Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-12

feel. is an insult TO us as citizens OF
the commonwealth no less than TO our
patriotic parents and friends who most
sfaunchiy backed US to tho very limit
Of theif' ability, 81
Soldiers Demand Evidences.
You have made broad and sweep
Ing statements unsupported by single
instance or bit OF evidence from which
could be gathered veriiicatton or your
statements. You say that in former I'D
erty loan campaigns they, cine food
roads people 81 Potmwattamio county,
we're terrorizcd and abused by sell
constituted bodies OF local tyrants'
yactng without any legal authority or
restraint, who arrogated to theih-
selves the Illegal power OF sitting III
Judgment on every one elsc's pat
riotism. Again you say that you
prorr'e TO advise every loyal patriotlc
person who suffered an abuse or ms
rights as free American citizen the
recourse he has under the law, we
ask You. ont of fairness TO, ourselves
and to the citizens Of PottaWattamie
county and in an effort to remove
from the war history of this county
the stain which YOU as an outsider
have cast upon It. to furnish MS PROOF
by giving us the names. dates, wit
nesscs and circumstances Of every Gin
gle instance of oppression in Potta-
wattamie county which YOU say was
practicod in this county during our
sence by those YOU change with these
acts. d,
You say citizens of this county have
been forced to buy bonds against their
will and to buy more bonds than thes
could afford. DO you wish TO put this
matter upon the basis Of being able TO
afford? II so, We ask you, Gould
single boy afford to lose his leg, his
arm. his life ?" We all, - soldiers, felt
that we could afford to endure the de-
privations and burdens OF war, CIV
ing our lives il necessary. | pom our re-
turn we were sstonished at the uni
versal prosperity of this country. so
nat If ii he a question of affording IL,
certainly no comparison can be made
between the boy who gave up his por-
ton of this prosperity. receiving in re-
turn the bells of war, and the person,
who rcma lining at home, enjoyed all the
tOlDlOTls Oh tHdl llTcSlue, anu tSpSii-
onced no hell. We as men who did ar
ford II, demand Of you the 'naino OF
any man in Pottawattam;e county VINO
says that he bought more bonds than
he could afford. And in support of our
challenge we propose that you select
y reputable business man and account
ant Of POttawattamie courty, who with
n business man and accountant OF our
selection, will agree upon third. the
three of them TO investigate any case
in ottaWattamie county YOU can pro-
duCe. and their investigation Will snow
YOU that the man under investigation
is Weather today than re was at The
beginning Of the war Thus even ubon
a mere ptcuniary basis it was never a
question Of being able to afford II. The
memory Of our dead comrades. who
gladly felt that they could afford 10
give their lives and did give their
lifes blood for this country. demands
that the few unpatriotie complaining
sla Ckers, whom you appealed to in your
special editions. be made Known in this
community and to those of us who
fought by tho side of the boys who
gave their lives for US all.
Not a Political Issue.
You endeavorcd to becloId the is
sues here involved by accusing Us Of
playing politics. This we deny most
and wish you. to under
stand that this organization is in no
sense of political character, nor does
it intend to be drawn into such
field by you or any one Else. We had
no knowledge of your personal quar-
rels, nor do we care. II II you. your
self. who sought to inject that foreign
element into this discussion, and ac-
cused us Of political play. Rainbow
post No. 2. belinsinE to the American
Legion. a national organization. stands
primarily but for one thing, and that,
true and unQuestioned Americanism.
And 1t Is with but this one thought in
mind that the post transmits this. its
message, to you.
Despite your most disCourteous ref
erence to my personal inability to get
overseas. I refrain from injecting into
this message anything of a personal
nature whatever, and ! forward the
same to you as directed by the post at
its regular meeting as It's commander.
JOHN NJ. HENRY,
Post Commander"
ALUMNI REUNION At GRlNNElL.