The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1919-12-26
RESTORE FREE SPEECH
LEAGUE FARMERS URGE
National Committee OF Non. ,,artisa,is
Sees Perils to Liberal Opinion

ST. Paul, Minn.--Perhap one of
the strongest of the resolutions pass
ed by the convention of the national
committee of the Nonpartisan league.
which met here last week, was that
urging a return to peace+tme basis
in matters involving free speech.
The week previous Congressman
Davey of Ohio introduced a bill, said
eral Palmer, which would give the
prosecutors and judges arbitrary pow
er to determine what is seditious.
Leaguers fear, with good reason,
that this bill, like it's forerunners, the
espionage act, is designed not so
much to "get" enemies of the country
as to put gag on liberal opinion.
Not knowing what was seditious or
what might be construed in the heat
of war feeling, liberal editors every
where had to compromise on their
fight against special privilege. On the
other hand, no proved enemy of the
country was ever brought to justice
through the espionage act.
The farmer leaders ask that il there
must be an espionage, the law should
state plainly s'that neither the gov
ernment nor the courts can use the
act to interfere with advocacy OF
changes in laws and constitutions by
destroy the evident purpose of the
Davey bill.
Townley Praised
A resolution was moved from the
floor and passed congratulating Pres
ident A. G. Townley personally and
pledging the loyalty of the national
committee to him in the fight being
waged in the interests of the farmers.
North Dakota was congratulated
on the carrying out of the League pro-
gram and the program was recon-
mended to all other states.
Among other noteworthy resolu-
tions were the following:
Extending the hand of fellowship
to organized labor and affirming be-
lief in the right and necessity OF or
j, ganization and collective bargaining,
, giving labor a voice i'm the control of
industry and approving cooperation
of farmers and labor politics;
GnnAanonir1t tho rco Inv, +l,o oro,yor,,
, ment of injunctions against labor
unions, especially in the coal strike,
and pointing out that the government
should have solved the coal shortage
by taking over the mines 'or govern
ment operation pending an adjust
!, ment of the dispute between the la
:. Dor unions and mine operators, and
congratulating Governor Frazier on
, his statesmanlike policy in securing
fuel for North Dalo ia by this means
Bonus For soldiers
Congratulating the national execu-
tive committee for its work in hand
ling League affairs during the past
. year;
Approving federal bonus for ex-
soldiers to be paid out pf tax on
war profits or heavier taxes on large
, incomes, or both;
Congratulating the farmers of On
tario, who have elected farmers
:. government in that Canadian prov
ince;
Favoring government ownership OF
railroads and demanding that the
present government control be con-
tinued two years, in order that con-
gress can work out satisfactory plan
of naturalization, and approving the
general features of the Pl.mb plan;
Declaring against compulsory mill
tary training in time of peace;
: Demanding, the war being over
that our soldiers be withdrawn from
a Russia;
. Demanding an investigation by an
J. impartial commission of conditions on
= the Mexican border and propaganda
for and against war with Mexico, and
> declaring that any war with Mexico
for the benefit of corporations exploit
;, ing Mexico's natural resources would
be unjustifiable.