The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-18
CONSUL FROST'S STORY

All the news dispatches which have
been coming from Cork since the sink
ing of the Lusitania sent shCdder OF
horror throughout the civilized world
have emphasized the peculiar fitness of
Consul Wesley Frost FOR the official
-uositisn he occupied They have testi-
fed TO the indefatigable zeal with which
ne performed the extremely ar1uous du-
ties of that office, involving unceasine
efforts in behalf of the half-crazed vie
t.;u3 OF German barbarity. The strain
under which Mr.. Frost has labored for
su. long has necesstated leave of alb
Sancc from his post and he is employ.
ing IT, not in resting. but in telling the
story of German ruthlessness to the
merican people.
lie is in Kansas City in pursuance OF
hat m! sion and yesterday re told
sCEic part at least of the story which
~ its fullness cannot be narrated in
words 1t is peculiarly fitting, from
Wany points OF view, that this nara.
t!On should be made at this time. For
one thing il will bring the American
people face to face, as never before.
with the inhuman character OF the Prus-
sian military system which deliberately
embarked upon its career of "schrerk-
lhshket" in direct defiance of the laws
of warfare and for the sole purpose of
cowing the rest of the world into fear
If the horrible vengeance which the
Hun takes upon all who oppose him.
But more than this. the story of the
Lusitania will bring home 10 the Ameri-
can people the fact that the United
States is fighting its own battles, in re.
distance to intolerable wrongs inflicted
upon Americans, quite as much as, il
not more than, it is fighting in any
idealistic crusade to make the world
s,fe for democracy" There are those
who believe that too much stress is laid
upon the idealism of Americas partici.
patton in the worldconflict and not
enough upon the actual Wrongs which
have been Inflicted upon this country
,...d which constitute the primary rea
son for Americas entrance into the
war. AS has been pointed out there is
not q word in the declaration of war
asailst Germany of April 6 last about
making the world safe for democracy"
there is not word about fighting the
battle of the allies"
The only official reason America is ut
war with Germany is the fact that in
sufferable indignities have been offered
- this country, and all else is merely
Incidental. 1t is only incidental that
Germany has other enemies than the
United States: it is only incidental that
England, France, Russia Italy and Bel
gium are our allies. America could
have done nothing else but wage war if
II had been the sole opponent of Ger.
many and If IL had been animated by a
determination to assert its national in
dependence and self-respect
Consul Frost's story ought to make
this situation much clearer than il is
at present and 1t ought to nerve the
brave men who are making up the ar.
mics of America to fight. not in a spirit
ot rage or vindictive retaliation but
IN a spirit of solemn and heroic de-
termination not TO endure that which
cannot be endured with honor. They
are marching away this week not 20
fight the battles of the allies" but to
fight first of all the battles of America
and incidentally the battles of human
ity and Of democracy. to the end that
America first and all the world after.
wards shall be safe from this frightful
atavism which makes up German
''frightfulness." This story of the Lusi-
tania, with all its ghoulish terrors. IL
one whose telling is not pleasant but
which ought 10 prove immensely ef-
fective In arousing the nation to a clear
realization of what il has been asked
10 endure ard which it must refuse To
tolerate so long as red blood runs i'm
the veins of its men.