The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-26

wilson today III personal state-
ment addressed to his fellow coun-
trymen, denouncing mob spirit and
mob action, called upon the nation
to show the world that while it
fights for democracy on foreign
fields it is not destroying democra-
cy at home.
The President referred not alone
to mob action against those suspect
ed of being enemy aliens or enemy
sympathizers, but he denounced
most emphatically mob action of all
sorts, especially lynchings, and while
he did not refer specifically to lynch
ings of negroes in the south, it is
known that he included them in his
characterization of mob spirits as
"a blow at the heart of ordered law
and humane justice"
Includes Negro Lynchings.
1t is known that the lynchings OF
negroes, as we'll as attacks upon
those suspected of being enemies
or sympathizers, have been used by
the German propaganda throughout
Central and South America as well
as in Europe, to contend that the
pretensions of the United States
as a champion of democracy are
sham. Deeply concerned by the situ-
to declare that every mob contrib
alton, the president decided to ad-
dress his fellow countrymen and
utes to German lies about the
United States what her most gifted
liars can not improve upon by way
of calumny."
Text of Statement.
The presidents statement in full
follows:
my fellow countrymen:
81 take the liberty of addressing
you upon a subject which so vital
" affects the honor of the nation
and the very character and integrity
OF our institutions that | trust you
will think me justified in speaking
very plainly about it.
4 allude to the mob spirit which
has recently here and there very
frequntly shown its had amongst
us, not in any single region, but in
many and widely separated parts OF
the country. There have been many
lynchings, and everyone of them
has been blow at the heart of or
dered law and humane justice. No
man who loves America. no man
who really cares for her fame and
honor and character or who IS
truly loyal to her institutions, can
Justify mob action while the courts
OF justice are open and the govern
ments of the states and the nations
are ready and able to do their duty.
America Fights Lawless Passion
I'VE are at this very moment
fighting lawless passion. Germany
has outlawed herself among the ma
tons because she has disregarded
the sacred obligations OF law and
has made lynchers of her armies.
Lynchers emulate her disgracetul
example, l, for my part, am anxious
to see every community in America
rise above that level. with pride and
a fixed resolution which no man or
set of men can afford to despise.
I'VE proudly claim to be the
champions OF democracy. If we real
" are in deed and in truth, let us
see to it that we do not discredit our
own. say plainly that every Amer.
ican who takes part in the action OF
a mob or gives any sort OF counter
ance is no true son OF this great
democracy, but its betrayer, and
does more to discredit her by that
single disloyalty to her standards OF
law and of right than the words OF
her statesmen or OF the sacritices OF
her heroic boys in the trenches can
do to make suffering peoples be-
Iieye her TO be their saviour. How
shall we recommend democracy to
the acceptance Of other peoples II
we disgrace our own by proving that
it is after all no protection to the
weak? Every mob contributes to
German lies about the United States
what her most gifted liars can io'
improve upon by the way OF ca'um-
ny.
Most Solemn Call.
They can at least say that such
things cannot happen in Germany
except in times OF revolutions, when
law is swept away. :,
81 therefore very earnestly and
solemnly beg that the governors oil
all the states. the law officers OF ev-
ery community, and. above all, the
men and women of every community
in the United States, all who revere
America and wish TO keep her name
without stain or reproach, viii CO.