Socialist Agitator Tarred and Feathered

Elk City, Okla., April 9. - William Madison Hicks, erstwhile minister and socialist lecturer, whose most recent bid for notoriety, the promotion of "World Peace League," propaganda, won for him an indictment in the United States district court, is hurrying along the road east of Elk City tonight carrying upon his bare back and legs a generous coat of tar and feathers, unless he has braved the dangers of a bath in an open brook or scratched off a part of his burden upon some friendly fence post. His midnight journey of doubtful destination afoot, was undertaken upon the advice of 100 members of the Elk City council of defense who applied the coat of tar and feathers. "Any place outside Beckham County," was the counsel the council members gave him. He didn't wait for further instructions.

Hicks' latest trouble arose from the fact that for the past several days he has been working and talking against the purchase of Third Liberty loan bonds in the Ural neighborhood, a socialist stronghold, ten miles southwest of Elk City. At the instance of members of the council of defense, Hicks was: arrested by local officers and lodged in jail. Rumors of some impending difficulty at 10 o'clock tonight induced the officers to take Hicks from the jail and start with him for Clinton. They had not got far from town when they were overtaken by one-hundred citizens, most of them, it is understood, members of the local council of defense. The officers were gently separated from their prisoner and marched down the road a few rods, while the coat of tar and feathers was being applied. Hicks was released and told to leave the county. The last seen of him he was rapidly walking eastward.

--The Ada Weekly News, Ada, Oklahoma, April 11, 1918, page 1

Drive Them All Out of Business

Day by day the path of the pro-German in America becomes more stony and difficult. It is well. It is a sign, of democracy's inherent wholesomeness.

But the pro-German is not easily discouraged. He continues unto the verge of insanity. Unbalanced persons do things that sane persons will not do.

There must be no let-up in the campaign against pro-Germans until all pro-Germans are stopped in their work in America.

This is no place for any pro-German activity. This is no place for pro-German activity of any kind, whether it be actual Berlin-bossed German propaganda or the subtle propaganda of the pacifist who wants a German peace, either because he doesn't know any better, or because he does know better.

The path grows more stony for the pro-German. It must be made impossible.

Pro-Germanism of every kind must be driven out of America. We are at war and we cannot afford to trifle with danger. America's safety is at stake and it must not be menaced from behind.

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What Democracy Means

This is a war to make the world safe for democracy.

What does democracy mean?

It means the opportunity for the people of a nation to conduct the affairs of their country as they see fit; to create the institutions they desire; to carry into operation their collective will.

All of the progress of the world is bound up in democracy.

If democracy is lost all progress is lost.

Democracy must stay and grow.

America must win the war!

--The Iowa Unionist, Des Moines, Iowa, February 14, 1918, page 8.