The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 14, 1917, Page 9

PLANT EVERY ACRE You cAN! PUT IN MORE POTATOES! RAISE .MORE CORN= PUT THARD HIRAM, IN ANOTHER' 1ROW OR TWO! Now WORK MY DEAR FARMER THE WORLD(/gGRoW WHERE ONE YoU'LL. HAVE TO MAKE TWO BLADES GREW BEFORE-S DO YOUR BI\T! ANY LAND GO UNSEEDED ! Here’s a row of our old friends giving advice to the farmer who is trying to save the nation by producing the biggest crop of history this year. But how far will these gentlemen go in helping the farmers eliminate the speculators, gamblers and market parasites this fall, so the producer can get a fair price and the hungry world can get the food the farmer raises without paying three prices for it? We shall see. committee of seven volunteers was named to look for Jerry Bacon. But the committee, after a long search, couldn’t find Jerry. He wasn't at the office of his newspaper, and they said he wasn’t at his hotel. So the commit- tee left the invitation for him at the hotel and for half an hour the meet- ing waited for Jerry to show up. But Jerry didn’t show up at all. He was just like the man in the back of the hall—mot present when called upon. So President Townley took up his case and Jerry Bacon's. NOT OPPOSING WAR, MR. TOWNLEY STATES He told the farmers his attitude upon the war, that the war must be brought to a successful conclusion and that every man must do his part, but that the fight for the interests of the farmers must not be stopped, nor the war taken as an excuse for killing the League. “I want you to understand that I am not opposing this war today,” said President Townley. “We are in the war and there is only one thing to do. We are going through with it; we are bound to go through with it. I and every other man will do his part and see this thing brought to a successful conclusion. “But I will not be stilled by any at- tacks or prevented from raising my voice against methods that promise to make ten millionaires during the war where we made only one in time of peace.” Mr. Townley called the attention of the farmers to the fact that Jerry Bacon’s paper had said that Townley had “abused every respectable citizen in the state.” “I never abused a farmer,” said Mr. Townley. “So, in the eyes of Jerry Bacon, you are not respectable citi- zens.” PASS RESOLUTION ON WAR POSITION Mr. Townley went on to show the attitude of the Grand TForks paper, which pretends to be patriotic, in re- spect to the war, reading to the big audience of farmers correspondence which the paper had with TUnited Statées Senator Gronna, asking to be relieved of its war taxes. The Grand Forks papers, Mr. Townley told the audience, had proposed to the League papers that they join with them in their petitions to congressmen to be relieved of their fair share of war taxes, but the League refused to have anything to do with the plan.- From Grand Forks, Covernor Fra- zier, President Townley, O. M. Thom- ason and A. I&. Bowen, comprising the speaking party, went on to James- town and other points on the North- ern Pacific. At every meeting Presi- dent Townley has made a complete statement of the position of the League in respect to the war. At every meet- ing beginning with Minot, this state- ment has been submitted to the far- mers in the audience in the form of a resolution and has been adopted by their vote. The only point at which a voice has been raised against the League pro- gram was at Grand Forks, when a few city residents at the rear of the hall called out “No.” When a standing vote was asked they failed to rise. The resolutions in full will be found in this issue of the Leader. Take Profit Out of War Nonpartisan League Meetings Adopt Resolutions in Support of Government; Also Ask Conscription of Wealth OLLOWING is a statement of principles on issues related to the war which were pre- sented to meetings held by the Nonpartisan League in North Dakota last week and this week and adopted by those present: Our country being involved in a world war, it is fitting that the Na- tional Nonpartisan League, while ex- pressing its loyalty and willingniess to support the government in its every necessity, should decl:.re the principles and purposes which we as citizens of the United States believe should guide our nation in the conduct of the war. ‘Whatever ideas we as individuals may have had, as to the wisdom of our nation engaging in this war, we real- ize that a crisis now confronts us in which it becomes necessary that we all stand unreservedly pledged to safe- guard, cefend and preserve our coun- try. In making this declaration of our position, we declare unequivocally that we stand for our country, right or wro:g, as against foreign governments with whom we are actually engaged in war. Still we hold that ~vhen we be- lieve our country wrong, we should endeavor to set her right, SHOULD MAKE PUBLIC TERMS OF PEACE The only justification for war is to establish and maintain human rights and interests the world over. For this reason we are opposed to waging war for annexation, either on our part or that of our allies, or demanding in- demnity as terms of peace. Bitter experience has proved that any exac- Farmers are supporting the government in this. war, but they have some very decided views on its conduct. Read these resolutions: - tions, whether, of land or revenue, serve only to deepen resentments and hatreds which inevitably incite to future wars. We therefore urge that.our gov- . ernment before proceeding further in support of our European allies, insist that they, in common with it, make immediate public declaration of terms of peace, without annexations of ter- ritory, indemnities, contributions, or interference-with the right of any na- tion to live and manage its own inter- nal affairs, thus being in harmony with and supporting the new democracy of Russia in her declaration of these fun- damental principles. ‘We demand of no nation any con- : cession which should be hid from the world. We concede to no nation any . right of which we are ‘ashamed. There- fore we demand the abolition of secret diplomacy. The secret agreements of kings, presidents and other rulers, made, broken or kept without the knowledge of the people, constitute a continual menace to peaceful relations. ‘We demand that the guaranties of human conservation be recognized, and the standard of living be maintained. To this end we demand that gambling in the necessaries of life be made a felony, and that the federal govern- ment control the food supply of the nation, and establish prices for pro- ducer and consumer, corporations in_ our country have reaped unparalleled profits. The net earnings of ‘the United States Steel Corporation for 1916 were $271,5-1,730, as against $23,496,768 in 1914, an in- crease of $248,034,962. SOME ARE MAKING HUGE WAR PROFITS The Du Pont . Powder company shows a similar record: Its net earn- ings for 1916 were $82,107,693 as . against $4,831,793 in 1914, an increase of $717,275,900. Thousands of other corporations and individuals during the same period 'mhave coined immense profits, many showing an increase of more than 1000 per cent. We are unalterably opposed to per- mitting stockholders of private cor- porations to pocket these enormous profits, while at the same time a spe- cies of coerclon is encouraged toward already poorly paid employes of both sexes, in urging the:a to purchase gov- ernment bonds to help finance the war, Patriotism demands service from all according to their capacity. To conscript men and exempt the blood- stained wealth coined from the suffer- ings of humanity is repugnant to the spirit of America and contrary to the ideals of democracy. We declare freedom of speech to be the bulwark of human liberty, and we As g direct result of the war, private decry all attempts to muzzle the pith- ; NINHE 'text whatsoever. lic press or individuals, upon any pre= A declaration of war does not repeal the Constitution of the United States, and the unwarranted interference of military and other au- thorities with the rights of individuals must cease. NO NEW SERVITUDE SHOULD BE PERMITTED The contributory causes of the pres- ent war are various; but above the horrible slaughter loom the ugly incit- ings of an economic sSystem based upon exploitation. It is largely a convulsive effort on the part of the adroit rulers of warring nations for control of a constantly diminishing market. Rival groups of monopolists are playing a deadly game for commercial suprem- acy. A lasting peace is possible only on a new basis of human thought and re- lations. In waging this war it is well that we bear this in mind; otherwise we shall be fastening the shackles of new servitude, both mental and gov- ernmental, upon mankind. At the close of this war sound in- ternational standards must be estab- lished on the basis of a true democ- racy. Our economic organizations must be completely purged of privi- lege. Private monopolies must be sup- planted by public administration of credit, finance and natural resources. The rule of jobbers and speculators must be overthrown if we are to pro- duce a real democracy; otherwise thig war will have been fought in vain. Only in this spirit do we justify war, and only thus can lasting peace be established.