The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-02-13
Gilbert S. Furness Post Calls on
Postmaster General Burles0n
to Deny Fontana Publication
Access toI United States Mails
as Second Class Matter

cd on the Slope and that the publi-
cation Of such an organ by Rev. Fon-
tana. Il New Salem minister convicted
Of scdition in the United States dis
trict court at Bismarck in 1918 and
freed on an appeal to tie United
States circuit court Of appeals at st.
Louis, would be inimicable TO the bes'
interests Of the country Gilbert ).
Furniss Post No. 40, American legion,
last night adopted resolutions calling
upon the secretary Of state Of North
Dakota to refuse to issue the new
enterprise a charter and upon Post
master General Burleson to deny the
proposed newspaper admittance to the
mails as second class matter.
The resolutions review at length the
evidence introduced in the FOntana
case his conviction on three counts
and the charge which Judge c. f.
Amidon delivered in sentencing the
New Salem minister to three years
imprisonment. in Leavenworth, IN
which the, court declared that Fon.
tana ''had everything German and
stiflcd everything Americana and that
if he were set down in Prussia today
he would be in complete harmony
with his environment.
Fontana is reported to have leased
building in New Salem and to have
proceeded with his oplans for the pub
lica ton of a weekly newspaper in the
German tongue. which the local post
of the American legion declares
would be in effect in the Haunting
of his Germanic ideas and principles
in the faces of true Americans. a
material evidence 'Of malignant salts
faction, at his escape from Il just
punishment by a technicality. y
THE RESOLUTIONS .n..
The resolutions in full follow:
Whereas one Rev. John Fontana.
who was convicted III United States
district court Of seditiOn, conspiracy
to hamper the government and OF
having used seditious language, has
purchased buildings suitable for the
purposes and intends shortly to start
newspaper at New Salem, Morton
county, said newspaper to be printed
in the German language, the atten-
ton of the postmaster general Of the
q. S. and the attention Of the sec
retary Of state Of North Dakota is
respectfully called to the following
facts: .. I'll ~.
"Rev. Fontana was arrested in
November, 1917 charged with scdi-
ton. " J.
AT his trial before Z. $. District
judge G. F.. Amidon. held at Bis
marck. evidence was produced that
Fontana had repeatedly and despite
protests of members Of his congresa-
ton in the German Evangelical Luth-
eran' church of New Salem prayed
for the success of the armies of Ger
many.
OPPOSED RED CROSS?
THAT he refused to permit work
fer the Red Cross to be done III the
church building: that he decried the
purpose of the Red Cross. and that
he insisted on certain women read
ing magazines oppoSed-. to the Red
Cross, which were later suppressed
hy the government: that he discharged
Sunday school teachers who refused
to teach their classes by use Of the
German tongue: that he used lam
guage inimicablc TO the best interests
of the United States. ' f.
'',Thc jury in the case found him
guilty on three counts. ,.
AN1IDON'S CHARGE
'The attention of the postmastcr-
general and the secretary of state Is
called to the charge of Judge AM.
don. which was in part:
The object of the sentence i'm
posed upon you is not alone to punish
You for the 1islcyalty Of which you
have been guilty. but to serve notice
upon YOU and the likes of you who
have been chcrishing foreignness> that
the end of the regime has come. that
that day has arrived when YOU and
the likes Of you must grow Amer
lean souls within your bodies. The
court finds that you are guilty under
each count of the indictment, and as
punishment therefore it is decreetl
that you be imprisoned in the federal
prison at IHavenworth for. three
years. the sentences under three counts
to irun concurrently and not in
separate sequence. @* You have
cherished everything German and
stifed everything American; YOU have
prayed and preached and sun"
in German. If YOU were set down
in Prussia today you would be IN
complete harmony with Your environ
nent
FDNTANA FREED =
The attention Of the postmaster
general and the secretary Of state Is
called to the fact that Fontana ap
pealed from the jury's verdict and in
court at st. Louis. Mo-. was freed on
technicality.
Now. whereas the American legio'
is founded upon the spirit Of patriot
ism and has as its aim the perpeuta
ton of 100 percent Americanism ant
has constituted itself guardian O.
the cherished traditions Of American
ism and the principles for which oul
constitution stands: ...-s
and whereas the American legior
has every respect and regard for thos,
children of foreign-born parentag,
who have done their bit in the battl,
of right versus might: and has ever,
respect and regard for those of for
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