New York Times
LA FOLLETTE AT HEAD OF
PRO-PEACE PARTY
I.W.W.’s, Socialists and Pacifists Will Greet Him in Convention at Minneapolis
Special to The New York Times.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 15. — The “Party of Discontent,” typified by the People’s Council, is trying to get up enough steam to make itself a factor in the next election, at least in Minnesota.
Pro-German, ultra-pacifist, Socialist, I. W. W., Nonpartisan League and peace-at-any-price elements are being drawn upon for recruits to the party.
Plans are already under way in Minnesota for bringing out candidates for the United States Senate, Governor, and for Congress in those districts now represented by so-called “war Congress-men.” Senator La Follette for President, James A Peterson for United States Senator, Mayor A. J. Fritashe of New Ulm for Governor, Albert Pfaender for Congress in the Second District — so the slate is said to run now. Congressman Lundeen, who now contributes to Viereck’s Weekly, and the others who voted against the war will be supported it is said.
Preliminary steps in the organization of the Minneapolis branch of the People’s Council were taken at a meeting attended by many members of the old American Neutrality League, men of pronounced German sentiments and extreme pacifists, and addressed by Mayor A. L. Fritsche.
La Follette, who is at the head of the movement to found a national party, will be the chief speaker at a People’s council mass meeting to be held at the St. Paul Auditorium on Sept. 2. He advised Minneapolis friends that he would be here unless matters of grave importance demanded his presence in Washington. The La Follette meeting will be the headliner of the assembly of the People’s Council to be held here the first week in September.
Louis P. Lochner of Chicago, Secretary, will arrive in Minneapolis Friday to open headquarters of the council. Lochner was the leader of the Ford peace expedition after Mr. Ford left it. Ex-Senator John D. Works of California, Morris Hillquit, Victor Berger, David Starr Jordan and other advocates, who have been assailing the Government ever since the war started, will come here for the People’s Council.
Those who are leading the movement in Minneapolis deny that they are backed by Germans. Despite their denials, it is an undisputed fact that many of the leaders, some of those who are loudest in their protestations of strict neutrality, are men, not only of German parentage, but men of known pro-Kaiser sentiment.
