The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-01-23

graph adds:
For 80 suprNmely fortunate an
outcome We must recognize what
we owe to the initiative OF Presi-
dent Wilson. The manner Of his
intervention was unhappy, but by
right handling OF the matter the
craftsmanship Of the Entente has
turned that intervention to our
signal advantage
Perhaps If the manner Of the Prcsi.
dents intervention had been less ''un-
happy" the results would have been
far less important The Entente gov,
ernments were goaded by the Presi.
dents cold and dispassionate language
into doing something which was so
obviously to their own advantage that
the wonder is that they had never de-
liberately sought to create the Oppor-
tunity for themselves
In diplomacy nothing else is so be.
wildering and disconcerning as tell
ing the truth. Had the Presidents
note been accepted at its face value
the explosions of rage with which it
was greeted by the London press and
in pro-Ally circles of the United States
would have been impossible. Instead
Of taking the note for what it said, a
determined effort was made to read
INTO it everything that was not in it.
and that effort escaped proving a
Ismashing German triumph.
The note expressly disclaimed all
connection with the peace overtures
of the Central Powers Therefore, the
Ally and pro-Ally press stoutly insist
ed that it was undertaken for the ben
eft of Germany. The note plainly
said that "the President is not pro
posing peace" Therefore, il was uni
versally described as peace note
The note also said that the President
lis not even Offering mediation. -
Therefore, the President was pictured
as a mediator who was trying to pull
the Kaiser's Chestnuts out Of the fire
for the benefit of Prussian autocracy
Probably nothing else in the note
aroused so much yirtuous Indignation
as the paragraph in which the Presi
dent was supposed to have said that
both sides were fighting for the same
thing. Yet while his language may
have left something to be desired in
the way of clarity of expression, no
body who took the pains TO read the
note carefully could he in doubt as tc
It's meaning.
Now that the Entente answer has
been received, the Presidents critics
have suddenly discovered what was
apparent, : from the outset. that the
note wGs definite and unprcjudiced
request for official information as to
The aims and objects of the war and
an authoritative statement of the
terms OF peace. Instead of playing
into the hands Of Germany, the note
played into the hands of the Allies
because there was sufficient intelli
gcnce and democratic instinct in Lon
don and Paris to perceive an Oppor.
,uuity to appeal TO the Judgment OF All
mankind. whereas Berlin IS still oc
cupicd with Junkcr diplomacy Had il
been Germany that saw the oppor
,mnity and the Allies that d!sregarded
it, the results would have been re-
ycrscd and Germany would have Won
| the victory
The President gave an the bclligcr
tents am equal chance and left them ia
take advantage Of 60 I'm accordance
with their ability and sincerity of par
Ipase The Allies won. The Telegraph
is not cArayagant in its claims when
! II describes The answer of the Allies
las a hloojlos5 victory of oycrwholm
ling effect The answer ia one of the
Imgstor-strokcs of modern diplomacy
and the reason 1t is uastcgstrokc is
because 90 answered a vital question
! In on hunpsi sfrllghilorVlrl NIv