The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-19

more indifferent than the old by force
of circumstances, but the partial con-
quest OF this younger element was not
"a spiritual conquest. IL was simply
because the population was becoming
habituated to new rulers. as an old
woman becomes habituated to her
false teeth. TO her failing beauty. with.
out in any sense becoming euamored
OF her old age.
THE Germans needed a Napoleon
to complete the military conquest of
1870 by the spiritual conquest OF the
people We would never lay a hand
upon institutions particular to Alsace
ana Lorraine He was chatted once
about the generals on his staff who
spoke German. IT is true they do
speak German he said. 'Kehermdh
swears in German, but he fights in
French Napoleon knew that the spir.
it of the Alsatian was French and that
he needed have no anxiety on the
score of language In fact, the French
policy since Louis XIV had been new
er to touch anything in AlsaCe The
country was left with a language that
was not national. German and French
We're taught, but the old patois was
the substance French penetrated the
province like a perfume instead of
like a projectile as did German insti-
tutiOns
"A curious result of the German ef-
fort to stamp out French in Alsace
was that in ur,n,rti,p ms tL, A.,
tians forgot French they became more
Alsatian, while they never approached
any nearer to being German In less
than fifteen years after the beginning
OF the German occupation, an Alsatan
literature had sprung up. The Ger
mans permitted it, not understanding
that that provincial patOis was a sort
Of fortress behind which Alsatan
characteristics were sheltered
Passing on to general questions re-
garding the war and its effects after
ward, Pastor Wagner expressed the
opinion that the world will be spirit
ually better for the great trial through
which it has passed
The world will have observed" he
said, that there are things that can
not be put in the balance invisible
things that count, and from which
good will come. Good will come even
from the formidable exposition by men
OF bad sentiments that will make the
rest Of the world sick Of living among
them. Germanys abuse of power is
great object lesson that will be use.
tul to future generations. America
even, that great refuge of liberty. was
finally forced to rebel against it, The
lessons of the sacrifices that have
been made by the young will improve
the spirit Of youth by emulation, while
older people have been renovated men
tally. The world generally will no
longer admire the same things that it
did before or will no longer admire
them in the same way. 1t is not only
my opinion but my sentiment; feel
myself being spiritually renovated.
The perfection to which Germany
has brought the organization of false
hood will in itself disgust the world
with lying; beginning with falsehoods
regarding the origin of the war. false.
hoods regarding first aggressions.
falsehoods regarding the first use or
suffocating gas, falsehoods at all
times and on all subjects, prepared
and disseminated with all the perfec.
tion of German method, will make
the world hungry for truth and can.
dor.
1T has been asked whether the re.
suit Of this war is going to develop
hatred between peoples that will be
detrimental to our spiritual existence
If we cannot detest actions that are
loathsOme, how can we defend our.
selves against all that goes with
them? 1t vii lbe necessary TO extract
all sensibility from the human soul be.
fore we can cease hating what is vile:
in order to love what is good even
We must hate evil, and this opinion
comes from a man who never har.
bored in his soul hate against anyone
| do not say now that personally
hate Germany; she horrifies me-"
Please tell the American people
for me- said Pastor Wagner in con.
clusion, that France will never for.
get how disnterestedly and spontane.
ously they came 10 the aid of our af-
tlicted population at time when they
themselves had no thought of being
involved in or having a direct interest
in the conflict