The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-04-29
BRANDS TOWNLEY
AS A PRETENDER
FOUR MINUTE SPEAKER TALKS
AT CAuGHREN THEATRE ON
SATURDAY LAST
MOVIE SHOWS UP THE SCHEME
SOVIET MOVEMENT SEEN BACK
ATTEMPT TO SEIZE STATE
CONTROL

N0npartlsan League as the worst
type of political machines, Prentice
S. Geer, four minute speaker for the
Minnesota Sound Government Asso-
citation, brought home to a large
audience at the Caughren Theatre
Sunday evening the dangers Of en-
croaching Socialism in Minnesota.
Mr.. Geer gave the first of series
of talks to be given at intervals of
five days at the Caughren Theatre.
A one reel motion picture depicting
some phase of the Nonpartisan
League program in North Dakota
will be shown following each talk.
Sunday night the picture Whose
your Friend" featuring Max Figman
as A. C.. Townley, was shown. It
dealt with the origin and purpose of
the Nonpartisan League leaders and
clearly showed that Townley was ac-
tuated by mecenary motives in band
ing the farmers of NorthDakota to-
gether.
In delving into the history of
Townley and his associates, the
speaker made the startling disclosure
that in this whole movement, only
one. of the officials of the league is a
genuine bona fide farmer, but even
he is Socialist That man is F. B.
Wood, of Deering, North Dakota,
vice-president of Townley's first or
ganization. As opposed to him, the
leaders whom Townley has gathered
about him are all professional, polit-
ical job-hunters, every one of them
being radical socialists. There is A..
E. Bowen, candidate for the National
Congress from Minnesota on the
Nonpartisan League ticket, who was
the socialist candidate for Governor
in North Dakota some years ago.
Arthur LeSeuer. the I. w. w. At
torney, who has been the chief legal
advisor to Townley in the past, Hen
ny Tegen, private secretary and con-
fidential advisor to Townley in Min
neapolis headquarters, was former
editor of the Socialist Iconoclast.
Joseph Gilbert, in charge of organi-
zation work at headquarters, was an
active socialist in the east before
coming here. William Lemke, Fargo
attorney, is member of Townley's
executive committee and a man of
radical ideas. ]. c. Duncan, former
socialist mayor Of Butte, Montana,
is in charge of organization work in
South Dakota. There are hosts of
others.
Townley himself, the leader of the
entire National Nonpartisan League,
is self-avowed Socialist, as evidenc-
ed by facsimile of his registration
in North Dakota, which was shown in
the motion picture. His chief aid is
Walter Thomas Mills, one of the
most noted and prominent Socialist
writers and lecturers in the United
States. ~
Socialism, the ultimate aim Of the
N0npartisan League leaders, is the
tate ownership and control of all
machinery of production, distribu-
ton and exchange. Under the state
ownership program Of the Nonparti-
san League, controlled by Townley,
an active socialist, it would mean the
confiscation of farms either directly
or by taxation; it would mean the
confiscation Of all the mining, mill
ing; lumber and manufacturing in
dustries Of the state. It would mean
the control of all means Of transpor-
tation and distribution. 1t would
mean the coniscation Of the farmers
private property, and the confisca-
ton of the business mans property.
It would mean the absolute state con-
troll of every individual of the state
and would even mean the invasion OF
the sanctity Of the home and the
abolishing Of all religious faiths.
There would be no half way business
about it. North Dakota has reached
that stage and no one can deny that
4 - 1n rrlffpoo 10 or IF Tho Ioq0T1a
leaders to make North Dakota
purely socialist state.
"Townley has allied himself with
the radical, the /. w. w. and the Red.
He has handed down to the people of
North Dakota the teachings Of Len
inc and Trotsky in Soviet Russia. He
has placed the control Of the public
schools and colleges in the hands of
his Socialist teachers, that the deadly
seed may be spread" said the speak
er.
"And here in Minnesota, with
false promises, he has, with the mil
lions Of dollars at his disposal, band-
I'd together some 10000 of the far
mers. Through the farmer he hopes
to get control Of this state, of the
farms. the schools and industries. He
seeks to destroy that sacred right Of
freedom and liberty that has made
this state and this country the great
est on earth.
"And as surely as you fail to full
fill your duty at the June elections,
just as surely will Minnesota totter.
on its foundation and be plunged I'M
to bankruptcy, even as North Dakota
viii be If Townleyism is not destroy
ed in that state through the votes OF
its citizens" concluded Mr.. Geer.