriotic men.
Mr.. Townley's leadership in it's
moral purpose and national effect en-
titles him to rank with Messrs. Lenine
and Trotzky and the utterances of the
leagues official organ, especially in
its appeals to class hatred, puts the
official representatives of the league
squarely in the clan with the Bolshev-
ist leaders who have done such evil
in Russia.
I have before me an official letter
from the league written in January
last refusing to cooperate in non
political work for the benefit of the
farmers. saying "this organization is
a political one. the farmers being or
ganized to control legislation in their
own interests" in other words, the
title, Nonpartisan, is a! piece of pure
hypocrisy and its league is really
opfSc to-