The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-23
AN UNTENABLE THEORY.

Kansas City Journal: It IS almost
inconceivable that any man sufficiently
intelligent and patriotic to occupy a
seat in the upper branch Of congress
should assume that it is wrong to send
drafted men out Of the country when
the nation is at war with foreign en-.
emy Yet this is the attitude assumed
by Senator Hardwick Of Georgia. Geor.
gia has the unenviable distinction" ="
shared to a certain extent by Missouri.
Of having two United States senator's
who have arrayed themselves vigorously
against the prosecution Of the war
IL would be doing the bravery and pa.
triotism Of Georgia an injustice TO pro-
ceed on the theory that Georgians ap-
prove this policy, or that they are not
whole-heartedly in favor Of vindicating
the nations honor by making whatever
sacrifices may be necessary.
Senator Hardwick. of course. has not
yet brought himself TO the point OF ad.
hitting that II is necessary vet to draft
anybody for seryice-for service within
the boundaries Of the nation or beyond
them. His theory, so far as il can be
formulated so as TO be ineligible to
Americans, is that Notwithstanding the
country is at war, no armed efforts
should be made until the United States
has been actually invaded. He is strong
for defense" and would wait until
hostile fleet heaves in sight OF the Statue
of Liberty and begins to drop 42.cen.
timeter shells on the skyscrapers, or
until German army lands somewhere
in America" But until that stage is
reached he is not in favor OF raising
any forces whatever, and he rises in ter.
rible indignation TO protest against send.
ing Americans beyond the three.mile
limit He is quoted as saying: For the
defense OF this country, IL il Is con.
ceivable that such a thing were neces.
sary, / would draft American manhood
from the cradle TO the grave. But. Mr..
President, my own fixed and unalterable
conviction is that to draft a freeman
for military service on foreign soil is
utterly Incompatible with freedom"
With United States senators express.
ing such sentiments, IL is hardly TO be
wondered at that humber Americans
are seeking TO evade the call 10 the col.
ors. A man who has been honored by
his state with the highest office in its
gift ought 10 know better than 10 talk
like that when the country is in the
midst OF war That America should wait
until an enemy actually attacks II on
American soil is nothing short OF alb.
surdity In theory and would be sui.
oidal In practice. Every fact OF the
present war demonstrates the folly OF
such an assumption.
So far from its being inconsistent
with freedom to send American soldiers
outside the country, the very spirit OF
our institutions and the very letter OF
the nations organic law approve the
protection and defense OF the flag any.
where on the globe where protection
and defense are needed. But the sena.
tors theories appeal to a certain type
of mind and are finding too ready
response among those who are trying
TO thwart the nation in its efforts to
protect its own liberties and incidentally
make the world safe from aggression.
And therefore such utterance in con.
gress does much harm and may fairly
be regarded as disloyal.