Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-08-21
SABOTAGE
CAMPAIGN BEGINS
Gang Spreads Lie About League
And l. W. w. Combine To
Hold Up Harvest.

1 4SCpOkLS ny ACdSuc OISdulACIS lluL
rumOrs are being spread among the
farmers that the Nonpartisan league
is organizing laborers for the purpose
of demanding $40 day during the
harvest season, coupled with the sim
ultaneous appearance in I. v. A. papers
in different parts of the state of
charges to the same effect, has led to
the belief that the !. V. A. has begun
the campaign of sabotage exposed in
the League daily papers about ten
days ago.
At that time information reached
the League papers through leak in
the I. v. A. system that thugs would
be imported into the state by the /. v.
| A., who, while posing as members of
the l. w. w., would commit depreda-
lions in different localities as a part
of pretended campaign to obtain
$40 day wage, and that the state
would be filled at the same time with
rumors that the Nonpartisan League
was behind this movement. BY these
desperate tactics it was hoped to
arouse the farmers against the L eague
and destroy the organization.
The first intimatiOn of an I.~V. A.
plot to incite the farmers against their
organization came during the cam
paign preceding the referendum cleo
ton. The I. V. A. papers then re-
peatedly charged, without foundation,
that League speakers were attempting
to organize the transient workers for
a $40 wage in the harvest fields. Later
| 0,n f,0 thD ofn
of the I. V. A. and warning was
sent out by the League dailies. A few
days ago Peter Romsaas, a League Or.
ganizer working in Cass county,
brought in the information that sew
eral farmers had told him that they
had been Informed that agents of the
Nonpartisan League were organizing
the farm hands in Fargo and urging
these laborers to hold out for $40 u
day during the harvesting and thresh-
ing. season.
These farmers told Mr.. Romsaas
that the men who had told them this
were travelling over the country for
seemingly no other reason than to
warn them of this alleged "plot."
Some of the farmers Mr.. Romsaas met
apparently believed the story and
asked him why the League was organ
izing the harvest hands against the
farmers. In the great majority of
cases the organizer succeeded in con-
vincing the farmers that they had been
imposed upon, but a few were still dis
turbed by--these rumors when he left
them. e'<~
Before the League headquarters and
publications had received any intima-
ton that men were spreading these
false rumors among the farmers, the
campaign of publicity evidently de-
signed >to operate in connection with
them had evidently begun.
Last week the LaMOure Chronicle.
an anti-farmer paper, contained the
following:
If the Chronicles information is
correct-and it comes from source
which cannot we'll be questioned-the
farmers and threshermen of LaAIoure
county and of the state in general will
soon be face to face with the most
serious labor difficulty that ever con.
frohted them. Threshing rigs are to
be tied up permanently by striking
crews, the owners and the farmers to
be left helpless and the strikers pro-
tected under the provisions of an anti
Injunction law passed by the last leg
islature.
"Details of this delightful scheme
came to light in LaMoure the first of
the week. A nonresident employe of
the N. P. railroad, whose identity It is
thought best not to disclose at this
time, CHANGED to overhear a conversa-
ton which was being carried on by q
crew of itinerant harvest hands in the
city park. The trend Of the confab
interested the railroad man, and he
Joined the group, passing himself off
as laborer In search Of work. The
spokesman Of the group, who proved
to be a sort Of walking delegate for
the /. w. WIS, then explained the
program. He said that as soon as
the threshfng season opened as many
red card men as possible would Join
threshing crews. After day or two
strike for impossible wages and fam
tastic conditions as to hours of labor,
etc., would be ordered and this would
eASN.nSVAy Cne
operation OF the rig and in tying the
hands of the owner, who is rendered
helpless by the provisions of House
Bill No. 81, Limiting Powers of Courts
to Grant Injunctions.' 4.
i Here follows reprint of the law
In question, with this comment added:
1T could not be shown, of course,
that the tying uD of a threshinp rim
would result in irreparable injury to
the rig; and in general it is to be
noted that the act affords complete
protection not only to strikers but to
those who incite others to strike. The
purpose and effect Of the act would
seem to be to encourage strikes. and
to render the employers of labor en-
tirely helpless SO far as the courts are
concerned"
1t Is League law and xuaa nm.