The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-02

u cllossal scheme of conquest
1t was upon this basis that the
president of the United States, in pre-
sented to u suspension of hostilities
against the imperial German govern
ment; the armistice was granted and
treaty Of peace negotiated upon the
definite assurance to Germany, as well
as to the powers, pitted against Ger
many, that "a general association OF
nations must be formed under spe.
cific covenants for the purpose Of
affording mutual guarantees Of po-
litical independence and territorial
integrity to the great and small states
alike"
Exceptional Achievement
Hence, we not only congratulate the
president On the vision manifested ana
and the vigor exhibited in the prose
cution of the war, but we felicitate
him and his associates on the excep-
tional achievements at Paris, involved
in the adoption Of league and treaty
so near akin to previously expressed
American ideals and so intimately re-
lated to the aspirations of civilized
peoples everywhere.
Commend His Courage
We commend the president for his
courage and his high conception or
good faith in steadfastly standing for
the covenant agreed to by all the as
ISOLATED and allied nations at war
with Germany and we condemn the
Republican chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, himself,
publicly proclaimed that any propo-
sition for a separate peace with Ger
many such as he and his party asso-
ciates thereafter reported to the sen,
ate, would make US guilty of tn,
blackest crime"
A Crime Beyond Conception
On May 10, last, the Knox sub
stitute for the Versailles Treaty was
passed by the republican senate, and
this convention can conceive no more
fitting characterization of his OBJ
loquy than that made in the Forum
Magazine Of December, 1918, by Henry
Cabot Lodge, when he said:
IF we send our armies and young
men abroad to be killed, and wound
ed, in southern France and Flanders,
with no result but this, our entrance
into the war with such an intention
was q crime which nothing can justify.
An Everlasting Dishonor
This intent of congress and the
intent Of the president was that there
could be no peace until we could ere
ate situation where no such war
as this could recur. We cannot make
peace, except in company with our
allies, that would brand us with ever
lasting dishonor and bring ruin 10
us also if we undertook to make
separate peace"
Republican Inconsistency
Thus that which Mr.. Lodge in saner
moments considered the blackest
crime" he and his party in madness
sought to give the sanctity of law
that which IS months ago was Of
Everlasting dishonor," the republican
party and its candidates today accept
as the essence of faith.
Loyal Democrats Commended
We endorse the presidents view of
our international obligations, ana his
firm stand against reservations de.
signed to cut to pieces the vital pro
visions of the Versailles Treaty, and
we commend the democrats in con,
gress for voting against resolutions
for separate peace which would dis
grace the American nation.
Accept Necessary Reservations
We advocate the immediate raufi-
cation of the treaty without reserva-
tons which would impair its essential
integrity; but do not oppose the ac-
ceptance of any reservations making
clearer or more specific the obliga-
tions Of the United States to the
league associations Only by doing
this may we retrieve the reputation
of this nation among the powers of
the earth, and recover the moral lead
ership which President Wilson won
and which Republican politicians at
Washington sacrificed. Only by doing
this may we hope to aid effectively In
the restoration Of order throughout the
world and to take the place which we
would assume in the front ranks of
spiritual and industrial advancement.
A Vicious Assumption
Eve reject IS utterly vain, II not
vicious the republican assumption that
ratification of the treaty and men,
bership in the league OF nations,
would in any wise impair the integ-
rity or independence Of our country
The fact that the covenant has been
entered into by 20 nations all as
jealous of their Independence as we
are of ours, is sufficient repudla-
ton of such charge.
Must Conform to Constitution
The president has declared, and this
convention reaffrms. that all our
duties and obligations as member
OF the league must be fulfilled In
strict conformity with tho Consttu.
tion of the United States, embodied in