Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1921-07-08

Wnen Mr.. Wilson appeared be-
lore Congress on November II. 1918,
announcing the terms of the armis-
uce. In one sentence he proclaimed
not only the better spirit of Amer
lea, but the purposes that lay in the
hearts Of all true men and women.
he spoke Of the peoples who had
Just come out from under the yoke
OF arbitrary government and who
were face to face with their initial
test. saying: I'VE must hold the
light steady until they find them
selves.' Much as I love the Demo.
cratic party-Much as indulge the
hope that we can make it an increa.
singly useful servant Of progress and
Justice. l would be willing that il
remain forever outcast from power
Is some guiding spirit could nut il
into the hearts and minds of Repub-
lican leaders to pick up the fallen
torch of liberty and hold it so high
that all the stricken peoples of the
earth could see it and rejoice, know
ing that America is herself again.
That our country was the first to
withdraw from the League of
Friendship" and adopt a policy of
national isolation and selfishness is
humiliation that only time. repen-
tance and good works can erase from
the national memory. This unparel-
led apostasy could bring only evils
IN its train. 1t was inevitable that,
having committed a breach of good
faith with our associates in the great
war; and with the wretched and dis
tressed of the world we, ourselves.
would have to pass through a period
of sorrow and atonement. Any pol
imy of selfishness has a punishment
OF its own. Neither man nor nations
can escape their destiny. When we
permitted fear to creep into our coun.
ellis, when We allowed ourselves to
be terrorized into the belief that the
policy which was embraced gladly
by other nations was dangerous to
us. we lost not only world leadership
and an opportunity for service of
character hitherto unparelled. but
we stood self confessed as a nation
so torn by dissensiOn. so be-deviled
by politics. so debased by unworthy
racial animOsities. that we were in
capable of the high things of which
the founders of the Republic
dreamed. There is in this tragedy
the pathOs. not of lost cause, but
of lost opportunity.
"Meanwhile, international compli-
cations of perrlexing and sinister
character have renewed their chal-
l"'.ce TO the statccraft Of the world. I
Threatening Disturbances go on un-
ahated. Every enemy of Society nr
of peace or of civilization. took quick !
of 'hc fatal period OF hest |
fancy. American commerce. which |
ought to have been seeking every
port in the world. in unable to es-'
tablish adequate channels or find Il
settled basis for developement. Inter-
national exchange is dislOcated to an
extent hitherto unknown. Interna-
tiOnal relations have been thrown
into chaos. All the processes of ma
tional life have been impaired and
there has been gradual accumula-
tion of domestic problems which have
not been adjusted and which cannot
be satisfactorily dealt with until our
relationship to the rest of the world
has been determined. The humilia-
tiOns through which our country j.
passing are spreading distress in
land of plenty. and the lowered tone
nf national morale and the impair
ment of our prestige have had their
resultant effects in every quarter.
The leaders of the Republican party
are not vibrant with hope and they
have no spirit of jubilation. The
average Republican of intelligence
is both disturbed and apologize.
The whole country seems to be aware
that something is amiss There is an
uneasy feeling that we are in the