Montana Medicine Show: Montana Council of Defense

Welcome to the Montana Medicine Show. I'm Derek stron. More Montanans enlisted to fight in World War 1 per capita than any other state. But not everyone supported the overseas conflict. Pacifists called it a rich man's war in a poor man's fight in 1917 President Wilson created state councils of Defense to sell bonds increase food production and help the war effort. But Montana's governor Sam steward expanded the council's powers to quote fix it so that no longer may enemy spies or peddlers of sedition and slander go free. The council now assume the status of a parallel state government historian Dave Walter described the council's heyday as one of the very darkest chapters in Montana history. He wrote the council played fast and loose with civil liberties imposing restrictions that seem preposterous today. Books were burned newspapers banned parades and even dances were prohibited without the council's permission. Speaking German was forbidden in schools or churches

even in religious services inside private homes. Forty seven Montanans were thrown in jail some for 20 years simply for voicing their opposition to the war. US troops were in the trenches fighting in what Wilson called a war to keep the world safe for democracy. Meanwhile Montana's Council of Defense was busy trampling the Bill of Rights from freedom of the press and freedom of speech to the free exercise of religion and the right to peaceably assemble. The council's powers remain in effect years after the War to End All Wars had ended. I'm Derrick strong. The Montana medicine show is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. A private corporation funded by the American people.