The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-11-01


election of a republican majority in
congress. The statement was said
to be the first ever composed and
signed by two former presidents OF
the United States.
Seated at a table in the Union
League Club they prepared the state
ment and discussed old times at the
capital while it was being typed.
The appeal follows:
1--WE approach this subject as
Americans and only as Americans,
When this war broke out we would
have welcomed action by the pres
idcnt which would have eliminated
all questions oi party politics. II
would have enabled us all to stand
behind him to the end, without re
gard to anything except national
considerations. Instead of this,
partisan lines have been strictly
drawn from the first. and now the
president announces that only dem
ocratS can be entrusted with future
power and only those democrats
who do his will. Because OF the re-
Election on other patriotic Ameri-
cans, we appeal for fair play.
-Four Tasks Outlined.
The next congress will serve from
March 4, 1919 to March 4, 1921. In
that period
FIRST, the war must be fought to
unconditional surrender, unless this
is achieved before.
Second, the terms OF world peace
must be settled.
Third, the democratic admins
tration in our history, must give an
account OF its stewardship.
Fourth, the change from war
conditions to peace must be brought
about with the least disturbanancc
and the work OF reconstruction
must be broadly begun.
"A republican congress will be
much better qualified than one con-
trolled by democrats to aid the
country in adopting the measures
needed for these four great tasks.
First even as a minority party, the
republicans made the winning OF
the war possible by passing the orr
gnal draft bill. Without, this We
could not have trained and landed
the two millions of men now in
France.
Refers to Minority's Work.
"As a minority party the republi-
cans forced upon a reluctant pres
ldent and secrtary OF state after an
injurious delay Of four months. the
amended draft act, without which
we could not put two more millions
at the front next July. The speaker.
the leader and the chairman of the
military committee Of the demo
cratic house, opposed the original
draft with all the vigor possible.
1t was saved, and so our country's
cause was saved by the republican
minority.
Second, the new senate must ap-
prove, by two-thirds vote, the terms
of peace. Those terms should be
settled not by one man only. 1t is
one man control we are fighting in
this war to suppress. If the peace
treaty is to be useful in the future,
1t must be approved by the great
body OF the American people The
president has indicated a Willingness
to make peace by negotiation. He
has not demanded, as he might have
done in three lines, that which the
American people demand, an un-
conditional surrender. His exchange
of notes with Germany has caused
deep concern among our people lest
he may, by his parleying with her,
concede her peace around coun-
Gil table instead of sentence from
a court.
Oppose ID Peace Points.
"The fourteen points which the
president and Germany assume that
they have already agreed upon are
so general and vague that such a
peace would be no treaty ut all, but
only protocol to an interminablc
discussion. The president is with
out final power to bind the United
States to those fourteen points, al
though his language docs not sug-
gest it. Still less has he power to
bind our noble allies. We do not
know that these points include all
that our allies may justly demand,
or do not concede something they
may Justly withhold. For what they
have done tor us, we owe our allies
the highest good faith. 1t is of
capital importance that We should
now elect a senate which shall be
independent enough TO interpret and
enforce the will of the American
people in the matter OF this world
peace and notemerely submit to the
will of Mr.. Wilson.
House of Representatives
Nor can the attitude OF the
house of representatives be ignored
in this peace. Every affirmative obli-
cation binding the United States in
that treaty must be performed by
the house as part of the congress.
The present democratic majority in
the house has been subservient to
the will of the president in every re-
spect except when critical issues in
the conduct OF the war have been
involved. The president has not hes
itated publicly to discipline his par
ty who have disagreed with him.