The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 21, 1919, Page 7

religion as a business, any more than does the grocer or the meat packer, it is nevertheless a great force toward practical Christianity. - - The League is attempting to meet and solve the great social and economic questions of today just as Jesus met the great social and economic questions of 1900 years ago. The Leader does not desire to question the religion or sincerity of any one, but as we think back upon the record of the Carpenter of Nazareth, who scourged money changers from the temple, who told the rich young " man to give up all his wealth, who told the wealthy autocrats of that day how difficult it would be for them to enter the kingdom of heaven—as we think back on these things we are willing to say that the Nonpartisan league is a great deal mdre Christian. than some of its-opponents. : THE MONROE DOCTRINE OME opponents of the league of nations take the ground that it might interfere with the Monroe Doctrine. What is the Monroe Doctrine? Approximately 100 years ago Europe had just finished a series of wars. Continental Europe emerged from it with all countries in control of autocrats who joined in the self-styled “Holy Alliance” in agreement to permit no more republics or “radicalism.” Some of these autocrats cast longing eyes toward North and South Amer- ica, where there was a group of weak republics,.just starting in busi- ness for themselves. The United States, at this period, was feeble in comparison with the European nations. : Great Britain, alone of European countries, was reasonably liberal. Great Britain controlled the seas. tacit approval of Great Britain, President Monroe enunciated the doctrine that no European autocrat should attempt to interfere with the free life and development of the American republics. Now what does-the league of nations propose to do? Merely to extend the principle of the Monroe Doctrine. Instead of protect- ing only the American republics, most of which are strong enough now to protect themselves, the league agreement proposes to pro- tect all the new nations that are springing up. over Europe from aggression of any military autocrat. . ; If the United States wanted to misuse the Monroe Doctrine by - imposing upon or perhaps annexing some of the other American republics, we could see where there might be some objection to the league of nations plan. But we helieve that the people of the United States have no such ideas. We can see nothing to fear from ex- tending the Monroe Doctrine to the rest of the earth, unless the 39 senators want to annex Mexico and start another war: A NEW “FARMERS’” ORGANIZATION HERE is a new farmers’ organization. That is, it is a farm- ers’ organization in name. It is called the “Farmers’ Natiomal association” and is being organized in the three “I” states of the Mississippi valley—Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. The Nonpartisan Leader is in receipt of some literature put . out by the Iowa branch of this new organization. We find the mem- bership fee is $12.50, apparently for one year. Just what the or- ganization plans to do is left somewhat indefinite by its literature. There is a lot of talk about co-operation between farmers and busi- ness men and about patriotism. Especially about patriotism. The prospectus says that-American soldiers “wrote a golden page in the history of civilization as they fought on the flodden fields of Flanders.” We looked in the dictionary to find what kind of a field a “flodden field of Flanders” was, but the dictionary was silent on the subject. ~ - The head of the Iowa branch of the “association” seems to be CLEVER LET'S START N A FaprERst V &, orRGANIZATION ! I8 g one F. R. Korns, who has offices in the Securities building, Des Moines, and says he is a large “farm owner.” . While we were puzzling over the Iowa literature the Illinois " branch made a somewhat more' specific announcement of its pur- poses. The head of the Illinois branch is one Harvey J. Sconce, who says he owns 4,000 acres of land in Vermillion county, Ill. The ex- planation of the Illinois branch is that “the organization seeks to unite the farmers to work for the national weal, rather than just for the ‘farmer class.’ The Illinois Agricultural association will not become a Nonpartisan league or be controlled by Bolshevists.” o ‘Much) obliged, Mr. Sconce, for your frankness. Now we know that the National Farmers’ association isn’t a farmers’ association at all. Lincoln’s definition of a people’s government was “of the people, by the people and for the people.” Our definition of a farm- ers’ organization is “of the farmers, by the farmers and for the farmers.” -The “Farmers’ National association” apparently is “of the farmers, by the farm owners ‘and for those 1who fgrm the - farmers.” Sy Apparently with the . - 1 m mmad meemeInm i - PITY THE POOR PACKERS! EAVEN help the poor packers! After reading their adver- tising and their testimony before the federal trade com- mission we nearly wept with pity for their sad state. We really thought that the Red Cross ought to pay some attention to them, and give aid to the destitute families of the Armours, Cud- ahys and Wilsons. ' But a.day or so ago a circular put out by William- Salomon & Co., New York and Chicago bond brokers, came to our hands. - Salomon & Co. are handling 6 per cent gold bonds issued by Wil- son & Co., packers. y As the best means of advertising the bonds, Salomon & Co. point out the financial condition of Wilson & Co., especially the profits of the packers for the last four years." : Volume of sales of Wilson & Co. increased from $122,000,000 in 1915 to $400,000,000 in 1918, an increase of 227 per cent. Net profits increased from $2,463,732 in 1915 to $7,631,535 PERHAPS THE POOR PACHERS CAN STRUGGLE ALONG WITH- OUT THE AID OF THE REDCROSS in 1918, an increase of 209 per cent. This was after paying all in- terest and taxes. In addition to pounding off this modest net profit, working capital was increased from $8,946,151 in 1915 to $48,789,225 in 1918, an increase of 389 per cent. Earnings on common stock were increased from $8.90 per share in 1915 to $34.49 per share in 1918, an increase of 348 per cent. After we had read this far we decided it would be all right for the Red Cross to keep on helping the Armenians. Probably the . Wilsons, the Armours and the Cudahys will be able to get along for a while, even if it has been a hard winter. 'MR. McAULIFFE OF KANSAS B \HE Nonpartisan league has never fought any farmers’ or- ganization. . The League has always taken the stand-that all organizations of tillers of the soil have their places. The Leader indorses this stand. We have never fought the Grange, the qulxity, the Union or any other organization of farmers, and we will not. d : -But we can not remain silent when a man who fills the position of leader of a farmers’ organization misuses his place to make malicious attacks upon the League. Such a course is being pursued by M. McAuliffe, president of the Farmers’ union of Kansas and editor of its official paper, the Farmers’ Union. Mr. McAuliTe is misusing his position to stir up strife and trouble among the men who elected him to his office. His paper runs regularly each week one or more columns of slanderous attacks. upon the farmers of North Dakota, Minnesota and other states, including Kansas, who belong to the Nonpartisan league. We say “his paper” because it is plain that the publieation is being run at present, not in the inter- ests of the farmers of Kansas, but in the interests of Mr. McAuliffe. - Farmers of Mr. McAuliffe’s-own organization have protested to him. Several Kansas Unions have adopted resolutions denounc- ing his action. Individual farmers have written him. MecAuliffe pays no attention to such matters. Members of the Union have their letters sent back to them, unanswered and apparently unread. The abuse of the League farmers is continued in his paper. It is not merely venomous scolding; much of the matter that is being printed about the League consists of flat untruths. Anything that appears in corporation-controlled papers, unfriendly to the League, is copied. Mr. McAuliffe apparently has no more regard for the truth than these lying journals. It is certain that he never attempts to investigate the facts; if he did he would not continually print lies so easily capable of being exposed. It must be a case of “anything to beat the League.” : k Mr. McAuliffe is regarded as “friendly” by the business inter- ests. He is entertained by their chambers of-commerce and boosted by their press. This is about all we are going to say about Mr. McAuliffe. His conduct speaks for itself. The farmers of his own organization can be trusted to take care of a man who is using the power they gave him to hurt their interests. $ ) NORTH DAKOTA DOING THINGS ORTH DAKOTA is going right ahead with its industrial program. The Bank of North Dakota has already been - organized, as is told on another page of the Leader. Despite suits in the federal court, referendum elections and the attacks of two or three politicians (some of whom are desperately trying to get back into the fold again), North Dakota’s farmer governor, backed by 60,000 League farmers, is going straight ahead to carry out the will of the people of North Dakota. Watch the Leader for the story, week by week, of how North Dakota affairs progress. PAGE SEVEN R R A D T A e e S A T e T e R R T T T