The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-26
What Harding Calls "Balderdash"

tdihp14sh UNNECESSARY, ana am
hesltant to say on the floor Of the
senate why il is SO"
What Harding Calls "Balderdash"
On the following page the senator
is quoted as follows:
Il want to say to you men who are
responsible for Government in these
trying times. that you cannot justify
this war and you cannot unity the
American people in the defense Of
the American nation except on the
justifable ground of defending and
preserving American national rights.
If were in any place other than the
senate chamber of the United states
where one might speak with a little
more freedom than the courteses of
this body require to be observed. L
would say that much Of the sentiment
uttered concerning our part in the war
is balderdash"
The closing words Of the proc,a-
nation Of the message of President
Wilson to congress on the Ind day
Of April. 1917, were: 1--WE enter this
war only where we are clearly fore
ed into It because there are no other
means Of defending our rights"
Defends German Dynasties
On the same page Senator Harding
Is quoted as saying: Il have heard
talk about the dethronements of the
houses of Hohenzollern and Hapsburg
until | have wearied of it. not be-
cause have any sympathy with eth
er house. would welcome the es-
adjustment Of democracy in Ger
many as readily as any man on this
floor; but | call your attention, sem
ators. to the fact that there is no
likelihood Of its establishment there;
and il it be treason TO say it | re-
peat it now cannot wish for any
thing more loyal from the citizen
ship Of the United States than a de-
votion to the stars and stripes like
the German citizens show to the
Fatherland; and there Is not an ounce
of pro-German sympathy in my body.
should like American devotion sim
ilar To that which the people of Ger
many show to the government Of
that country; and ! say it now, and
| will repeat it again and again, it is
not any business of the American peo-
pie what class Of government any
nation on earth may have so long
as that nation respects the require
ments of international law and the
tenets of civilization. | think it IL
becomes the United States TO measure
mans patriotic devotion in ac-
cordance with his determination that
the house Of Hohenzolern and Haps-
burg shall be destroyed"
At the time senator Harding ut
tered these words the United States
had just entered the war, tension
throughout the country was high,
the draft law had just been passed,
American troops We're on the high seas
on their way to Europe and every
effort Of both Republicans and Dem
ocrats was directed towards sue
cessful termination Of the conflict.
Ambassador Won Bernstorff had re-
ceived his passports and the entire
attention OF the country was directed
to rounding UP enemy aliens and to
Furnishing the leaders of German pop
aganda in this county. Germans in
the United States who were later
found guilty of reasonable acts were
watching every move OF every man
In public office.
Since the close of the war Count
Won Bernstorff, German ambassador
to the United States before the con-
flict, has issued a book entitled
MY Three Years in America" on
page 3S4 Count Won Bernstorff refers
10 Senator Harding as one of the