Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-17
POLITICAL

The Nonpartisan league OF Wlscon-
sin, which is a branch OF Mr.. Town
ley's machine, endorses LaFollette for
president, declares for the repeal OF
all sedition laws. and demands the re-
lease of all political prisoners.
Who are political prisoners?
There have been times IL the his
tory of most nations when men were
fined, imprisoned, sometimes Put to
death, for entertaining or expressing
political opinions contrary to those
Of the element which happened at the
time to be in control of the govern
ment. 1t is evident that there can be
only a state of anarchy if a govern
ment has not the authority and the
means to protect itself against those
who would destroy it. But it,rtook
time for the world to realize that a
distinction must be made between
the advocacy Of a change in govern
mental policies, OF in. the form of
government itself and the effort to
accomplish such changes by first
breaking down the government itself,
Before that state of understanding
. was reached there were great nun
bers Of political prisoners in every
country. persons whose only offense
was that they did not agree with tbs
dominant element.
Civilized countries have no such
prisoners today. The United States
has nom Any resident Of this coun.
try may with perfect impunity advo.
cate any policy or any system of gov
eminent that he prefers. He ma,
preach state Socialism, as Townley i.
doing, or imperialism, or the estab'
lishment of a limited monarchy. HI
may advocate the partition of thu
country into any number of little
. independent nations or the sale O.
any part of it to any other natior
whatsoever. He nay advocate tina
only the rich shall be taxed, tina,
only the poor shall be taxed, or tina
there shall be no taxes at all. He ma,
in short advocate any changes what
ever, provided only that he doe
not attempt to bring about thos'
changes by method which violate tn
existing laws Of the land.
The political prisoners in thi
country are those who have com
mitted covert acts, or who have in
cited others. to commit overt acts O
hostility against the American gov
eminent; who have sought. or coun
seled its destruction by force. or VIII,
have ~obstrncted it in work under
taken for the. preservation of it's ex
istence. Mrs. O'Harehwas one O
those prisoners: The several branche
OF the Nonpartisan League are no
worrying about Mrs. O'Hare now, 70
she has already been freed. Appro
pirate action on her case would b
a series of resolutions of thanks t
the' president for having set he
free. But there is Debs. He is sti
in prison. He isfone Of the "polit!
cal prisoners whom the Wisconsi
resolution fits. All that Debs did wa
preach direct action against the GOV
ernment and obstruct the wa
measures Of the government. An
Debs stood pat, and is still standin
pat. Manifestly, he m within til
scope Of the resolutions. Then ther
is young Bergdoll. 1t is true he
not a prisoner. He was, but he e.
away. But a pardon Should /
granted him> for he merely did, VIII.
o'Iiare and \Debs and the rest al
vised. He lodged the draft. tt
Wisconsin resolutions necessarily il
clude him.
The Wisconsin resolutions invol,
he demand forsthe release of evel
person now restrained because of vi,
lent acts, or the counselling If vi,
lent acts against the government :,
h United States. The wisconsi
league and the North Dakota leag,
are parts of the same organizatio
Issgthere a league speaker who W:
dare stand on a North Dakota. alA
form and, before q North Dakota a,
dience. endorse the Wisconsin resol,
tons?
-H E4