The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-06-08
GEORGE HARVEY DOESN'T
REPRESENT AMERICA


icle:
The recent utteranees of Col.
George Harvey, our ambassador to
England, are provoking a storm of
protest throughout America. His
direct statement that America enter
ed the war because 1--WE were afraid
not to fight" in base calumny upon
the American soldier. an insult to the
living and doubly so to the dead.
The most important diplomatic post
within the gift of the American ma
ton is that of ambassador to the
Court of ST. James. Illustrious Am
orleans have filled this post in the
past. 1t is the ultima thule of the
diplomats ambition to be assigned to
this position and Whitelaw Reid, John
Hay, Walter Page and numerous stall
wart Americans have rounded out
their careers by very ably filling this
post. The ambassadorships to France
and to Germany and to Italy are not
pygmies by any means, but Great
Britain is considered the choicest
plum of them all Therefore, when
President Harding began to cast
about for a man to represent Amer
lea in London it was, of course,
thought he would pick one of Amer
ica's biggest men. big in patriotism,
big in world sympathies; in other
words a statesman with all that the
name implies.
Because of the part Col. George
Harvey had played in behalf of Sen
ator Harding at Chicago. America
found out. with somewhat of shock,
that this very able, but decidedly &C.
centric and materialistic editor, was
to be his choice. 1t was, of course,
we'll known that in the role of War
wick he had made Wilson and then
broken with him and he promptly
Jumped" the democratic party and
became an earnest compatriot with
its enemies. Hundreds of thousands
intuitively sensed danger when
George Harvey was made known as
the choice. 1t was thought that the
Senate might refuse to confirm the
nomination, yet there was little chance
of this since it was one of the first
nominations sent in by the new pres.
ident and the strength of the execu.
tive in the first months of his admin.
istration cannot be questioned.
So Col. Harvey went and, of course
made a speech. The particular ut
terances of the colonel which have
given so much offense are as follows
according to the dispatches:
Ear more prevalent until recently
was the impression-and this wa:
and still is in a measure sincere
that we went into the war to rescue
humanity from all kinds of menacins
perils. Not a few remain convinced
that we sent our young soldiers
across the seas to save this kingdom
and France and Italy. This is no
the fact. We sent them solely Il
save the United States of America
and most reluctantly and laggardly
At that we were not too proud t.
fight, whatever that may mean. W.
were afraid not to fight. That is thu
real truth of the matter"
! Major. Lansing Lee, a few day
since, in an address to the Richmond
Academy cadets scored the Harve!
person and the Harvey language il
terms Enthusiastically severe. Indeed
he charged that this was an intention
al insult to American soldiers, and ;
wilful Misrepresentation of the facts
Needlessto say he was cheered to tn
echo.
As for the Chronicle, we think tina
a statement so contrary to the rea
facts deserves a rebuke from tn
president himself and our ambassado
to England should be recalled. Ger
tainly, after all of these years of pub
lie life he fails miserably to interpre
the heart of America. Had the vas
majority of Americans been consulte'
we would have gone to war immed
lately following the Lusitania murder
Indeed, America was not too prOu
to fight and we did not fight becaus
we were afraid to fight. Americ;
fought for an ideal, for the ideals o
democracy, to stamp out ruthless ty
rannies such as existed in the empire
of Germany and Austria and Turke
and Russia, for that matter, sine
the Russian revolt from czarism wa
coming anyway; and it is, of course
calamity that it extended to soviet
ism as it has.
If America fought for selfshnes:
fought to save herself, what the
prompted thousands of dauntles
young Americans before our entr
into the war to join the Canadial
army, to form the Lafayette esca
drille, to form hospital units, ETC., +
assist the allies? Indeed, these impe
tuous lovers of freedom and the RICH
were impatient at our "watchfu
waiting" were Infatuated by the yer
caution which President Wilson dis
played.
No, America did not fight becaus
she was afraid to fight. She tough
because her sons, her daughters, in
deed. her whole people, believed hear
and soul that a ruthless autocrac
Was suaanino over Enrona and tha