The Bismarck tribune., 1919-03-24
T0WNLEY HAS
TACKLED ONE
MAMMOTH JOB
President of National NOnparti-
san League Starts Fight
on Own Officials
CAN HE PUT 1T OVER?
LANCER, Hall, Kositzky, Olsness,
Olson Are Party's Best
VOte-Getters

There is much speculation in politi-
cal circles as to the success which
will attend the efforts of President
TOwnley to read out of the party At
torney General Langar, State Audi
tor KOsitzky, Secretary OF State Hall
and State Treasurer Olson because OF
their opposition to the Macdonald
educational bill, the Rrinton news
paper bills. the one-man tax commits
sion and the immigration bill.
I.anger, kositzky, Hall and Olson
have not b0lted their party, and ti.ey
refuse to be ousted without fight,
declare their friends. In every pub
lished statement they have made it
is clear that they are not opposing
any portion Of the league program.
They insist that the bills which they
have attacked have nothing TO do
with the league program, but are the
personal projects Of few men who
have been admitted to the inner cir
Gle of the league.
Had Slated Two.
Two of these state officials have
been slated for the ak for some time
A conversation between Governor
Frazier, Herbert CASTOR, managing
editor of Townley publications.; John
B. Brown, assistant secretary OF the
council of defense, and one or two
other league followers on train en-
route to Steele for the celebration
staged there some weeks ago has be-
come a matter of common gossip
about the capitol.
Both kositzky and Hall,'it is said,
were criticised for the independence
they have displayed upon certain oc-
casions, and the verdict was reached
that they must go into the discard.
Castor is said to have volunteered the
information that Hall and Kositzky
already had been ticketed by the
"higher-ups' for political oblivion.
~ LANCER Was Regular. +.
With LANCER, it was another mat
ter. The attorney general, it is true,
was reported to have been given a
'talk-talk" by Townley at the time OF
his denomination, in which the big
chief suggested that the aggressive
attorney general soft pedal some ac-
tivities which might make the league
less popular in certain circles, but
the league press has continued to
idolize and idealize him, and there
never has been question as to his
"regularity.'' .'oH
AS late as last week, the Beach Ad-
vance. one Of the Brinton string of
league weeklies, eulogized Mr.. Langer
in the following terms:
"Mr. LANCER is the most popular at
torney general with all classes the
state of North Dakota has ever had.
His fairness, his fearlessness, and his
tirelessness in forcing a square deal
for North Dakota and the people Of
North Dakota have won for him the
love of the people.
The ink with which this was print
ed was hardly dry when Townley, in
the Courier-News, launched an attack
leveled directly at the head of Mr.
LANCER, and this was followed Satur-
day and Sunday with articles which
by clever innuendoy attempt to create
the impression that in demanding an
investigation of the Consumers Unit
ed Stores Co. the attorney general Is
not actuated by fairness, fearless
ness and tirelessness in forcing
square deal for North Dakota" but
through some veiled, Interior motive.
How II Began.
The trouble with LANCER began with
the Macdonald attack on Miss Minnie
J. Nelson after the latter had de-
feated him for reelection to the office
Continued on Page Seven.)