The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-17
A GLARING INJUSTICE

e A. c. Townley is to be sent to jail, if Jackson coun-
ty, Mimi, has it's way. Mr.. Townley has been con-
victed Of what amounts in effect to disloyalty. The
charge against him consisted wholly of words, and
distorted words, at that. Minnesota was not able to
prove a single act of his that in any slightest manner
actually hindered the prosecution of the war.
Evidence that he did not interfere with our war effort
is overwhelming, if the court had permittedsthe jury to
hear>it. Mr.. Townley is accused by his enemies of be-
ing the autocrat of North Dakota. 1t is as false as
all other charges against him. 1t is true, however, that
the organization of which he is president controls
North Dakota, and did thru the war. Men who are in
heartiest sympathy with Mr.. Townley's views on the
war are in control Of the North Dakota government.
If, then, there was d~isloyalty in Mr.. Townley's views
which are likewise the views of the majority of the
people of North ~Dakota-wouldn not North Dakota have
been disloyal? Yet no state in the union supported the
government more heartily in every line Of war work.
No state has a more united public sentiment; no state
reported so little disorder. North Dakota, which had
accepted and believed in Mr.. Townley's ideas, support
ed the war with much more unanimity and much less
dissension than Minnesota. Since the war ended, it has
done more than any other state to help the returning
soldiers.
On the other hand, the Minnesota council of defense,
which is at the bottom of the persecution Of Mr.. Town
ley, in one case at least flatly defied the orders of the
war labor board. In order that profits might be pro-
tected, Mlnnesota's government did not hesitate to set
at naught a ruling of one Of the nations great war
boards-the one indeed upon which was placed the SUI
preme responsibility of securing the utmost efficiency
from labor. And Minnesota has refused any assist
ance to the returning soldiers.
And it is the Minnesota council of defense, with this
record Of placing profits above patriotism, that has
sought to convict Mr.. Townley Of disloyalty. North
Dakota is the proof that there is nothing disloyal in
the Nonpartisan program. But that program puts hu-
mainly above. dollars. 1t puts the welfare Of the many
ahead of the privileges Of the few. If it wins in Min
nesota the few men who coined millions out of the war
will see their profits decline, while the earnings of farm
ers and workers will increase.
And that is the reason for Mr.. Townley's persecution.
He favored the war-but for democracy, not autocracy,
not profits. The man who worked to make the war dem
ocratic must go to jaiI-if' the Minnesota %profiteers
have their way. The men who coined millions out of
unjust profits from the war, and who are still oppres-
sing the people, remain at liberty. Has any p~roiteer
ever gone to Jail?
Ind yet glancing at the record of North Dakota in
the war, and at the Nonpartisan Leagues national pro-
gram, and then at the enormous profits piled up by
the men who stayed home and made money while Amer
lean boys gave their lives in France is it Townley or
the profteer who should be in Jail? Which of the two
is really disloyal ?-Courier-News.