New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
Memorialize Senate
For His Recall
They Say Lesser Pacifists
Take Courage From
Unpunished Sedition
.uE continued dclavs and evasio,

senate. have raised up new and active
,,erics against him. The Vigilante:
tn. organization Of leading authors
4. America has struck out against
him at tho same time that anti-Ls
folletse sentiment is being organized
n his home state.
The Vigilantes have struck with s
nstition to President Marshall
set,!nc forth viviily the harm which
re Senator has done and Is doing. Ir
addition there were individual letters
from forty authors, each pointing out
uustically characteristics or acts o1
Mr.. La Toilette.
Meanwhile the organization Of ths
Wisconsin Loyalty Legion, a fusion
bcdy aimed to act against all disloyal
uublic officials, Is proceeding rapidly
Ills cunning first for the states Sena.
TOT, and hopes TO induce the state tt
nke action censuring him.
The Vigilantes' petition to Vice
President Marshall follows:
The Nigllantes, non-partisan or
eanization formed by the writer's Of
America for patriotic purposes, re-
.pectfully petitions you to bring to
the attention Of the honorable body
over which you preside the irclosed
letters Of protest against the con-
.inued membership in the highest
council Of the nation Of Robert NJ.
La Toilette.
The Vigilartes are passionately
devoted to the principle of free
speech and free press. Nothing
less than the conviction that Soma
tor La Toilette has abused both Of
these with the determined purpose
Of utilizing them to the injury Of
the United States, placing his indi-
yidual views and personal egotism
above the welfare of the country he
is pledged to support, would move
the writer's Of these letters to the
step they are now taking.
In this crisis Of our country many
privileges must DO abridged that the
country may survive. Freedom Of
public utterance, where the same
may injure the nation or bring COM
fort to its enemies, is one Of these.
thn crolnr->- rr ~ %xy
which holds the privilege of express
ing individual views superior to
aught else, should at least not be
permitted to promulgate this unpa-
triotic theory as q high official Of
tho country he houts and denounces.
Insolent and AudacIous
1t has long been notorious that
Senator La Toilette will leave no
effort untried which may interfere
with the efficient prosecution by
these United States of the war
against autocracy. With insolence
and audacity he has impugned the
country's motives and condemned its
acts. And chiefly because he is a
member OF the United States Senate,
and continues to hold that member
ship while he spouts rebellion and
sedtion, he has become the leader
and encourager Of every species of
anti-Americanism existing in this
country, whether the same be pro-
Germanism skulking in the by-ways
or the less sinister but equally dan
gerous resistance founded upon pa
cihsm or sheer cowardice.
AS writers, whose business it is to
keep themselves informed of the
sentiment of the country, we can tes-
tlfy that not seditious utterance of
Senator La Toilette has been allowed
to lie falIow All the un-American
publications still allowed to continue
their insidious propaganda find in
MIN wealth of that treason they no
longer dare express from their own
pens. The lIearsts, the Vierecks, the
harrlses and their like publish all
0I his writings and speeches in full
and In the most prominent sections
Ct their journals. They extol him to
The skies, they defend him against
Tile patriots who would unmask his
Sophistries, and they clearly convey
10 their readers that there can be no
real danger in defiance of the will of
'ne country, as that has been ex-
pressed by the chosen representa-
yves Of the people, SO long as La
'oIIette is permitted to enjoy the
nohors, the emoluments and the priv
"eges OF membership in the highest
council Of the state.
mat this situation is menace ia
'ne integrity and safety of the ma
uo'' that it docs much to prevent
'"e solidarity Of sentiment needed to
wage an efficient war, is sufficiently
patent, and justihes the Vigilantes,
"e are hrmly convinced. in trespass-
1s upon your valuable time and
'"a' OF the honorable gentlemen as
s0ciated with YOU.
What Members Say
''Nowing are excerpts from the lei
ers Of the members:
lawrence +. Abbott If soap box ors
"'s IN the streets of New York ar
''odden, as they ought to be forbid
ttf. fn NJ.