The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-15
THE LOVE OF PEACE.


VIII Never Miss the Water Till the
Wen Runs Dry" This is very much TIE
case with most all the blessings we en-.
JOY, We are inclined to grumble at the
suns heat in July and August, but when
January's cold has overtaken us We
sigh for the torrid days OF summer.
We are blinded by intense light, yet
when shrouded in darkness we pray
for a return bf the light. We are wor.
ried over an abundance of rain, but the
drouth is not on us long before we are
in a frame Of mind to welcome tho
floods. So it is all around. We want
whatever we have not and fail TO ap.
preciate what we have. We learn TO
take our blessings as a matter OF
| course and esteem them lightly until
something happens to deprive us. IL
takes sorrow and trouble and disaster
to make us know how much the ordi.
nary good things of life are worth. We
do not understand the value of the
water until the well we have always
depended upon fails us We take good
ness and pure air very much for
granted and only recognize their worth
when goodness is tarnished or the
pure air polluted
Not only is this true of the ordinary
things of life, but also OF the bigger
things that affect a nation or a COM
munity. We say we love peace, bu;
most of us do not know what value TO
place upon the blessings Of peace.
They are all taken for granted until
war comes and gives US a rude
awakening. And let us say right here
that no peace is worth anything that
is not worth fighting for We never
know the value Of peace until we have
to fight for II. 1t is such a matter Of
course that we are offended wheS
aplled upon to defend the source from
which our blessings flow. We are not
lacking in patriotism, but we have
lost our conception Of its value AMI
must be rudely shocked before we return
to proper valuation. James stephens,
the Irish novelist, says very truly: "Hu-
manity is timid and lazy, a believer
in golden means and subterfuges AMI
compromises, loath to address itself
TO any great combat until its frontiers
are virtually overrun and its cities ana
granaries and places Of refuge are I'm
jeopardy from the gloomy marauders
In that wide struggle which we cali
progress. evil is always the aggressor
and the vanquished. and II is right that
II should be so, for without its on
slaughts and depredations humanity
might fall 10 a fat slumber upon its
corn sacks and die snoring; or, alter
natively. lacking these valorous alarms
and excursions, it might become s>lf
satisfied and formularized, and be
crushed TO death by the mere density of
virtue"
II Is hard TO imagine how any man
lin advance of the occurrence could
have more accurately diagnosed the
great peril that had fallen 10 both
England and America in the yeats
leading up to the opening Of the pres
ent world war Slobber as we may
ssntlmentHly over the beauties OF un.
interrupted peace, we are compelled %
acknowledge that untl humanity
changes its nature prolonged peace
is apt TO prove a drawback to ma.
tional progress and virility. We have
long been snoring on our corn sacks
and looking upon peace and security
as matters OF course. When they We're
disturbed we were aggrieved, more 50
with those who would save Us from
ourselves than those who threatened
our welfare. Some day man may
| lay down under his vine and fix tree
/ and fear no man, but that time is far'
away. As long as human nature Is like
| il now is there must be periods OF vio-
/ lent politicG house-cleaning so that
the dust and dirt OF careless self-com-
placency may be banished from the
corners and the house Of humanity
scrubbed by the destructive besom of
war. There is no use preaching hov
nice Il is for all TO be at peace unless
we have known the horror Of war ana
learn TO give peace its proper valua'
ton, and we can an be the better for
the unpleasant experience and go for. !
ward with clearer minds and purer
hearts 70 the work OF reaching on, |
after the highest human destiny |
work which We had forgotten during |
our period Of ease and security.