The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-12-19
AMERICAN IDEAL
GUIDING SPIRIT
OF ALL EUROPE
Country Warned Against
Sinister Influences,
BY Farmer Murphy.

tf1pyflghi. 1918, by tho New York Times
THO chicago Trlbun. and the Oklahoma
cty TlmerD.
PARIS, Dec. l0.-(Delayed) There
Is big American issue involved in
the peace conference which thought.
fol Americans should examine calmly
and without heat or partiSanShip. The
country came into the war 10 fight for
certain high ideals and its action was
based on broad principles OF human.
iiy ard justice Thi, was preached by
all classes and all parties and perme-
ated every act OF preparation and in
spired our armies IN battle
II anyone doubts the hold this ideal
ism had on the people he only has to
talk 10 the nlainest men OF the ranks
20 have his uncertainty dlSpellcd
One Of the surprises people here have
had is when talking TO the doughboyS
and non-coms who ordinarily arc not
supposed to base their action on high
grounds. to find them almost without
exception giving as the reason for
their fighting that they want 10 make
the world safe for democracy and save
II from future wars.
Soldiers Believe In II.
There can he no doubt that what
was the inspiration OF our fighting
force must also have been the inSplra
ton OF the American people IT is
time, therefore. for America to con
slider whether. having fought for these
ideals. shed their blood and given
their substance for them, they are now
going to abandon them and permit
some less noble result TO enSue
There are already sinister in
iluenoes at work to make the final
adjustment, according to the old stand
ard in response 10 the old impulses OF
greed These influences. like greed IT.
self, have no nationality and they can
not and should not be blamed on any
nation, as they are simply elements
that come to the fore when victory IS
won and safety assured First to hide
IN the time Of danger, they arc the
first TO assert their claims when tri-
umph is assured. Tcmporlzlng end
conciliatory in defeat. they become i'm
plaoable IN victory
Work in the Dark.
Naturally. these factions don't work
in the open. but carry on their cam
paign by insinuation and innuendo
and indirection For fear Of the
masses they don't dare attack the
high purposes which ac,uatcd Amer
lea in entering the war or aSsail the
high plane on which she was put
thereby The method used by them IS
to belttlc Americas part. hint at elev-
cnth hour assistance and spread in
situations about the American army
itself
Ii is wholly unnecessary TO say that
tie people have no part in this. They
are genuinely appreciative OF Amer
ica's aid and il is only a selfish ag-
gressive element trying TO exploit pub
lie opinion to its own ends. Ncverthe
less. il is formidable and the Amer
ican people cannot too soon awake 10
the situation. Our assistance was
welcomed and our ideals glorified in
the dark days. but with success at
tanned, the thought is being propa
gated that our ideals don't amount to
80 much after all.
Believe in U. S. Justice.
Americans should not be deceived
or mis,ed by such talk No one can
measure the value our ideals, which
were so we'll spread throughout the
world, have had in bringing ultimate
victory, but enough is known to all in
formed persons to say that they were