The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 23, 1918, Page 11

-WORK OUT A MODIFICATION . the Freeman Shoe company and other business en- terprises. Patterson was the paymaster of the magazine, and, if the former editor of it can be relied upon, also the paymaster of Maxwell. That is where Maxwell got his money, according to the best evidence. The. St. Paul Dispatch and the other newspapers that have published Max- well’s junk were merely tools. 'How much Max- well got you can estimate yourself, bearing in mind * ‘heavily interested in the -0’Donnell Shoe company,- how much was spent to promote “On the Square”. and the wealth of those backing the promotion. The first estimate of $10,000 may be much too low. BIG BUSINESS TRIED TO STEAL THE LEAGUE Now, as to what it was expected to accomplish by the Maxwell articles—what these big interests were after—the Leader also possesses important evidence. It seems that the plan was different from any hitherto formed to defeat the farmers. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BREAK UP THE LEAGUE, BUT.TO GET NEW OFFICERS OF THE ORGANIZATION PUT IN, MEN WHO COULD BE BOUGHT OR INFLUENCED TO OF THE LEAGUE PROGRAM. In other words, they saw no hope of destroying the League. That had been “tried again and agajn and had failed each time. . Their new plan was TO CONTROL the League and secure a MODIFICATION OF ITS PROGRAM, so that the program would no longer constitute a menace. to big business. : It was expected the Maxwell articles would make the farmers dissatisfied with the present League officers and leaders, and that it would be made easy to slip over on the farmers new officers and leaders, among them Maxwell, who could be used in efforts of big business to have the program of ‘the League altered, taking the teeth out of it and making it no menace to the monopolists and no use to the e . * farmers. The farmers would, however, still THINK they had an organization, and hence would not try~ to organize another one with a-“radical” program. trouble with it was it didn’t work. ; : There is much evidence that this was the plan, but the chief evidence of it is an affidavit signed - by. 0. M. Thomason, in which Mr. Thomason reports “a conversation he had with the editor of the St. Paul Dispatch. At the time of the reported re- marks of the editor, he believed that Mr.. Thomason ~was a friend of ‘Maxwell’s, and so spoke freely. . This affidavit' was given out to:the public by the “All this was carefully thought out by those who - bought Maxwell and planned his articles. The only / the League out-of the hands of ‘radicals’ For I want to say to you right now that the business in- terests and the Dispatch are not going to stand for the sweeping reforms proposed by the present League program. They-are too ‘socialistic’ to suit the business interests of this country.” Continuing later in the conversation on the same subject, the editor of the Dispatch said: “But what the business interests want and what we are fighting for is that the League be taken out of the hands of ‘radicals,’ a new president elected and the program modified—and we think that Maxwell is the man to do that. The Dispatch will make no fight against a safe and sane farm- ers’ organization in the hands of conservative men —that’s what the fight is all about.” The editor later said: “Do you think they will force the election of a new president ?” 3 Thomason said that “depended.” : : “Well, what do you think would be Maxwell’s chance for getting the place?” asked the editor. _ Thomason said he did not think Maxwell had “the ghost of a show.”. : “Well,” said the editor, “we think Maxwell is the logical man for the place and we want to see him get it.” - Thus the plotters gave away their plan. -What kind of an organization would the farmers have if it had officers and a program approved by the St. Paul Dispatch and the promoters of “On the Square?” The farmers would certainly have SOME organization, if it met the approbation of the packing trust, the grain combine and certain other millionaires and wealthy political bosses the Dispatch and “On the Square” speak for. Max- well president of the League! Ye gods! ; OVERAMBITION CAUSED HIS FALL : The story of Maxwell l;roperly ends with a brief description of his connection with the League, and here it is: - Maxwell “is an ex-preacher who joined the League as an organizer in Colorado last year. It wasn’t long before he began to in- ‘trigue with League organ- izers and members in Colo- rado to promote his per- sonal ambition.” First of all he thought he was timber for congress and tried to fix things to get the League indorsement for congress.” Finding the League never indorsed any employe for office, he sought to get the Colorado League manager discharged and get his job. To this end he plotted to separate Colorado from the League but was de- feated by the Colorado League executive committee. Maxwell came to St. Paul, where he apologized to national League officers for his activities in Colorado. He said he had made a mistake and begged to remain with the organization. He de- clared he believed in its principles and thought everybody connected with headquarters was on.the square. He seemed honestly to repent his pernicious activities in the Colorado League, but probably at that very time decided on selling out in revenge, and only -begged to remain with the organization to gain that end. At the time of his supposed re- pentance he went over the League’s books and accounts and pronounced them O. K., with every- thing as represented by the League to the public and to its members. Maxwell was put on the League speaking staff as one of 30 or so lectures. During this em- ployment he made several talks at League meet- ings, one of his leading cards being his denuncia- tion of the St. Paul Dispatch for its attacks on the farmers and their organization. This. was the pa- per afterwards used to spread his articles. While in this employment he attempted to get the League to- hire two of his children at big salaries. The League employed one of them for a time, while there was work for him, but the League’s failure to pension them both all the time engendered in Maxwell’s breast more hatred for the League and its officers. Finally, when the Minnesota primary campaign _ was over, most of the League lecturers went to or- ganizing, as few meetings were being held. Max- well was assigned to this work but refused to take it up. He considered it a “demotion.” He quit, knowing he would be fired if he did not take the assignment given him. A week or so afterwards the St. Paul Dispatch announced the great Max- well “exposure,” which blew up with a loud “pop” long before the last article appeared. The “ex- posure” has since been printed in book form at the expense of the same interests and has had a lim- ited sale among opponents of the League. - 'League two months ago. It is of course the most : damning evidence possible against ‘the St. Paul 4~ Dispatch and those who planned and paid for the - ~© " Maxwell exploit. Yet neither the Dispatch or any *. " of the other schemers,concerned have to date denied . it It stands undenied, and hence must be taken as - absolutely true. ‘It can not be assumed that the ‘Dispatch and those it worked with in.this, matter * would allow such damaging evidence of their inten- tions.to go unanswered, if it were -not true and ey they were not afraid to challenge it. “Here are the . PR " significant statements in the Thomason affidavit:-= . (AXWELL-FOR tch box you see the ‘cute little. man who worked the Maxwell fiasco. He is dfu- ; “at large. Former Editor Van Hoesen of: the dead but unburied “On the Square” maga- le ‘ras away. in his letter to Popgun Gordon of the national corps of: patrioteers I be at large as long as the special interests think “On the = pany’” s getting by with its attacks on the League. = = - e