Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-12-20 | Page 14 | Aim of League to Win the War

IN OF LEAGUE TD WIN THE WAR t President of Security Body Claims This Was Only Object. Desired to Return Men to Congress With Broad Vision. WASHINGTON,- Pre. 1 Invest iKation of thft activities of the National Security .League of New York, in opposing reelection re-election of meinlHrrs of cuiiKress during the last campaiKii, hoxnu today het'nre a special house committee headed hy rtopi enontative JohnMm of Kentucky. The entire d.iy won taken up with the examination of Colonel Charles K. Ly-decker. Ly-decker. president of the league, hut many other officials of the organiz-iUun will he heard later. Colonel I.j'deeker told the cnmniit tee that the avowed purpose of the leaRU-' hint fall was to return to congress men with broad vi.sion and foresight and "who would bo 100 per cent Amunvan in their beliefs." Opposed by League. "Not to mention any nu nn-y," Colonel Lydeeker said, "I can safely say that I would have been .sorely disappointed to have Been certain congressmen returned to office. Uur efforts were used against those men, some of whom seamed decidedly decid-edly pro-German, and many were defeated, defeat-ed, in some instances by fusion. The action ac-tion of congress as a whole during the great crisis just passed was magnificent, but unfortunately there were certain members whose ioyally could be questioned. ques-tioned. It was those men the league opposed." op-posed." Pamphlets giving eight "acid tests'' by which the loyalty of congressmen Biiould be judged were circulated throughout the country. Colonel Lydeeker said. These tests, he said, were the votes of mem-bets mem-bets on preparedness measures which had been before congress and which the league believed were for the welfare of the country. Names of congressmen who voted against the measures were included includ-ed in the pamphlets. Entirely Aboveboard. 'At no time during the campaign was the league influenced by any partisan or political considerations," Colonel Lydeeker Ly-deeker stated. "It was actuated solely by a desire to see the country end the war as speedily as possible. Wo may have made mistakes, but if we did they were made unintentionally. We campaigned cam-paigned for nobody and were entirely aboveboai d.' The acid tests were criticised by several sev-eral members of the committee as being unjust. Many prepared ncss measures were not included which were just as Important as the eight given, members stated, and, in addition, the league (lid not explain that many congressmen had motives for voting as they did which would have cleared them of any suspicion of disloyalty if made known. Expenses of Body. Colonel Lydeeker stated that the expenses ex-penses of the league from September 1, J U 17, to August '6i, 1018, amounted to S-'Jti.OlS, and the receipts totaled $J84,35S in the same period. .During the congressional congres-sional campaign, he stated, the league spent $59i:i.i8 for postage, salaries, printing, furniture and other expenses. The receipts for this campaign amounted to $8752.85. Records of the league were brought to the hearing for examination by the committee. com-mittee. Other officials of the organization organiza-tion are here to be heard. They are Dr. Robert M. McElroy, educational director; Henry L. West, executive secretary; Charles D. Orth, chairman of the congressional con-gressional committee; Lloyd Taylor, chairman of the universal training committee; com-mittee; S. Stanwood .Menken, former president; Frederic R. Coudert. member executive committee; K. L. Harvey, publicity pub-licity director, and t D, Calhoun, cashier.