Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1919-03-14
WINNESHEIK COUNTY.
A Statement of Facts Addressed to the
Editor of the Des Moines Capital.
nv II M;s,
lBy !. B. Wistl

recent charges by the Des Moincs
Capital, was sent TO that paper two
weeks ago. with the request that IT
be returned if not published. The
article. SO far. has not been used by
the Capital, nor has the manuscript
been returncd)
The Des Moincs Capital. in its
campaign of villifcation against tho
foreign-born in Iowa during the last
year or more. has on different occa-
Sions given especial attention TO the
Norwcgians of Winnesheik County,
holding them up as I typical example
OF un-American conditions alleged to
prevail in our so-called foreign settle
mentS," in order. apparently, that the
reading public may fully realize the
grave dangers facing us from these
quarters. II seems that the paper has
argued itself into believing Winnie
Shcik County to be a sort of mother
country, or "das grosc vatcrland. TO
our foreign communities, and con,c-
|quently must be held up TO scorn and
disgrace.
TO anyone at all familiar with the
conditions among these people the
Indictment OF the Capital - aside
from it, libclous character - has
significance chiefly "a a bit OF capital
nonsense. However. some outside
readers may, because Of the cXccp-
tional zeal of the paper, and from the
fact that it is edited by a former
United States senator, be mislcd INTO
assuming that its statement at least
must be approximately truthful and
correct. For the sake of counteractlng,
in some measure, such possible cr-
roncous impression, and not because
the good people OF this county need
any defence, let me briefly review the
issue.
In its editorial on Winnesheik
County OF August 81. 1918, the
Capital preidccS its slanderous attack
on the NorWcgians here with the ad-
mission that 1t is not charged that
they are d~i,ldyal." As this testimonial
is not a very rcasSuriug one. II may
be suggested that their loyalty record
can be easily ascertained by looking
up The results OF the different cam
paigns for the Liberty Loans, the Red
Cross. the y. NJ. {. A, the \. w.
{. \. and other wal activities IN the
county. not overlooking the voluntary
enlistments. Space torbids me to
enter into a detailed statement, but the
record is one that any community
should have reason TO be proud OF,
If my memory serves me right, the
editor Of the Capital once wrote thai
while response to the draft was no
adequate measure OF loyalty, Nolul-
tarv enlistment was. Using tins as
a criterion, without. like Mr.. Young,
in the least belittling the splendid
service of the drafted men, we ind
that approximately sixty per cent OF
the voluntary culistmcntS in Winnie
Shcik County mp to June |, 10Y, were
BOYS OF Norwegian birth or extraction.
In its characteristic fashion OF telling
the truth. the Capital put, II tins way
"The Postmaster at DEBORAH l. a
Norwegian. and he has gone to thc
service OF hi, country IN the army.
The postmaster !, IN favor OF inc
American language above all others.
This Is true. as far as 1t goes. IN
deed, the Postmaster was one among
the sixty per cent. OF Norwegian
blood volunteering for their country.
He was also only one OF a S~ubstantial
total of volunteers. all of whom we're
"in favor of the American language
above all others The population OF
Winneshcik County, il may be stated,
is about onc-third OF Norwegian birth
~ Cno;,o, =, General way
! PLa, To Nn-ry,cci,r. are
Ihu'1N 'ar ,l ac,;,n" RI, inrtbcr
."u" I No. ,;ri,c. One
''.', lu"' Ivy 99,",,,It, NJ Young
o. 'TSm No., ,hc, arc no,,;c;anS
mas ,'"''g' .n"' nv 49,. arc MAIN
d'.u TIC oyon,o,v nv.
'"'''"e FVn'', ialno,acc and.
49," NC,o can oet nowhere in
"~"ii"n"'''l ~. ,"i 50 I;fc in thi.
P'IlIlNN' ~ ~ W. Nnrrcc;,r hc
o'um.l III cncs nr IN saw that
%NSel'N 'noLcr bcrc than
noi' NoI"SSa"" !, rccnrt editorial
~ my H,'', ~ ~ ,hr war
nc 'cl's w. w, r,osho;L county vas
Il' '"N''i" ~ W. N,,o;ca, a,c and
u" nav, wv a. ouc dav Zach
u"lS' .n' III IovaI,v TO
year /" G'''' l., also
'U' PN.,P',, w. ,etccr :;
"NSC''o" 1l". ~ = n~oirtcd out
q, NNS'""' ,La .,,un,v scat the
mat II Dc,o.",' ,or o,bIis hcd
Erea' WNN'"" ~ h,, ~ cn ONT
'E' ~. ia. ncooIc wore COM
ol uuN,'''sN no-;,a, I,no,ape"
peI''u TO- 81 - .Larrc. lot rs
IN cNT,,'!"'.h Tor,yc";sns ,o a
"u'n'! lu"' w o,t;,;r;ans II the
certain eN''lt'' ~ ~. W. ,h,, they
"u'h'NS''" VI r,;.;,,HH" cw,rated