Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-12-04
LEGION ROASTED 10 LEGIsLA.


I'D An agitator from Minneapolis BY
the name of Barlow was allowed to
address q Joint session Of the legis-
lature that afternoon, and for two
hours or more he ,sapounded on the
depth Of iniquity to which this gov.
ernment has fallen, not forgetting to
pay his respects to the American Le-
gion.
Il Barlow was introduced to the league
legislature as a bomb-inventor. And
the nature Of the mans talk indicated
that he might well be called Bomber
Barlow. Nothing seemed to suit him
IN this country Of ours. He told at
length how rotten the government was
conducted, and how he used to have
the congressman and government Off
cials jumping sidewise every time he
showed up. He claimed to have serv-
ed in Mexico and that he was great
friend of Villas, and patiently ex-
planned that we people up here didn't
know how to properly pronounce his
name. q
Barlow seemed very much incensed
over the fact that free speech" was
being curtailed in the United States.
His references were frsquent to this
subject. He lis talker Of type gen
orally known as q "dynamiter," and
he seemed to be in the best Of form
on the occasion Of his address to the
league Legislature.
Much laughter was occasioned by
Rarlow's remark relative to the hor-
rihle things that the government was
doing to suppress the poor people
when he included martial law as one
Of the weapons. It appeared that
Barlow had gotten his wires crossed,
for those so deeply interested in get
ting him here were supporters Of a
martial law" movement right here at
home. Barlow quickly recovered him
sell, however, and stated that he was
glad to be here in North Dakota,
which was q sort Of "cradle of liber-
~, etc, etc"
This verbal dynamiter then closed
his iharangue by ripping, roaring
attack on the American Legion. Here
wsre his main complaints: ''That the
Legion was helping to prohibit free
speech; that the organization was run
by lieutenant -colonels; and that it's
national convention was an agent of
Wali Street."
Barlow said that he had come to
North Dakota to organize society
to be known as the World War Vet
Grams. This organization has affili-
ated nationally with the American Le-
gion. Minneapolis is practically the
only point where the World War Vet
Grams did not Join in with the Legion.
And in Minneapolis, certain radicals
Of Socialist Van Lear and his consci-
entious objector son type, managed to
hold . percentage in the other organi-
zation.
As the World War Veterans now
stands, it accepts dishonorably dis
charged men and conscientious object
ors gladly, and also gladly accepts
those who have never seen service as
auxiliary members. In Bismarck, we
heard that Barlow and his agents suc-
ceeded in lining up seven who had
been in the service, and fourteen who
had not. In addition, he sold many
Of the league members buttons at as
cents each. OF tn seven, practically
all are on the league state payroll.
The head of the Bismarck insurgent
order is an employee in Obert Olson-s
Office.
Rarlow's dynamiting before the
league legislature stirred up plenty of
excitement among the several hund-
red Legion members in Bisn.a ana
excitement ran high down town that
niyht. However. Barlow didn't axp,.r-