The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-22
EARTH TOO SMALL
FOR THESE z IDEAS
PROGRAM or IRRESPON-
SIBLE BRUTAL STATE AND
FREEDOM ARE At WAR.
DARK AGES THREATEN
German Idea Of Earth's Domination by
Might Regardless Of Murder and De
Siruction Of Nations Must BE Destroy
ed FOR An Time. Says Governor.

Chicago, Oct. 22.-Thls is war OF
two such biz ideas that the world it.
self Is not big enough to hold them
both" Gov. Lowden OF Illinois told a
mass meeting here. He scored the Ger
man idea OF national responsibility and
warned his hearers that the triumph
OF Germany would mean a return to the
conditions OF the Dark Ages. assured
them that disloyalty in Illinois was be-
ing stamped out and concluded with a
plea for subscriptions 10 the Liberty
loan. The address was the opening gun
i'm Patriotic week" in Illinois.
This is not mere war for territory:
II II were, some point OF common agree
ment might be reached" said Gov. Low
den. 1T IL not a war sought as a balm
to a nations wounded pride: II 1t were.
that price would have been swallowed
up long ago. 1t is a war of such big
ideas that the world itself is not big
enough TO hold them both. One idea
recognizes that. as government is COM
posed of the people. so government is
subject to the same moral tests. as the
people who compose 1t. The idea for
which the central empire contends is
that the state is above all morality. all
obligation to humanity. and that its only
is, what is best for itself.
World Did Not Heed Threat.
AT last we know the issue we have
to meet The Prussian autocracy, a
half century ago. declared that the law
of force was the only law governing
nations. The world heard, but did not
heed the sinister threat. Now we know
that this was no mere idle academic
utterance of the class room.
This idea has grown until 1t is spread
ing like a black cloud over the earth,
and nothing will drive away that cloud
but the absolute triumph of our armies.
/ believe from the bottom of my heart
that the German people will gain more
from their own decisive defeat than we
will gain ourselves. We are at war.
not with any people, but with this idea
which, IL we do not fight it to the death.
will dominate and rule and ruin the
earth.
why should not they invade Bel
GUM? II was TO their military advan-
tage, and in their new philosophy. ad-
' antage to the state is all that counts.
Why should not they sink unarmed mer-
chant ships and deliberately drown men
and women and children If that would
help them to impose their new kultur
upon the world? Why should we be
at their dropping bombs upon
hospitals where wounded and dying men
lay? These men had dared to fight for
that other idea, the idea that there is
such a thing as the honor Of nations.
"The German war cult has been con-
diabolically consistent-through
out. 1t can answer every charge that
has been made or may be made against
il by an appeal to its basic idea that
the nation is above the moral law-that
honor is but phrase invented
by the weaker nations TO escape the
power of the sword. Force, brute force,
material force, force that can be seen
and felt. and force alone. If they are
right, should rule the world.
MOnstrous and Vicious
"The idea that considerations of jus
tice, of humanity, of honor, bind the
of state but not the state
itself, is so monstrous that II will de-
stroy even the civilization OF the state
itself, which holds TO this idea 1t cor
rupts its own citizens.
"The conduct of Count Won Bernstorff
the recent German ambassador to this
country, is a case in point. He was the
honored guest Of our nation: the hospi-
tality Of our people and the freedom of
our land We're his. Processing daily
his friendship for America, and though
we were at peace with his country. he
plotted destruction of railroads and mu-
milton plants. he fomented internal dis
order, he filed our land with spies
but he was true to the principles OF his
master. And no man can serve a state
which denies the existence of national
honor. and not himself lose his own
honor.
"The idea that nation can do no
wrong, and that the moral considera-
tions which bind individuals do not
control i'm the activities of the state.
must be stamped out for evermore II
peace in any permanent form is ever
to return to the world. The idea that
IL is a crime for one man to steal his
neighbor's horse. but an heroic thing
when seventy-five million. in the name
Of the state. steal neighboring pro-
vince. must be done TO DEATH You
cannot multiply vice by a number large
enough TO make vice a virtue.
People Must Stand Together.
Il do not know which is the more in
terested in this war. capital or labor.
but L do know that nothing matters TO
either If we do not win the war. And
capital cannot alone win the war. and
labor alone cannot win the war. There
fore. II is time. as II never was be
fore. for capital and labor TO get to
gether. to gather about the same board