Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-28

enants and understandings upon
which peace must henceforth rest.
We still read Washington's immortal
warning against "entangling al
llances," with full comprehension
and an answering purpose. But only
special and limited alliances en-
tangle; and we recognize and ac-
cept the duty of a new day In which
we are permitted to hope for gem
eral alliance which will avoid en-
tanglemenLs and clear the air OF the
world for common understandings
and the maintenance OF common
rights.
Clears Away Doubts.
have made this analysis OF the
international situation which the war
has created. not. OF course, because
l doubted whether the leaders of the
great nations and peoples with whom
we are associated were of the same
mind and entertained a like purpose,
but because the air every now ana
again gets darkened by mists and
groundless doubtings and mischleY-
GUS supervision of counsel and 1t Is
necessary once and again to sweep
all the irresponsible talk about peace
| intrigues and weakening morale and
doubtful purpose on the part OF those
| in authority utterly, and II need be
luncermoniously aside and say things
| in the plainest words that can be
found, even when 1t is only to say
over again what has been said be-
fore, quite as plainly II in less un-
vanished terms.
As have said neither l nor any
other man in governmental authority
created or gave form the issues OF
this war. l have simply responded
TO them with such vision as | coulo
command. But l have Responded
gladly and with a resolution that has
grown warmer and more confident as
| the issues have grown clearer and
clearer. 1t is now plain that there
are issues which no man can per-
vert unless it be wilfully. | am bound
to fight for them and happy TO fight
for them as time and circumstances
have revealed them to me as TO all
the world. Our enthusiasm for them
grows more and more irresistible as
they stand out in more and moro
vivid and unmistakable outline.
Forces Closer Together.
And the forces that fight for them
draw into closer and closer array,
organize their millions into more and
more unconquerable might, as they
| become more and more distinct 10
the thought and purpose or the peo-
ples engaged. II is the peculiarity OF
| this great war that while statesmen
have seemed to cast about for DELI
nitions of their purpose and nave
sometimes seemed to shirt thelr
ground and their point OF view, inc
| thought of the mass or men, whom
statesmen are supposed to instruct
and lead has grown more and more
unclouded, more and more certain OF
what IL Is that they are fighting for.
Nationci purposes have fallen more
and more into the background and
the common purpose OF enlightened
mp.nkind has taken their place.
The councils OF plain men have
become on all hands more simple and
STRAIGHTFORWARD and more unified
than counsels of sophisticated men OF
affairs who still retain the impression
that they are playing n game OF
power and playing for high stakes
That is why I have said that this 10
the peoples war, not statesmans
Statesmen must follow the clarified
common, thought or be broken.
take that to be the significance
of the fact that assemblies and as
sociations OF many kinds made up OF
plain workaday people have demand
ed, almost every time they came to-
gether, and are still demanding, that
| leaders Of their governments declare
to them plainly what 1t is, exactly
what it is, that they were seeking in
this war, and what they think the
items Of the final settlement
should be.
They are not yet satisfied with
what they have been told. They still
seem to fear that they are getting
what they ask for only in statements
terms-only In the terms OF territor-
! ial arrangements and divisions OF
power, and not in terms OF broad
Visioned justice and mercy and
peace and the satisfaction OF those
| deep-seated longinSs OF oppressed
and distracted men and women and
enslaved peoples that seems to them
the only things worth fighting "A war
for that engulfs the world. Perhaps
statesmen have not always recog-
| nized this changed aspect of the
whole world of policy and action.
/ Perhaps they have not always
spoken in direct reply to the ques-
! tions asked. hut they did not know
how searching those questions were
and what sort Of answers they de-
manded
Wants Clear Understanding.
But !, for one, am glad to attempt
the answer again and again, in the
hope that may make 1t clearer and
clearer that my one thought is to
satisfy those who struggle in the
ranks and are, perhaps, above all
other, entitled to reply whose
meaning no one can have any excuse
for misunderstanding, II he under