The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-08-14

Don't you know that the American
Legion is controlled by Wall street,"
asked Bill Lemke.
That is the way the chief counsel
of A. C Townley takes a rap at the
100 per cent Americans who have or
ganized the non political American Le-
gion of all the men who were in the
service during the Great War; organ.
lied for the purpose of instilling true
Americanism into the nation, for fra
ternal and social Intercourse and not
for politics. ..-
The above statement was made to
Rheinhart Kamplin Of Crosby, a ser
geant in the army and law partner
of Lieut.. Lester Smith, who was
killed October 2 in the fighting in the
Argonne forest. Smith and Kamplin
closed up their law office when the
United States entered the war, and
both got into the service. Smiths
record is that Of one of the nations
heroes. Kamplin served until long at
ter the armistice and returned to his
work some time in. June.
With the Divide county members of
the American Legion he conceived the
idea of establishing a soldiers and
sailors weekly newspaper to serve the
29,600 service men of the state. An
option was secured on the Divide
County Journal, published at Crosby
and Kamplin then began writing let
ters to various people in an effort tc
secure the naming of that paper as the
official publication. He addressed re
quests for assistance to Secretary OF
State Thomas Hall, who declared he
would do everything possible. to have
the paper named, but called attention
to the fact that he had but one vote
He wrote to Commissioners Of Agricul
ture Hagan who answered: II will try
to be fair in every respect and you1
application will receive every consid
eration" He wrote to Sam Aandahl
railroad commissioner, who answered
II have made, no promises but vii
act; as my conscience dictates whe1
the board meets Saturday" r" = y
No Quarrel With League.
Kamplin then wrote to William
Lemke. and his letter in part was a!
follows: "A number of US returned
soldiers have just about completed
negotiations for the purchase of thu
Divide County Journal OF course WI
have to buy on time as we lost mos
everything we had when we went tt
war. We have no quarrel with thu
Nonpartisan league. This newspaper
will Immediately represent about 70(
soldiers and sailors in Divide county
and 1t is our hope that it will event
ually become the official mouthpiec'
for the entire state. As have statet
before we have no quarrel with th'
Nonpartisan league. AS a matter o
fact most of the members of the Di
vide County legion belong to tn
league It occurred to me that yo,
might be willing to put in good wore
for us. Hon. John N. Hagan, Hon. S
j. Aandahl and Hon. Thomas Hall, are
I understand, to comprise the printin,
commission. To US paper Of thi
kind means great deal. ~ An
other purpose of our paper is to hell
perpetuate the memory of all tn
! noble men in this state who made th'
supreme sacrifice and to help thos'
coming back" 9tH
To this letter Lemke replied t.
Kamplin:
Received your letter In re having
Divide County Journal appointed tn
official newspaper. In reply will stat
am forwarding same to Mr.. Hagal
who is member of the board witt
suggestion that he consider your ar
plication, which am sure ne will do
Will also talk the matter over witt
him at the first opportunity"
aKamplin then came to Bismarck TO
a conference with Lemke and Hagan
His signed statement concerning thi
meeting provides some interesting
reading. 1t not only shows radica
change of heart on Lemke's part bu
it gives a strong indication as to wit
actually selected the official papers II
the various counties. 1t produces evi
dence that the soldiers whether the.
CONTINUED on Page Two.)