The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-04-26

\ mighty conflagration was raging
1t was sweeping from your neghbors
home to yours. Your property and the
very lives Of your loved ones were en-
dungered The firemen rushed to the
rescue. With all the energy it was
possible for them to command they
met tho oncoming flames with every
ounce of pressure upon the engines
and the hose. Water was poured out
to the utmost stretch Of the power
Of hose and engine. Here and there
this pressure may have forced a slight
leak. 10 may have eversrained some
engine or broken a piece of hose, but
this leak was not a waste These little
leaks in small places only testified to
the intensity of the energy of the fire
men who knew that upon every gallon
Of water that could possibly be thrown
upon the great flames might rest the
salvation OF your home and your city.
The firemsn rushed rccklessly into
danger; some died in the struggle, 9TH
ers We're manned for life. but your
home was saved, your loved ones We're
kept from death and the conflagra-
ton which might have destroyed your
city was stopped.
DO you count that the little water
lost from some broken hose or per
chance the overstrained engine, indi-
Gated any reckless waste or Of machin-
cry, and would you, therefore, hesitate
to bear yoru proportion Of the cost
Of saving the lives of your loved ones,
your own property and your own city?
/ 1t is not conceivable that you would
/ take 50 narrow view as to say that
more water was thrown on the
/ flames than was necessary; that this
extra water was all wasted. Those
vino We're controlling the fight knew
that the danger was terrific; they felt
the burning heat of the flames; they
knew that the confiagratiou must be
stopped or else all would be swept
away.
Pcrchance they did make some mis-
takes; perchance they We're not fully
equipped at the start of the fire, and
cities for help. But was not this very
unpreparedness due as much 20 you as
TO anyone else? Had you given yom
full energy TO the awakening Of you
community TO the need of more fir,
engines and better fire protection, ol
had you contentedly waited believin.
that there was no necessity for beinl
prepared for possible emergencies?
Three years ago the mightiest con
flagration In human history was sweep
ing over civilization. 1t had destroye,
millions Of loved ones; it wrecked wo
manhood and childhood; it had destroy
ed billions of property and the no
breath OF the flames We're sweeping
across the Atlantic to our shores. VI
We're in more danger than the maj
whose house is next door to a ragin'
fire Indeed, the very flames of Hel
mad been turned loose on earth and tn
sulphur.c fumes from Germany's atru
cities were filling our land.
When the nation officially awalSene
% this situation 1t became necessary
disrcsardug everything in the past
10 meet the rush of the oncomin
flames with the utmost power of a
the force We could put into the fight
We could not stop to count whcthe
there was "a little leak in this pipe o
whether this engine was tn
Z very best one that could possibly b
used or not; we had to call into scrvic
' every ounce of strength, every aNui
able man and drive the engine of IN
! VAR machinery entirely without rygar
! 90 the little things which might stan
' iu the way from the narrow vicwpuir
uf piCJyuuish economy. our cNistcnc
s like thc very existence of civilization
g W. - stake. Had the udministr,
L.l halted at every question OF e,
p.nse, had IL pursued a Cheeseparin
policy OF waiting to find out whcth,
! this plant or that plant could be bui
for a few dollars less; had It stoppt
a To consider whether this shipyurd
that shipyard would be a permancr
r. Investment, 1t would have Justly call,
down upon itself the condemnation
the entire nation. Be 1t said to u
/. everlasting credit of the admmstr
II ton. that when Washington once rea
e. i1ed the atupendous issue at stake al
- the magnitude of the fight that mu
be made. II was not halted by the que
ton OF cost nor by any narrow spin
which in trying to save few dola
might have lost the very life of Il
nation.
An that a man has will he give +,
his life IS the statement Of Him wi
spaIe as never man spake. and all tn
a nation has will It give If need be
save itself
If the people Of this country at Il
present time do not recognize Il
conditions under which the contest h.
to be waged FOR our self lf.defense al
under which the Flames had to
fought.
We again face the call of the natl,
for great bond issue to meet sor
l..Ns a H..