The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-01-01


dren and seventeen will brmcmurah.e
because the greatest OF the world
democtaclcS, The United States at
Amerlca--lls foreign commerce forbid
den, ITS merchant ships sunk and Is
citizens ioully murdcred-tor,uok the
paths OF neutrality and went forward o.
seek with the sword peace and rcparl-
ton IRON a country which through two
years preceding had broken its plight
ed word to Us, had treacherou,N as
sailed us while protesting friendship,
and had drenchcd the world in blood.
Difficult History to Write.
BY and through this act and the con-
sequences growing out ol Americas alb
Soutely necessary step. tie war took
on a new character. the lrfcprc,,roln
conflict between the worlds two great
systems OF government became clearly
defined, and this country, once Auccrcl
al as mere collection Of traders IN ;ht
mlsiortunes Of others, stood revealed as
one willing to battle and suffer lor
ideals to which rs enemies declared It
was an absolute stranger Naturally
the trade history Of such a year a, that
Just closed IS a difficult one to write
because old standard, Vt living w.lc
periorce abandoned new and strange
problems presented thcm,clNc, 10 b.
solved, and new rules of action and
measures OF attainment were set up 1t
as still even nine months alter our for
NAL embargatlon IN the war difficult TO
say what final success attended this
country'S efforts to adjust itself To war
conditions, but t may once be Said
that many Of the steps taken and the
progress made m transforming it from a
peaceful neutral to a great military and
naval power have been comforting TO
those who have believed not only in the
desirabilty, but in the efficiency under
straini OF republican form OF gov
ernment.
Tried in Balance.
Briefly stated, this country has been
disclosed as capable Of raising great
army and, allowing Tor natural differ
enceS OF conditions, Of building up an
equally great navy, Of providing food
aud munitions for IS own mlon, and
those OF its allies. of taking a fairly ac-
tive part IN war at the same time per
mlttinR the pursuance OF the necessary
peaceful arts and of acting as banker
OF the allies and loaning Unprecedented
sums to further the war In doing this
II has had TO impose taxes such as
were never dreamed OF by its own peo-
pie, it has iloaled vast loans TO unprcce-
dented numbers OF subscribers, il has
requiSitioned men and materials alike
for war and peace purposes, has set up
rules for buying and selling, eating AMI
drinking and has directed the growing
and marketing OF crops and the disposal
oi their SurpluSeS among the nations
In word, ii has done most of the
things thought rcccSSay for the sue
cess OF rs policies. and 10 the ama1r.
ment alike Of It's friend, and foes. has
done all this with a minimum Of ap.
parent oompulson. and indeed with an.
parent anxiety on the part Of its people
simply 10 learn what was required and
10 do II with a promplude and com.
pleteneSs uncQualed m the world, his.
tory. In the doing Of these thing, and
in preparation for other and create
undertakings, It ha, broken as mary
preoedent' Of policy as IT has record,
Of production Indeed the h.g event,
occurring and ihe great basic chance,
ymado have been vcrltahIv kalcIdoyso.i,
In their number and character aud iht
"words record Unprecedented "cnor
NOUS and other adiecliveS have be-
come tlmeworu and hackncycl from
their constant iteration
Almost Panic in 1914.
With the great war now moving
through IT'S fourth year, a bird s-eye
view Of the big happenings as they have
affected ourselves might not be aml,,
The closing months OF 1914 found tn,
country laboring to adapt itself to the
new and strange conditions forced upon
II in common with the rest oi the world
Closed exchange, disorGanl1ed indus.
tries, hundred, OF thousand, Of worker,
idle and lack Of confidence were the
salient feature, I'm rs liquidation %.
American stocks and bond, held abroad
and feveriSh activity 'n supplying munl.
tlons and foods - our customer, stood
out as big features In lQln We as
sumed the position OF creator nation
loaned freely 10 I've entire world. bought
heavily Of bcl'ipercut securities. inn
ported both gold and merchandise IN
unheard-ot volume. and exported food
munitions and manufacture, to a smi
lar extent, while expanding old and
establishing new industries as ho'
house develops plants Efforts Nv bring
about world peace undertaken hv our
president failed.
Two Big Loans Raised
Nineteen hundred and seventeen saw
us assert our right TO lic as q come
mercial nation, raise two crormou,
popular loans for the prosecution OF
the war, lay the foundation for and
rear upon this great military and naval
forces, part Of this voluntarily en-.
listed, and part a grea, popular arnv
system. 10 get the latter l000OWN
young men submitting themselves ~
conseriptlon The povsrnmeut followed
the drafting OF soldiers and civilians
by a great conscriptlon Of wealth and
inddstry regulated outputs Of and prices
in all lines Of basic production. com.
mandeered shipping ALREADY building
or contracted for and began conNmc-
tion OF vast fleet Of merchant ships
70 make up for submarine sinkinus
dupstehed hundreds Of thousands Of
soldiers and sailors TO Europe. abol.
ishcd speculation in many lines. and
rae,ically, Il not in ctualily. took over
.ontrel Of the coui try's railways. In
fact, despite bureaucratic red tape
which delaNnd hih did mot rnIi1rIA