The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-07
BABY WORDS AND BABY MINDS


THE LATE Joaquin Miller, who was much
greater poet than the SNUG so-called critics
# the East ever admitted or discovered used to
dvise young poets to use what he termed baby
vords," meaning the short snappy words which
xpress what you wish to say Miller himself
sed baby words" to the glory of American
oetry, in writing half dozen of the best lyrics
f the land.
. We have been struck recently by the re-
larkable simplicity Of the language used by
resident Wilson in his speeches. The clarity
f his utterances, both spoken and written, has
cen observed and praised by many purists in
nglish since he became president; he says eX-
city what he means, and he says it so clearly
nd so plainly that only an idiot or an ass can
lisunderstand him. nevertheless, there are
nose who sneer at his utterances as rhetoric"
nd pretend that he camouflages his meanings.
Some years ago somebody reWrote "Robin-
IN Crusoe" and "The Pilgrims Progress and
artain other classics in words of one syllable
hat was done for babies, no doubt, since any
eanings of plain English words can understand
lose books as they are written. While we know
lat President Wilson has no intention of in
lltmg the intelligence of the American peo-
e by trying to talk down to them" we find
avertheless that on his present tour Of speech
aking he is using baby Words" such as
)aquin Miller loved and suggested, more free
than before We are impressed particularly
ith the simplicity of some of the language he
ed Friday noon in trying to explain to the
embers and guests of the st. Louis Chamber
Commerce-l,700 of them at probably about
0 a plate at their roof-garden luncheon
st what the League of Nations covenant
cans
For instance, the president was begging his
'arerS not to conceive of the League of Ma
ms as a combination of the world for war,
or that is exactly what it is not" he said 1T is
combination of the world for arbitration and
scusson" Now, Of course, babies cannot un-
rstand what is meant by Arbitration and dis
ssion"-those are not baby words. But let
follow the president He proceeds to tell
e St. Louis business men, who no doubt would
e to resume their trade with Germany. what
II happen when any member of the league
eaks these promises with regard to arbitra-
n or discussion We quote word for word
I'm the presidents speech:
"And you know what then happens. You
', Yes we form an army and 90 to fight
am.' Not at all! We shut our doors and
k out; we boycott them. Just so soon
that is done, they cannot ship cargoes out
receive them shipped in; they cannot send
Geographic message; they cannot send or re-
We letter. | don't think that after all it will
necessary to do any fighting at all. Now,
1t is the League of NationS-an agreement
arbtrate and discuss, and an agreement that
1ou do not arbitrate and discuss, you shall be
Solutely boycotted and starved out"
We submit the candid opinion that in the
egoing utterance President Wilson has made
in, chiefly in baby words, the fact that future
RS, under the League of Nations plan, will be
odess wars-boycott wars the boycott be-
far more effective than the bullet and the
yonet in bringing to terms a selfish nation.
Our reading Of history convinces us that
'odrow Wilson, who undoubtedly is the best
lcated chief executive this nation has had
S. the most easily understandable language
t any president ever has employed. And
the baby minds of some-so infantile ap-
emily that they cannot understand even baby
rds-see in the presidents rill-pure English
! lefled only rhetoric"
,oxu sAu urugpisrs rree Just returne