Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-01-08
AMERICAN LEGION
ANSWERS HUSSMAN
FOR CRITICISM OF
CRANCEV|LLE POST
Veteran of Battles of Ar
come and Meuse Pens Re
ply to Former Legislator
Surprised at Attitude TAX
en- by Cottonwood Man in
Scoring Returned Soldiers

Grangeville post No. 81, American
legion. through DIR. William MacNeill,
chairman of a special committee ap-
nointed for the purpose, has written
an open letter to William B. Hussman,
of Cottonwood, answering criticisms
Inv Mr. Hussman of Grangeville post.
y MIR. Hussman gave expression to his
sentiments in a letter printed in the
Cottonwood Chronicle for last week.
DR.. MacNeill, who wrote the reply
TO Mr.. Hussman, is a veteran of the
battlefeIds of France. He was in the
last two great drives of the war, par
ticipating in the battles of the
Argonne and the Meuse, from Sept. 10
TO Nov. IL, 1918.
LETTER TO HUSSMAN
The letter to Mr.. Hussman follows:
Mr.. w. b. Hussman,
Cottonwood, Idaho
Sir.
Your letter published in the
Cottonwood Chronicle was read by us
with some surprise at the trend OF
thought you expressed. The purpose
of the legion and the principles for
which we stand are well known to all
and need no repeIlllOn.
1t seems needless to say that If we,
as legions, are to remain faithful to
our country and to legion principles,
we must denounce any clement that
is not in perfect harmony with demo
cracv and civilization. Not only must
the legion take this attitude, but so
must all patriotic people of our coun-
try, that ga government of the peo-
pie, by the people and for the people -
might survive. And it would seem
that if this government of ours is to
survive, at this time when there are
so many elements, such as the |. w.
w.. Non-partisans and bolshivik AZ
work to overthrow it, that the patriot
ic and loyal Americans must stand
together as a nation and eradicate
them from our midst.
Mr.. Hussman, if you are in accord
with the foregoing, then why do you
take exception to the action of Grange
vile post in their condemnation of
this element2 You criticize the post
for their actions, taken in reference
to the |. w. w. prosecutions, as well
as the denouncing of the Non-partl-
sans. That criticism to us, is evidence
to show which side of the fence
you are on. 1t is self-evident, then,
why you take this exception to our
actions for those actions must be in
opposition to the trend of your SYM
pathy.
WAR IS OVER NOW
The war is over, but differences of
opinion, for and against the govern
ment. still exist. The legion mem
m
wood, or any other place, stand for
the government of the United States,
democracy and civilization. And
mark you we are against any orgam-
cation that tries to destroy those in
stitutiOns.
Before the armistice was signed, de-
structive organizations were consider
ed pro-German. Today the pro-German
is slipping by unnoticed, while the
other radicals rave and rage on. Even
though the war is over the pro-Ger-
man is not extinct. The pro-German
is just as much a menace in 1920 as
he was in 1917 and 1918. 1t makes
no difference which organization you
are affiliated with, their motives are
the same, whether pro-German, Non
partisan, l. w. w. or bOlshivik.
Mr.. Hussman, we feel that, at the |
present time, with the pro-German ac-
tons during the war still in our mem
cries the bombing of ex-serviee men at
Centralia by the l. w. W. recent af-
fair, Townley S prosecution and the /
convicting evidence of the Non-parti-
san disloyalty still occupying space in
the press, and the action of the depart
ment of justice of the United States
to deport alien bolshevists from our
shores, that all right-minded people
would sanction the determination OF
this element. AS we said at first,
we are amazed that a man of your
standing, former member of our
legislature, sent there to represent us
from Idaho county, should hold such
adverse ideas.
is HE INCONSISTENT?
1t. is noticed that in the begin
ing of your letter, you heartily
commend the legion and es-
pecially praise the legion of your
own community. But, my dear sir, do
you realize that the organization of ex-
service men you spoke so highly of, in
their national convention, condemned
this anti-American element as the
avowed enemies of our government?