The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-07-01
FIGHTS BACK
At LEGION ATTACK

Dear Sir:-In view of the attacks
upon me by the Reno post OF Lnv
American Legion, which have been
quite widely published in the news
papers of the state, and which mis-
represent me, l ask you to do me the
justice of publishing the accompany
ing letter if you have printed any OF
these attacks against me.
Very truly yours,
ANNE MARTIN
The Letter
In reply to the attack upon my
patriotism" in the Gazette of June
%, the boys of the local post of the
American Legion, some of whom got
no nearer the front than a training
camp, apparently do not know that
the war is over. Witness their "un
alterable decision for the continued
punishment of all var prisoners on
victed for mere opinion. Luckily the
decision is not in their hands, as
President Wilson is letting these
prisoners out, one at a time instead
of issuing a general amnesty proela-
nation, thus following the magnani-
nous example of all other American
war presidents and European belli-
~gerents.
1t is recorded that the Darrell Dun
kle past has accused President VIII
son of reason and lack of patriot
ism for these piecemeal releases. The
post reserves its attack for me. How
ever, the man who got twenty years
for saying that President Wilson is
the greatest President England ever
had" is still serving his term and
Rose Poster Stokes is still under a
ten-year sentence for saying since
the government is for the profiteers,
am against the government"
These Reno boys also seem ignor-
ant of the distinction between politi-
cal prisoners and conscientious OBJ
j~ectors, and "slackers and traitors"
tinction then they have deliberately
misrepresented me in their resolu-
ions and other attacks published in
he Gazette and other papers. which
n effect charge me with desiring to
traitors, slackers, and those
seeking to overthrow the govern
In accordance with the United
constitution, which guarantees
freedom of speech and opinion, and
following the practice of all civilized
nations, | stand unequivocally for the
of all men and women I'M
.risoned for mere opinion, including
conscientious DIRECTORS, now that the
war emergency is over. Nearly 1000
such prisoners are serving terms in
American prisons. aggregating $4,000
years. | oppose the release of those
guilty of the contemplate crime of
evading the draft, of spies, of traitors
and of all those who have committed
against the government.
Respect for my two brothers two
years of honorable service in France,
both of them volunteers, both mem
bers of the American Legion, one,
Private William O'Hara Martin, who
served with the railway engineers;
the other, Captain Alden Karl Mar
tin, who fought throughout the Ar
gonne campaign with the 91st Divi-
sion; would allow me to take no
other position.
In my plank for the release OF poll
teal prisoners and conscientious OBJ.
l%ectors, | have not, like members of
American Legion, taken an oath.
but | am fighting ito uphold and de-
fend the constitution of the United
States, to foster and pe%rpetuate one
hundred per CEN A~mericanism, to
make right the master of might, to
promote peace and good will on earth,
to safeguard and transmit to poster
lty the principles of justice, freedom
and democracy" all principles which
of the American Legion
have sworn to uphold, but which SOME
are now opposing in their unjust at
tack upon me.
Since their position is one of at
tack also on constitutional govern
ment "a record which the members
of the American Legion have estab-
lished throughout the nation. and
which led President Taft, not long
to publicly admonish them to
their oath to uphold the
law and the constitution | welcome
their opposition. l am ready to meet
them head-on. I prefer my brand of
1776 per cent Americanism to theirs.
The only agitators to be feared in
this country are those who would de-
stroy the constitution-not those who
would preserve it.