The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 22, 1920, Page 8

Women Resent Slanders Former Neighbors of President Townley Cite Facts DITOR Nonpartisan Leader: We, members of the Women’s Nonpartisan club No. 69 of Beach, N. D., are citi- zens of the United States and of our grand old state, North Dakota. We appreciate the efforts put forth by President Wilson and Governor Frazier to give us the right of the ballot. But—we must. take exception to articles in the “Red Flame,” or, as it should be called, the “Red Flag,” from-the color of its front page and its anarchistic teachings. These articles are an insult to the women of North Dakota. They write as though the legislature was trying to put through a “free love law,” as though our good governor were a “free lover,” as though all League men and women were glorying in a “free love state.” Will thinking people be influenced or misled by such false and disgraceful rot? £ We are proud of-the purity of our homes and of our motherhood and also of the fact that our Non- partisan legislature is giving us a direct voice in the control thereof. During the war, while our Nonpartisan state was setting a pace for all the states in the way of pa- triotism this red flame element shouted ‘“disloyal,” ' “pro-German,” etc., at us until our ears rang. Now that the war is over, these silly charges are out of date and for lack of anything truthful to use aguinst us they resort to casting reflections on the sanctity of our homes and religion. What must our. sister states think of our “Sun- shine state,” of the men and women who comprise the majority of its citizens—mostly farmers and their wives, who by their organization and votes have made possible for North Dakota the most democratic form of government enjoyed by any state in the Union? We believe that patriotism is one of the greatest lessons we can implant in the minds of our boys and girls. But when they pass a place like one of our local drug stores and see the windows decorated with copies of the Red Flame, read the seditious slurs and see the vile cartoons attacking our gov- ernor and other men at the head of our state, does it not look like a brazen attempt to destroy any patriotism or pride of citizenship which our chil- dren possess? May the Red Flame burn itself out, until not even the ashes of the dirty and shame- ful sheet remain. : MEMBERS OF BEACH (N. D.) NON- PARTISAN CLUB NO. 69. The Red Flame is a sheet, issued by the L V. A, element in North Dakota, that few farmers would care to take into their homes to be read by women and children. Although the women of Mr. Town- ley’s former home town are justifiably angry at the character of the untruths it tells, we feel that it is doing the opposition cause more harm than good. MINIMUM WAGE $16.50 The minimum wage board of the District of Columbia has fixed $16.50 as the minimum wage for women employed in the city of Washington in hotels, restaurants, apartment houses and hospi- ‘tals. The same figure has been fixed as the nfxini- mum wage for women employes in stores. FROM MASSACHUSETTS Editor Nonpartisan Leader:" It is with the great- est' satisfaction that I renew=my subscription to the Leader. The farmers’ movement in your states seems to me the most interesting and the most hopeful plan for the solution of many of our prob- lems which has been proposed by any considerable body of practical reformers. I have great hopes for your success in North Dakota and for the spread of the movement, first in the West and later throughout the country. It is the exact opposite of “red communism” in its peaceful, law-abiding methods. . ALLA W. FOSTER. Roxbury, Mass. 3 HOME-MADE CLOSETS Editor Nonpartisan Leader: Many farm houses, especially old ones, do not have built-in closets. This is a great inconvenience and often means that THE FARM WOMAN’S PAGE OF NEWS AND OPINION| a room is not as tidy as it should be if the occupant had a place to hang things. The rooms in my home are big and square and without closets, so I had in one corner of each room a three-cornered closet built with shelves and screwed a ljbéral supply of hooks to the framework. On some of the closets I hung doors, and on some cretonne curtains which matched the other hangings were hung. I have found these home-made closets a great convenience in housekeeping. MRS. F. G. B. Heathsville, Va. 2 Consolidated Schools Editor Nonpartisan Leader: Mrs. Frank E. Sny- der of Plummer, Minn.,, wants to know something about consolidated schools. We have had one since 1915 and we like it fine in every way.. A one- room school compared with a consolidated school is like putting one horse on a three-horse drag. When you think it over a teacher in a one-room school has all grades from primary to the eighth and many different subjects in each grade, while in the con- solidated school each teacher, having only two or three grades apiece, can spend more time with the children on each subject. It does not matter how many children there are, they all get the benefit of the same explanation. : If people are agreeable about driving to the con- solidated school it will be cheaper than to have. three or four one-room schools in a township, but’ the driving will cost more than the rest. As a rule the people that have children going to school have someone that is big enough to drive. We have a barn at school for the horses. I think bus trans- portation paid by the district is extravagance and the people have to pay for the luxury themselves, but the difference in education will more than re- pay the transportation any way you figure it if the children are considered. Tioga, N. D. MRS. BEN IVERSON. LIKES THE LEADER Editor Nonpartisan Leader: For straight think- ing I know of no periodical whose editorial policy equals yours. I only hope you will not be discour- aged by the indifference of people who should be most interested in your work. _ You asked-the women who were opposed to military training to write. - Among a countless number of vicious laws now pending at Washington there are none more vicious or whose possibilities for evil are more far-reaching than:those of the peace-time sedition law and compulsory military training. God speed the day when a majority of our representatives at Washington will be men! Lincoln, Neb, R. 2. MRS. K. G. ANKERMAN. Writes a League Play North Dakotan Prepares Pageant Reciting 3 Victories of Organized Farmers OME time ago the Leader discussed the ‘question of " tableaus, 'plays and pageants, suitable for presentation by amateurs- at farmers’ picnics or on other occasions. Now we are glad to say that in addition to the plays deal- ing with farming conditions generally, we have a real Nonpartisan league play. It is called “De- mocracy, or Go Home and Slop the Hogs.” It was written by George H. Moellring; attorney, of Ray, N. D., and was presented to an audience of 4,000 people at the Nonpartisan league “victory picniec” held at that place last August to celebrate the vic- tory of the farmers in upholding’ the seven refer- _endum measures. Mr. Moellring has kindly consented to the use .of his play, which is in the nature of a pageant, by any League gathering that desires it. The pageant has characters representing Democracy, North Dakota, A. C. Townley, farmers and laborers, prof- iteers, the seven referendum bills, a bear, etc. The cast arranged by Mr. Moellring includes:two wom- en or two grown girls, 16 or more men or large boys, seven small boys and two small girls, but with minor changes the cast might be altered to allow the use of more girls. The pageant tells the story of the enslavement of North Dakota while the farmers and workers were unorganized, the determination of the farm- ers to organize, the attack of the I. V. A. upon the seven referendum bills and the final victory of the farmers. The action is not long and com-» munities presenting it might be able to add some additional “local color.” The Leader has not room available at present for printing the text of the pageant in this paper. We have, however, arranged for its printing sep- arately. For a limited time we will send proofs of the text, free of charge, to any woman’s club, chil- dren’s club, school, or any group that is consider- ing presentation of a play of this nature. Mail requests to the Nonpartisan Leader, Box 575, St. Paul, Minn. - : . ¢ FROM RHODE ISLAND Editor Nonpartisan Leader: - The women of ‘the League want suggestions for topics to discuss. Now I suggest that they get the books and study the Hare system of proportional representation. Also study the initiative, referendum and recall. In order to be good voters they must know how to vote. ‘Coventry, R. L SARA E. WINSOR. - Woman Is League Candidate in South Dakota LICE LORRAINE DALY, League can- didate for superintendent of public in- struction7of South Dakota, was “dis- covered” by the farm- ers when she, on invi- tation, addressed both houses of the last legislature at - Pierre, being the first woman ever accorded that honor. That the discovery was a fortunate one, no- body who has the pleasure of Miss Daly’s acquaintance will doubt. She is a woman of great personal charm, and an orator who carries conviction. -Before Miss Daly was allowed to address the legislature she was informed by a representa- tive. of the machine that it would better suit their purposes if she did not refer to teachers’) salaries. Miss Daly is' an earnest advocate of better salaries for teachers and of their right to organize. At the last meeting of the State Educa- tional association she was present to make a fight for the federation of the teachers of South Dakota but the agents of the book trust in control of the: convention ran a steam roller over the effort and it failed. It is a safe prediction ALICE LORRAINE DALY PAGE EIGHT £ that if she is elected the office of state superintend- ent will cease to be subagency of the book trust and no attempts will be made to stifle free -Speech. Miss Daly was born in Minne- sota. - She graduated with honofs from the John A. Johnson high school of St. Paul and received the bachelor of arts and master of arts Minnesota. Throughout her col- Iege course at the University of Mmpesgta she was deeply interest- _ed in literary and dramatic work, and was a frequent contributor to the university magazine. Later she completed a three-year course at the'Emerson College of Oratory. While there she was president of the Students’ club, an organization embracing this entire student body. For three 'years she was head of the department of public speaking in the Idaho Technical college at Pocatello. She then returned to Emerson college for graduate work, upon completion of which she went to Madison (S. D.) mormal school as head of the departmeut of pub- lic speaking, which position she - now holds. : : degrees from the University of =~ B By e L4 34