The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-10-15
Claim He Had "Never Pressed a
Soldier Into an Industrial
Controversy" Not True.
USED OHIO MILITIA TWICE
Question Not About Merits of
Strike or Need for Military,
but as to TruthfuInesS.
BY WILLIAM HOSTER.

COx's boosted labor record has been
shattered by his own official act.
Claiming that he had "never pressed
a soldier into an Industrial controver-
sy," the record of his action as gov
ernOr of Ohio in mobilzing the Ma
tional Guard of this state for service
in the steel strike of 1919 has been
produced in fiat contradiction of his
assertion.
Not once, but on two occasions was
the Ohio guard, at an expense of $23,-
900 to the people of Ohio, called into
service and sent to Akron and held in
readiness for action in nearby Canton.
The question is Not as to the merits
of the strike or as to the necessity for
the presence Of the guard within strik-
ing distance of Canton, but concerns
wholly the truthfulnesS of Governor
CoX's statement, obviously made to win
favor among the workingmen. The
facts as brought out in the speech Of
Republican State Chairman George II.
Clark, formally opening the campaign
at Columbus, are as follows:
Ordered Guard Out Twice.
After the steel strike had progressed
for some days, with more or less GisOr-
der, Governor Cox on September %,
1919, suddenly ordered the mobilization
of the guard at Akron. A period Of
quiet followed, and the troops were
withdrawn. And then again suddenly
on October % the guard was once more
modified and sent to Akron, and while
it lay there at that strategic point
awaiting summons into action staff
officers representing Governor Cox kept
close watch on the situation in Can
ton.
In his speech at Wheeling, w. Va,
on the night of August II Governor
Cox said:
"FOr six years have been in execu-
tive authority in the great industrial
state of Ohio. During all this time
have never pressed soldier into an in
dustraI controversy"
The question is, did Governor Cox
tell the truth? Answering this ques-
ton, Chairman Clark In his Columbus
speech displayed to his audience pho
tographic copy of Special Order No. 80
issued from the Adjutant Generals de-
Columbus, October 25, 1919, which des-
ignated certain officers for immediate
active service and paragraph 4 Of
which reads:
Facts Presented.
I'm anticipation Of the development
of rioting condition at Canton, o., the
Governor Of Ohio has deemed 1t neces-
sary to assemble sufficient number Of
state troops at Akron, o., to be held in
readiness to render aid to the civil au-
thorities at Canton, o., and has so di-
rected the Adjutant General of Ohio,
who, pursuant to such order, directs
Colonel Benson w. Hough to proceed
without delay to Akron, O., to take
command Of all state troops upon ar
rival at Akron, o., and to hold them in
readiness for duty, awaiting further
orders"
The order Is signed by the Adjutant
General and counter-signed in these
words, "By command Of Governor Cox"
Did Governor Cox tell the truth to
the workingmen?
Supplementing this documentary
proof, Mr.. Clark produced photograph
ic copies Of headlines from Canton, o.,
newspapers of concurrent date, which
read: Estate troops mobillzing for duty
here. All available companies are Or
dered out" And, Governor orders
troops for duty here, Ohio soldiers re-
porting to armories following trouble"
Truth Should Be Known.
The surprising thing about 1t all is
that Governor Cox In his Wheeling
speech should have made so fiat an as
sertion when all of the facts with re-
gard to his mobilization Of the guard
were still fresh In the public mind, at
least In Ohio. o; course 1t Is not to Re
expected that workingmen elsewhere
in the United States would be familiar
with the circumstances, and 1t was for
that reason that State Chairman Clark
In his speech stressed the necessity for
the people all over the country to be
Informed that Governor Cox's assertion
that he never pressed "a elaier into
an industrial controversy" was abso=--
lutely at varience with the truth.
Publication Of these official facts has
utterly COMPOUNDED the advocates of
Governor Cox's election, who have been
making a special plea to the working
men on the basis Of his West Virginia
speech. The revelations as to Mr..
Cox's mobilization Of the troops are
being compared with the sworn state
ments Of liquor league contributions to
his gubernatorial campaign fund in
refutation of his statement that "the
vets have never contributed one dollar
to any of my campaigns" In both
cases the point is made that the issue
Is not as to the merit OF his moblliza-
lion Of the troops, on the one hand, or
as TO the status OF the wet and dry
question, on the other hand but that
the real issue is as TO the degree of
truth and accuracy absolutely neces-
snry in one who seeks to be president
of the United States