The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-28

Less than two yeVs ago, General
Haig, with the bluntness Of a soldier,
said: THE British army is fighting
its back to the WALL, Lloyd George
was crying: ut is race between
Wilson and Hindenburg" and France
clung like a drowning man to the
Rock of Verdun, turning agonized
eyes toward America. And America
came. We challenge the critics of
the administration to point out how,
within the limits Of human possibility,
the war could have been won more
promptly or with less loss of Ameri-
can life.
1t was not by mere chance that
these things we're accomplished. To
readjust the processes Of peace so as
to serve the activities Of war required
leadership of unexampled skill. Petty
criticism of minor defects and indi-
vidual officials may for a time at
tract a superficial attention, but tho
significant things, the great outstand-
ing facts plead eloquenty for the
democratic cause.
Let no one misunderstood us. These
great affairs were carried forward
under the stimulus Of American pa
triotism, supported by the courage
and the spirit Of our people. All this
is freely and gladly acknowledged
but surely the time has come when,
because Of the calculated criticism
and the premeditated calumnies Of
the opposition, we are entitled to call
attention to the fact that all Of these
things were accomplished under the
leadership Of n great democrat and a
great democratic administration. We
have no apologies to make-not one.
We are proud Of our great navy; we
are proud OF our splendid army; We
are proud of the power Of our coun-
try and the manner in which that
power has been used; we are proud
Of the work that America has done
in the world; we are proud Of the
heroism of American men and women ;
and we are proud Of the inspired and
incompatible leadership Of Woodrow
Wilson.
Has not the time come when all
| Americans, irrespective of party
should begin to praise the achieve
| ments of our country rather than tc
criticise them? Surely just and
righteous sense of national pride
should protect us from the insensate
assaults of mere partisans. We fought
great war, for great cause and
we had a leadership that carried
America to greater heights of honor
and power and glory than she has
ever known before in his entire his
tory. If the American flag must b'
lowered, 1t will be hauled down in g
republican convention and not in G
democratic convention.
Partisan Investigations
It is this shining record of tremen
dous achievement that republican
managers and the Chicago platform
seek to shame and besmirch. Various
congressional committees, which TO
want of more appropriate term, arr
called smelling committees" were ap
pointed for the purpose Of ascertain
ing whether or not there was am
graft in the conduct Of the grea
war Over so investigations have beef
made. over two million dollars hav
been wasted and the one result ha
been to prove that it was the cleanes
war ever fought in the history o
civilization.
Through the hands Of a democratic
administration, there have passe'
more than forty billions Of dollars
and the finger of scorn does not poin
to one single democratic official II
all America. It is a record neve
before made by any political part!
in any country that ever conducte'
a war.
II republican leaders are not able u
rejoice with us in this American tri
umph, they should have the grace t
remain silent, for 1t does not lie Il
the mouths of those who conducte
the Spanish American war to indulg
in the luxury of criticism. Wha
was there in this war to compar
with the typhoid infested camps am
the paper soled shoe controversy O
1895? What was there in this war I
Of the Spanish-American war? dc
snite all their investigations, not one
eingle democratic official has eithe
been indicted or accused or even sus
pected and the only dignitary in An
erica. Of any outstanding pohtica
significance who is moving in the d
rection Of the penitentiary, is Truman
Newberry, OF Michigan.
The very power of the republican
marty TO conduct partisan investisa
tion of the senate and TO wreck tn
prospect Of world peace, rests upo
bare majority Of one, secure
through the tainted senatorial vet
from Michigan.
The republican party became S
fixed in its incorrigible habit of cor
Quoting Investigations that 1t finaii
turned to the fruitful task Of inves
tipating itself. For the first tim
since they entered upon this program
they discovered fraud and graft an
gross and ineXcusable expenditures
The revelations disclose the fact, Ion
understood by the initiated, that IN
meeting at Cnlcigo was iiet 0O'' W
tion but an auction. The highest bic
der. however, did not get the prlz'
The publicity which overlook IN
proceedings frustrated the initial pui
nose. In more senses than one, IN
recent Chicago convention has lei
the democratic party as the sole Gus
todian of the honor Of the country
The Cost Of the War
There are men so small IN spirit,
pitifully cramped in soul, that the
suppest that the war cost too mucl
The republican platform echoes tn
complaint. 1t was indeed an eNpei
siye war. War is the most wasteil
thing in the world. But is money
be measured against the blood
American soldiers? Would 1t not /