The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-17
A O The Editorial Page of The Daily Ardmor@ite @
DIR. BELL is TOO WISE

| HA DONCH Ol IRREGULARITIES Sdiiii
L themselves collectively "The League fo
he Preservation of American independence
will not get very far with its propaganda
-he American press has the gumption to res
between the words of its high-sounding tit
and interpret its purposes. The bunch is sen
ing out great deal Of press matter.
The League to Enforce Peace, of which M
William II. Taft is president, also is active
arguments, and it doesn't hold Il
other "league"-the "preservatonist' one
very high esteem.
Mr.. Taft's league supplies US with this tim
" and interesting letter written by DR.. Alexa
Ter Graham Bell veteran inventor Of the tel
phone, to Henry A. Wise Wood, secretary
he League for the Preservation of America
In reply to your communication of July
II | may say that in my opinion there is
absolutely no use in making any peace
treaty with Germany unless a guarantee
is provided to assure the carrying out of
the peace terms. That guarantee is the
organization of the League Of Nations;
and the covenant therefore should form
an integral part Of the peace treaty and
not be separated from it and considered
afterwards as a separate proposition. The
guarantee must be provided at the same
time with the treaty itself.
The covenant is, of course. in the nature
of a compromise and like all compromises
cannot be entirely satisfactory to all Of the
parties involved, but the covenant itself
proides means for amendment after the
League has been formed. This being so |
would strongly urge the ratification of the
league of nations covenant, without
amendments or reservations that would
delay peace or endanger the treaty by
making necessary its re-submission to the
signatory nations.
| must thank you for your invitation to
join the League for the Preservation of
American Independence" The title ap-
peals to me, for no one can be more
anxious to preserve American independ-
ence that | am. But after examining with
care your declaration of principles | am
surprised to find that the association you
ask me to join is not a league 'for the
preservation of American independence
at all. but simply represents camou-
flaged attack on the constitution of the
League Of Nations-the noblest attempt
yet made TO bring aDo ut harmony and CO.
operation amorg the nations of the world
in the interests of peace and civilization.
The declaration starts out with the alb
solutey false statement that the consti-
tuition Of the League of Nations would de-
prive the American people 'of basic liber
ties won by the revolutionary war. or sub
acquired among which is their
Having thus set up man of straw the
attempt is made to knock him down by the
Of a league OStenslbly for
the preservation of "American independ-
ance,' which is not threatened. So far
from interfering with American independ-
ence the constitution of the League of Ma
tons attempts to extend to the whole
world the principles of liberty and justice
for which our fathers fought and for
which we Americans stand.
| cannot conscientiously join your or
yanization, and must urge with all the ear
1estness in my power that the constitu-
ion of the League of Nations be promptly
'atifed by congress. and feel sure that
his is the desire of the great majority of
ny fellow citizens.
Dr.. Bell is too wise, having lived a great
ny years, to be misled by the literature"
the "preservationist bunch, an organiza-
I made up of public grouches, soreheads,
nmon scolds and other kinds of on-pro-
ssives. 1t is not American Independence
5 their privilege of kicking and causing
lble-that they are trying to preserve.