The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-29
SOCIALISM UNMASKED
TownIeyism and the War


that of the effect of the Townley
propaganda on the question OF loyal
ty in the northwest and throughout
the nation.
Mr.. Townley and his associates are
today preaching a certain brand of
loyalty. But what of their teachings
and preachings of yesterday?
It may not be within the province
or the right of any man to say that
another man is disloyal or treason
able or seditious. And this publica-
toin does not take upon itself any
right or authority to place one Or all
of these allegations against Mr..
Townley personally or the men with
whom he is most closely associated.
And vet it would be idle, it would be
gross neglect, not to review some OF
the sayings and happenings in which
Mr.. Town1ey has been the central f1g-
ure and which have pointed to him
the finger of suspicion and scorn from
thousands and thousands of loyal,
patriotic Americans who have made
unlimited sacrifices that the nation
should be victorious in the great
struggle in which it has recently en-
gagged.
If Mr.. Townley and the men most
1rTifI, him look
into the faces of the fathers and mo-
theirs of this land who have given up
their dearest treasures, their sons, to
fight for the freedom of democracy
and the future presentations of a
democratic civilization; if they can
read the casualty lists which have
come from the fields of France, con-
tanning the names of many of Amer
ica's most noble young men, and feel
that they (Mr. Townley and his clos
est asociates) have done all within
their power to aid this American gov
eminent in the preparation for and
the prosecution of the war; if they
(Mr Townley and his closest assoc
iates) can place their right hands on
their hearts and their left hands on
Old Glory and say that they have ne
yer in thought, word or action sough.
to influence any portion of the Amer
lean public to in any wise oppose OF
hinder any of the activities necessary
to the preparation of the nation fo-
his closest associates) can say tina
they have taught the highest degre,
of patriotism and loyalty which is alb
solutely essential to this nation being
victorious in the war, then indeed il
would be criminal to even intimat;
that they were disloyal, seditious O.
had given aid and comfort to tn
enemy.
Decide in Your Own Mind, Reader
And yet, if Mr.. Townley, occupy
ing the position he does, holding with
in his hand the power to sway the W.
and actions of thousands upon thou
sands of people, has neglected to w.
that influence and to raise his voice
to promote the fullest degree OF 10y
atty from rising sun each day until i.
rises again on the next, through ti:a
trying months in which this nation
has been preparing for war, then he
has been negligent, at least, of full
filing the highest duty he owes to tt >
country of which he is citizen.
And again, if Mr. Townley, having
the power to sway the minds of thou
sands upon thousands of his follower
and their families, has said one word,
has uttered one sentence, or has put
forth one thought that has hinder e.
in the slightest measure the Americ II
government and the American people
in their preparation for the struggle
that meant life or death to it as free
nation, then he has given aid and
comfort to the enemy in just that de-
gree that his words have been accept.
ed by his followers.
And if Mr.. Townley in his address
at DEVILS Lake, North Dakota, on
Registration day, June 9Th, 1917, the
day set apart by the President of the
United States for the young men of
the nation to register their names for
service for the salvation of Demo
cracy-if Mr.. Town1ey, in that adj
dress, prevented or influenced one
man from performing the duty he
was called upon to do, then 1 say he
was disloyal. And what did M.
Townley say, to an audience that
filed the Opera House to suffocation?
He said:
"The nation demands that you give
yourselves and your sons and your
brothers and your husbands and your
sweethearts to be taken across the
seas and spill their LIES blood on the
fields of Europe and then comes to
you and asks you to subscribe for the
Liberty Bonds to pay for the expenses
of the war. This is the Injustice of
The war and the manner in which Off
Gals of the administration are carry