One incident happened in April 1918, when McElroy accused practically every citizen in Wisconsin of treason. McElroy was addressing some University of Wisconsin army junior cadets in the rain on the college's campus. The acoustics made it difficult to hear him, and the wet cadets fidgeted throughout his speech. McElroy grew increasingly angry as he spoke, convinced the cadets were ignoring him. Finally, McElroy, whether in exasperation or because truly believed so, accused the students and the university's faculty of treason. However, since no one could hear him, there was no response to his statement. McElroy then broadened his accusation to include the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, who was also in attendance, and the entire population of the state of disloyalty as well. To make matters worse, McElroy published those accusations in a number of newspaper articles. When word of McElroy's statements were made known, the public and the press turned on the NSL and accused it of xenophobia and fanaticism. Many mainstream supporters of the League, unaware of the jingoistic tendencies of some of the more senior members of the organization's inner circle, quit in protest.