The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-10-02
4 q The Editorial Page of The Daily Ardmoreit@ q
OUR DISTINGUISHED GUEST

" James "A. heeQ OF Kansas Clly, IOrHeIly
also of Missouri, tongued and togaed trumpet
of the Little Americanism cult. He is distin-
guished citizen and is our guest Let us extend
to him the senatorial courtesy. He has been in
vited to Ardmore by some of us-or rather by
some of THEM-and as a senator Of the United
States ne is entitled to respectful hearing.
If we go to Convention Hall to listen to his
artfu and artistic plans and specifications for
the construction of Chinese Wall Of exclusion
around the United States of America, shutting
us in from the rest of the world and shutting
out the rest of the world from u.s. that does not
signify that we accept his specifications and Of
fer ourselves as hewers of stone and mixers Of
mortar for the Big Barrcade.
Mr.. Reed is the prosecuting attorney of the
senate. A bobtailed grand iury-not altogether
grand, by the way-made up of bakers dozen
of the members Of that body, has indicted the
League of Nations for alleged shortcomings and
has placed it upon trial for its life. Lawyer
Reed is the self-appointed prosecutor The
court is moot but not mute-verily not mute so
long as the basso bassoon Of Reed, the piquant
pipes of Reed, the roaring reeds of Reed, have
utterance and issue.
We, the jury, meaning the American people,
are to sit by and hear the evidence and the ar
guments receive the judges charge, and return
the verdict. And the Judge, like the law as
Blackstone phrased it, is Common Sense.
Tonight we shall hear only the prosecutions
side of the case. 1t is accepted legal procedure
for the prosecution to precede the defense. Let
us, therefore, be patient; for 10! the Defender
cometh.
The attorney for the defense is not lawyer
by profession; but in a moot court-Which is by
no means mute, you should remember-that
matters not at all The defender of the League
of Nations, who will come to Ardmore few
nights hence and save the league from capital
punishment in this jurisdiction, is a Kansas City,
man, like Mr.. Reed But for that requirement.
as to senatorial courtesy we should mention his
name. The well-known courtesy constrains US
to an unwilling concealment, inasmuch as the
attorney for the defense is to be, many Mis-
sourians believe and hope, the successor to Mr..
Reed in the United States senate.
We fear that already, since we have men
toned the local habitaton of counsel for the
defense, though for the present denying him a
name the prosecutor may be perturbed to the
extremity Of experiencing little rift within the
lutte of his forensic instrument; for we happen
to know personally that Mr.. Reed dearly de-
spises to be disturbed when he speaks by a
bawing babe in arms, by "cry-baby' mechan-
ical toy by a cough that scars when perhaps
it should drop or by the baying of a bull pup
in the lunar gloam outdoors when do ope
my mouth let no dog bark" is the first rule of
order in the court where this prosecutor appears
to roar his rage Of rancor against the defendant
courageous or covering.
How much more disconcerting would it be,
therefore, should a sort of reversed Banquo's
Ghost arise and proceed backward out of the
future, lifting long thin arm and pointing to
the first Richmond in the feld-and in this
horseess age!
We refrain, therefore, from further mention
of the attorney for the defense save but to an
nounce his coming in due time and to utter the
prediction that after he shall have torn to tat
ters and shreds the prosecutors arraignment
and argument we, the jury, without leaving our
seats, will return verdict acquitting the League
of Nations and preserving its life to the glory of
God and the good of man.
Oyez Oyezl The case of the Bakers Half
Baked Dozen vs. the League Of Nations is now
on trial.
Order in the court!