The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-08
RECORD PROBE,
LONG CONTESTED
is DEMANDED BY
TOWNLEY AGENT
Hastings Asks Attorney
General to Investigate
League and Stores
DENIES GIVING T.
MONEY TO LEAGUE
Says $1,000 Check Repre-
sents Repayment of Loan
to Corporation

After his chief has been fighting
in the United States district court
for more than a year to avoid a dis
closure of the financial records either
OF the National Nonpartisan league
or the Consumers United Stores
company which he controls, Mr..
TownIey's financial secretary. ]. ].
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 l
am financial secretary, and the cor
poration, OF which / am president"
10 use Mr.. Hastings own words as
published by the Socialist newspaper
IN Fargo.
Mr.. Hastings demand on the at
torney general would involve a dis
closure by Mr.. Hastings of the
/ records of both the National Nom
partisan league and the Consumers
United Stores company, thing that
his chief, A. c. Iownley, has been
opposed to doing in connection with
bankruptcy proceedings in which
Mr.. Townley asks absolution from
the payment of about $4,000 in
debts, against which he balances as
sets worth about $500.
The demand that Mr.. Hastings has
made on the attorney general, VIII
liam LANCER is the result Of the
publication by The Forum on Mon
day afternoon OF the Photographic
copy Of a check drawn by Mr.. Hast :
ings as president of the Consumers
United Stores company, corpora
ton. in favor Of the National Nom
PARTISAN league, political organ
ization. The league Socialists 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 solicited contributions
from corporations. while gifts OF
money or, other valuable things by
corporations to political organlza-
ton is a thing forbidden by law. g..
Mr.. Hastings, in connection with
the telegram he has sent to the at
torney general, according to the So
cialist newspaper that quotes him
at some length, says that the $4,000
check represents a repayment by
the Consumers United Stores com
panv to the National Nonparttsan
league Of money loaned by the
league to the stores company.
IAN investigation to determine
whether or not this is the case would
necessarily cover the accounts of both
CORPORATIONS, and it would neces-
sarily have to be a thorough going
accounting if it is to be satisfac-
tory" said a Fargo accountant today,
who was asked whether or not he
would be willing to take the books
of the league and the stores COM
panv. Iool; at a few entries and go
on record as to what they mean.
"If the league loaned money to the
store company, and the store com
pany made repayment of money so
loaned, it would be necessary for an
accountant to go into the records at
some length in order to definitely es-
tahlish that fact"
Purpose of Corrupt Practices Act.
The purpose of the corrupt prac-
tees act of North Dakota as I'M
derstand it, is to absolutely divorce
polftical interests from corporation
interests" said a Fargo attorney this
morning. "a rather unusual condi-
ton is developed in this matter,
where an officer of a political party
says the political party made a loan
to a corporation. The whole spirit
of the act is the disbursement of
any such communion of interest be-
tween political organizations and
private corporations, and 1t is sur
prising to find such condition at a
point from which we have heard 50
much recently. about corporate in
fluence in politics" -..... =.
Investigation interesting,
In the event that Attorney General
William LANCER accedes to the re-
quest of Mr.. Hastings for an investi-
cation of the National Nonpartisan
league and the Consumers United
Stores company, a detailed report Of
such inquiry would create no end OF
interest in North Dakota and else
where, in view of the oft published
statements covering the gigantic
nature Of the financial operations OF
both institutions, each of which has
handled sums up in the millions of
dollars and Mr.. Townley's long fight
against making any disclosure of the
finances of either institution.