The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 25, 1918, Page 13

_3_.., <Y | i o Wzmwmmwrx&x&&w&m«%fififi:m T e R R R A S N T A e DR ST S P T iR LN IDAHO This is the picture of the banquet which accompanied the recent convention of the Intermountain Farmers’ Equity at Pocatello, Idaho. These are a feéw of the farmers who joined with other farmers’ organizations of Idaho in inviting the National Nonpartisan league to establish a branch in Idaho and organize the state. Ray McKaig of the Nonpartisan league spoke at the Equity meeting and received an enthusiastic reception. President Bishop Hall presided. It was the third annual convention of the Intermountain Equity. For the above photograph the Leader is indebted to George Stoll, Pocatello, Idaho. : ‘Arraignment of the Kaiser Is Treason New Indictment Against Townley by Small-Town Officials Is Based on Farmers’ Denunciation of Autocracy in Germany—No Explanation for Charge- TER. being. arrest- ed on the charge that statements made in the League pamphlet . published last June have “dis- couraged enlist- ments” in the United States army, President Town- ley~was held for a county grand jury in Martin county, Minn., last week. The grand jury then brought two in- dictments against him and two against Joseph Gilbert of the League head- quarters staff. 'One of the indict- ments against each man is based on ~the pamphlet which was published in full in last week’s Leader. The other indictment against each man is based on the patriotic resolutions adopted at the great League producers’ and consumers’ conference last fall. The resolutions of the League’s conference at St. Paul last September 18, 19 and 20, were so patriotic that the press throughout the country that is fighting the organized farmers re- fused, to publish them at the time, because they gave the lie to the charge that this League conference was. “disloyal.” Yet the Martin county grand jury, under pressure of the county attorney, who evidently does not understand the resolutions, uses them to bring a new indictment against the League head. The St. Paul conference resolutions were published in full in the Leader last Septembér and “every reader 'of this magazine is probably familiar with them. . Space forbids printing them in full this week, but we will do.so next week. The Martin county.. prosecutor singles out the following- arraignment of Germany by the farm- . ers’ resolutions. as.the part of the resolutions which have discouraged enlistments in Minnesota: “The moving. cause.of this ~world - war was and is political autocracy ‘used to perpetuate and extend indus- trial autocracy. ‘It-is ‘the struggle of political overlords to -extend’ and - perpetuste their power .to- rob and " . exploit .their fellowmen. . -Autocratie T ¥rss k \ . rulers who have robbed and exploited the fathers and mothers now slaugh- _ter the children for the single pur- pose of further intrenching them- selves in their infamous position and securing and legalizing their pos- session of the fruits of otbers’ toil and thrusting the world under the yoke of political audtocracy, which is ever the shield and the mask of in- dustrial autocracy.” ¢ NO EXPLANATION FOR THE INDICTMENTS * It seems scarcely believable that this charge against Germany by the farmers who attended the St. Paul conference should be held as “dis- couraging enlistments.” An ordinary man would say that this passage in the resolutions would serve to en- courage enlistments. We can offer no explanation of why this is used as a basis for Mr. Townley’s indictment. The language is®plain and certainly can not be misunderstood. If there is any doubt about this passage of the resolutions = when it stands alone, which' there is not, there certainly can be no doubt about it taken in’ con- nection with the ~resolutions ‘as a whole, which, among other things, contain the following passages: - “Whereas, in response to an earnest appeal for peace by Pope Benedict XV our government has made a prompt and courteous” reply which makes. clear the purposes of the American people in the war, mnow, therefore, be it - % . '“Resolved, that we emphatically in- dorse as being worthy the support of every good and loyal citizen of our- country the reply of our government to the pope’s ‘peace -appeal, and we commend and approve of our govern- ment’s efforts to inform the German people that our war is not a war for their injury, but for the establish- ment of that liberty without which all liberty and democracy is- unsafe; and we pledge our support and ap- proval to-all further efforts to: unite our government and its allies behind . this clear statement ofour purposes,: in order that the war may not con- tinue one day longerv fhan is fieces-v sary to attain the noble objects of the American people. ' “We join our allies in this struggle, and to the end that justice, liberty, equality and democracy, political and industrial, shall be the heritage of all mankind we pledge our lives, our for- tunes and our -sacred honor to. our country and our flag in this, our war. “Inspired by patriotic and loyal de- votion to the principles of democracy, true to the ideals of our fathers of up- holding and defending human rights and human liberties, and single in our purpose to make the world safe for democracy, political and industrial, we, the members and delegates of farmers’ organizations, representing 16 states, and the 'members and delegates of 14 labor organiza- tions, representing 11 states, do hereby reaffirm our unalterable loy- alty and allegiance to our fellow citi- zens-and our government in this world struggle and in their every need.” - LEADER MAN JAILED ON PERJURY CHARGE The above are other sections of the resolutions, a passage from - which has been singled out to serve as the basis of the second indictment against Mr. Townley and- Mr. Gilbert in Mar- tin county. The entire Tresolutions were printed by the League in pamph- let form and circulated by the hun- dreds of thousands through the mails in- 15 states, the same-as the other pamphlet, on which the' first indict- ment of ‘Mr. Townley -is based ‘and’ which was printed in full in last week’s Leader. st ‘o Fred A. Harding, a newspaper man formerly ‘employed on’ Minneapolis and St. Paul newspapers and more recently in the employ of the. public safety commission of Minnesota as a publicity man, represented the Non- partisan ‘Leader at Fairmont, Minn,, Martin county, during the session of the grand ‘jury that indicted Messrs. Townley and Gilbert. A deputy sheriff told him, so he-swears, that the ‘grand: jury had before it a libelous pamph= let -entitled “Townleyism,” ‘being an | PAGE THIRTEEN ' = attack on Mr. Townley and the League. The deputy sheriff told Mr. Harding, according to his affidavit, that therefore the grand jury was certain to return the indictments. Mr. Townley’s attorneys used Mr. Hard- ing’s sworn statement to support a motion to quash the indictments, -on the ground ~the indictments were based - on a libelous anti-League pamphlet, which was not SWORN TESTIMONY and which consequently could not be used as a basis for the indictments, or to influence the grand jury. The county attorney immediately caused the arrest of Mr. Harding, the Leader representative. He was taken in custody and thrown in jail without ,a warrant. Bail was offered for him by two farmers present in town, but as there was no warrant no bail could be - allowed, said the county officials. Harding spent the night in jail and the following day the grand jury in- dicted him for perjury on the basis of the deputy sheriff’s statement that he had ‘not made the remark that Harding swore to. After the indict- ment Harding was released on the bail furnished by the two farmers and will stand trial later. Harding is a ‘young man of unimpeachable character, a prominent church worker, and resides in Minneapolis, where he has a family. He is a clean-cut young American and a strong supporter of the war against Germany. Mr. Townley and Mr. Gilbert were released on bail ‘after the indictments and their trial Will be held later. The League looks for a conviction in Mar- tin county, due to the strong feeling| there against the farmers’ organiza-! tion, but the cases will be appealed to' the highest court in the land if neces- sary to obtain justice. Five farmers; only one of whom is a meniber. of ithe' League, went on Mr. Townley’s ‘and:! Mr. Gilbert’s bail bonds." The ' county ~ attorney of: Martin| county took®time off from his job .of; bringing suits and indictinents against; League - representatives recently to make asech before the county st