Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-13
League Row Breaks Wide Open In
Courier News; Former Bosses Are
Denounced As little Red Soviet
Official Nonpar6san Organ Goes Independent Press One Better In Denunciaion OF The
Lemke Crowd; Says Crime Had No Meaning To Them And End Justified Means"
--~Malksk Replies BIZ Roast OF Ianeer. Reracion And Western Papers Charge A
Deal Is Deliver League Vote To MCumber.

when the committee took up
its duties it discovered after some
time. had passed that the actual
government Of the league was In
the hands Of q soviet. Mr.. Town.
Icy. once called it the little Red
Soviet"
No. this isn't a quotation from the
Grand Forks Herald, the Fargo For
UNI or any other of the Independent
papers of the state. It's from the
Fargo Courier-News editorial column
for Saturday, February H.;
Can you beat it? For the last four
years the Independent press of the
state has charged that the affairs Of
the Nonpartisan league were run by
a small group Of radicals. and as Oft
en- as the charge appeared the Court
er-News has shrieked Liar and
now low and behold out comes the
Courier News and makes the same
charge and backs the charge up with
q quotation from no less a person
than A. c. Townley himself.
But the Courier-News doesn't stop
here. The same editorial continues:
Another Charge Admitted.
"When the committee weary OF
the dfctat1on and narrow malice
of the little soviet scattered it a
number Of its members we're
taken to Bismarck and given po-
sftlOns in various departments
as payrolls published in enemy
papers have abundantly proved"
Absolutely true of curse, but who
in thunder would ever have expected
the Courier-News to admit it?
But the best Is yet to come. This
same editorial comments approvingly
on a letter written by A. A. Lieder-
bach giving instructions for the pre-
cinct meetings of the league which
are to be held February %. This let
ter is quoted in part as follows:
Boss Rule Has Prevailed.
"Manipulation OF the state con
ventions by a few leaders has al
ways obtained in the past but
should be, and must be avoided in
the future in order to maintain
the confidence of q farmers.
Another volley of truth. and then
to cinch things the Courier-News edi-
tor contributes the following gem:
"That ought to settle the Ques-
ton of sharp practice and at
tempts to sidetrack the league
vote and talk Of agreements to
deliver the vote. The men who
hoped and expected to do that
and who posed as leaders are not
now in The state. But they have
A. few. friends left in Bismarck
some hanging hungrily to the
state payroll who will put up any
fake story they think will cover
up their own little deals, get the
money, and bring back tho
halcyon days when they with one
or two others made the slate, ran
the convention and ruled the or
~gantxation with . rod Of iron.s
Rather tough on Mr.. Lernke. and
somo Of tho other good and worthy
members Of his crew. when one COM
siders that only q few months ago the
Courier-News was holding up the
Honorable Bill as. the best friend the
farmers 9 had and urging his re-
tention in ONCE. !,
So much for the compliments paid
MI. Lemke and his friends in Sat
urdayss Courier-News. The cause of
the attack by the way IL q statement
recently given out by r. n. Walker OF
Yucca in which he takes the Courier
News to task for It's recent sweeping
retraction Of all charges ever made
against william LANCER. Mi. Walker
is n Of the Lemke. or Soviet" mem
bers OF the state committee ~
In Sundays issue the Courier-News
comes out In opposition to the Bal
ance of Power" plan advocated by A..
G. Townley. national president OF the
league. In setting forth Its attitude