Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-01-24
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A WORTHY CAUSE
POLITICAL PIRACY
"PECUllAR BEDFEllOWS"

If
thousands Of balls will be held
throughout the United States in hon
or of President Roosevelt and each
person will be given an opportunity
to contribute a dollar to a fund to be
presented to him for the purpose of
adding to an endowment fund for
the Warm Springs Foundation This
is the second year the President has
lent his name to this event, and the
plan proved so successful last year
that 1t is likely to become a matter
of permanent tradition.
This is something in which politics
should play no part whatever.
President Roosevelt, through his own
affliction, can appreciate better than
any chief executive before him, what
the scourge of infantile paralysis
means to a nation ard its future gen.
erations. For years he batted the
dreaded disease with the same for
titude that has been so characteristic
in facing the complex problems OF
his country. Most naturally he Is
deeply interested in the work at
Warm Springs, and was greatly
touched by the widespread and gen.
erous response to his plan last year.
Every indication points to even q
greater amount being realized this
year.
In the state legislature at Helena
a memorial has been passed urging
the federal government to establish
an institution in Montana similar to
the one at Warm Springs. This is a
worthy undertaking, and while of
couse the government could not set
up such a hospital in every state,
conditions here would surely warrant
most careful and serious ~cOnsidera-
tion. At several points in the state
are found mineral warm springs
which are known to contain elements
which contribute to renewed health.
We hope that the action of the state
legislature will at least provoke
some serious thought on the matter
by Congress.
Political racketeering Is nothing
new for North Dakota, but right now
the state is experiencing one of the
most fragrant examples OF tyrranical
domination that has been known, at
least since the hey-days OF the Non
partisan league when Townley ruled
an otherwise creditable political or
ganiZation with an iron hand. Town
ley's rule was comparatively short
lived because of its rule-or-ruin pol
icy. Now William LANCER, deposed
onuarnnr urbn cto ndc onnuipfnd nf q
felony at the hands Of the federal
government, is e~ndeavoring to follow
in the footsteps of Townley, deter
mined that he will either rule or
break the Nonpartisan league In
North Dakota.
Thomas H. Noodle was elected
governor of North Dakota last No
vember by some 1900 votes over
Mrs. LANCER, who so courageously
fought to "vindicate" her husband.
No sooner had he been declared
elected than a movement was insti-
tuted by LANCER to prevent issuance
OF a certificate of election on the
grounds that Noodle had not met
required qualifications OF citizenship.
He had voted in Minneapolis In 1880.
He had, however, spent more than
90 years Of his life as a resident OF
North Dakota. When taken before
the Supreme court, the certificate
was ordered issued.
But the new governors troubles
had only begun. LANCER, embittered
by his conviction and loss In the
election, was more determined
than ever to unseat Noodle. When
the legislature convened and ordinar-
lily the newly elected states chief
executive would have been formally
indicted into office and asked to
present his message to the House
and Senate, LANCER cracked the whip
over his majority in the lower
house, which promptly, at his bid
ding, refused to listen to either the
outgoing or incoming governors
message or to transact any business
whatever. 1t mattered little that they
had been elected by the same people
who had made Tom Noodle Governor
and that those people expected them
to cooperate with the Governor In
| giving the state a sensible and con-
| ~structive administration. Nor did 1t
matter that every day the do
nothing legislature was costing the
taxpayers of North Dakota thousands
of dollars. Political pirates seldom
have any regard for practical &c
onomics.
Noodles citizenship, not only In
North Dakota, but in the United
States, was challenged, even after he
had fully satisfied a Langer-dominat-
ed encouragement. Then, to top 1t
all off, impeachment proceedings
were instituted by the House on the
governor of only IL days, charging
that he had been guilty OF corrupt
ness" ''malfeasance" and whatnot.
The impeachment resolution was
stampedeh through the Langercon-
troled body by a vote OF so to 81,
only to have their own" attorney
general rule that they had not defin-
itely followed the necessary proceed
ure. Another vote was necessary.
With only four votes to spare, the
tyrants hesitated, fearful that a few
of the faithful" might aver and
they would lose their hold. II and
when the break came, 1t was safe to
HI 49, I--- -.z-IL - -oxv