Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-03-27
TOWNLEY's RESIGNATION


Mr.. Townley's announcement of his intention to
resign his position as president of the national Non
partisan league reminds one of the famous COM
nlent made on that other personage-whoever he
was-that nothing in his life so became him as his
leaving it." =
course, but still striking, Mr.. Townley seems to
have taken a leaf from Lloyd Georges book of
political expedients. Britain's distinguished pre-
mler was having a hard, time with the Irish situa-
ton. His efforts to- bring about a settlement had
not produced results. Still he was working at the
problem. Opposing political elements improved
their opportunities and proceeded to make medicine
OF their own. Suddenly Lloyd George shocked
them with the threat Of resignation if a solution
were not reached. The opposition took to cover
men who would have been nightly pleased to see
the premier ousted, but not one of them wanted to
have the job of handling the Irish question wished
on. him. Thereafter, until the terms of settlement
had actually been agreed on, the opposition walked
as if on eggs. Again, with the Irish question re-
moved as an Immediately pressing issue, the oppo-
sltion plucked up courage, to be confronted again
with a prospective resignation. Again, the opposi-
ton was unprepared. The resignation has served
to bridge another chasn.
There is a limit, of course, to the number Of
times that this device can be used. 1t cannot serve
indefinitely. Still, when one is going to be ousted
anyway, he may as we'll resign and take a chance
of thus creating a diversion in his own favor. Even
though the chance of winning may be small, if there
is nothing to lose, why not accept whatever chance
there is?
There need be no expectation that Mr.. Town.
ley will discontinue his political activities. He has
no other occupation, and no other would be so in
accordance with his tastes. He is ambitious. He
may or may not drop entirely out of the situation
in North Dakota. He has made a rather bad mess
OF 1T here, and the process of disintegration has pro-
|ceeded so far that he may not think it worth while
to attempt to %reinstate himself. His national or
gan1zat1on, too, seems to be in a chaotic condition,
and he may not be able to control that. But the
field is without limit. There is always opportunity
to start a new movement to reorganize an old one,
and a man as resourceful as Mr.. Town1ey is not
likely long to remain out OF a job.
There have been organized thousands of move
ments involving the chief elements which charac-'
ter1zed the Townley plan of procedure Good, bad
or Indifferent, in process Of time they have met sub
~stantially the same fate. An ambitious man has
absorbed an idea and developed a plan. He under
takes to put his plan over in his own way and &C
cording to his own methods. He dominates and
dictates. The organization which he creates is a
one-man affair. He bosses it, and surrounds himself
with men who, for a time, will consent to be bossed.
While the organization is small and compact this
method works. But it will not stand expansion.
There is a limit to the personal control which one
man can exercise, and a dictatorship never devel-
ops the spirit of and the capacity for orderly and
efficient self government. When the limit is reach
ed the organization begins to go to pieces. Mr..
Townley reached that limit some time ago, and for
some time past his main effort has been directed
toward the impossible task Of keeping order among
the warning factions in his own camp, each with it's
own little corporal who aspircs to be a major gen
eral.
Mr.. Townley has been described as a great or
|ganizer. He has marked ability Of a certain kind,
and within certain rather definite limitations. But
his talent is for organization for Quick action for a
temporary purpose. 1t does not lend itself to the
Eslower process Of building for pernanence.
Anything we didn't know before about A.. A..
Liederbach will very likely be revealed now in the
league press.
OF course if the national convention reelects
Mr.. Townley to the presidency Of the Nonpartisan
league that puts an end to his resignation. and &