The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-07
Editorial
of the Day
THE OPENING OF THE NEW
CHARTER
(The Weekly Review

(The Weekly Review
In Offering the post OF secretary OF
state to Mr. Hughes, Mr.. Harding has
run counter to all the predictions
Of all the politicians. In accepting
ated by no other motive than "a sense
Of high obligation. He is placing a,
the service of the country and OF the
world abilities which have won the
respect and confidence OF his country
men, Irrespective OF party. in fields
as widely different from each other as
the investigation OF complicated abuses
in the conduct of corporations, the
administration of the government OF
New York state and II judgeship in the
supreme court OF the United States.
His name is II symbol for answering
rectitude and unwearging diligence.
He will bring to his new office the
faculties OF highly trained mind and
the ideals OF devoted citizen of the
republic. And he would not have ac-
cepted the office had he not received
ample assurance that the powers with
which he is TO be entrusted will be
adequate to the fulfillment of the
arduous and extraordinary response
bilties which he has assumed.
The clash between president and
senate has had the deplorable result
of preventing America, during two
of the most momentous years in hu
man history, from playing the role
which should have fallen To her share
in the restoration of the worlds
peace and welfare after the gigantic
war in which she had borne a deci-
sive part. 1t will rest with the new
administr9t 9tion-and in all probability
above all with the secretary Of state
to determine in what shape the ties
that were severed with the collapse
of the effort to ratify the treaty
of Versailles shall be resumed. The
time is past when mere denial Of the
soundness of Mr. Wilson's scheme
could suffice to determine action.
America can not rest content with
less than positive contribution, OF
decisive import. to the rebuilding of
the worlds well-being. Before Mr.
Harding and Mr., Hughes there lies
foremost among all their obligations
the formidable task of setting the
country into the right path for the
fulfllment Of this duty.
or Mr.. Hughes courage in the pur-
suance of any path that is marked out
by his sense OF duty there is no room
for possible doubt. Nor can it be
doubted that he realizes the manifold
difficulties that confront him. But,
though resolute graphing with diff
culties has been. with him. the. habit
Of a lifetime, he will need. in this
arduous undertaking in a new field
all the support that the most cordial
good will of the nation can supply.
The one thing which, at this moment
his countrymen can do to strengthen
his hands is to give him the most
thoroughgoing assurance that he will
have their hearty support in the pur-
suance of a policy inspired by no
narrow view of Americas interests,
but by broad conception of the
duty and the privilege which are
hers.
That duty and that privilege are
marked out by the unique position
which our country occupies at this
time-a position which is without par
allel in history In spite Of the busi-
ness depression Of the moment, we
know that we are the most fortu-
nate, the most prosperous, the most
powerful Of nations. We are free from
any pressing danger. II is TO US
that the world has a right to look for
help in It's sore perplexity and dis
tress. We need not choose between
Little Americans" and Big Ameri-
cans" We need not be big Ameri-
cans" in the sense Of losing sight Of
the distinctive requirements OF our
own policy and merging ourselves
with the European system; but we
should all be Big Americans in the
sense OF not shirking our righuul
share in helping themselves from
their appalling difficulties, and In do
ing all that In US lies TO make
impossible the recurrence OF the un-
speakable woes of great war, We
have Just turned leaf OF history
upon which we can not look back
without modification, on the new ad-
ministration, and especially on Mr..
Hughes, rests the taSk-most diff
cult but most inspiring OF seeing that
upon the next page shall be written
"a record upon which we shall be able
IA IL