The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-02-20
Sunday, February 20, 1921.
SOMEONE BLUNDERED

SOMcONE BLUNDEkED
The greatest generals have made bunders
which resulted in wrestling victory from their
forces and dragging their banners in the dust
Of defeat The most carefully trained bust
ness men have blundered, and success has
been supplanted by bankruptcy The most
learned men of science have blundered, and
the human family has been made to pay the
price of their folly.
And the shrewdest and most suave poll
ticians have misinterpreted the trend of pub
lie opinion, thereby deposing themselves from
political leadership and weakening their
party's organization.
Evidencing this showing that the most
astute politician may sometimes become a
poor tactican, may be cited the action of Big
jim Harris Republican leader, party whip
Car of the Grand Old Party in Oklahoma
in passing out the. word which led TO the de-
feat of the Soldier Hospital Bill by the Repub-
lican majority in the house of representatives
last week.
While it is possible that the members of
the house may reconsider the vote by which
they put their party on record as being against
the welfare of the sick and disabled veterans
of the World War, the vote by which they
declared the mighty dollar more sacred than
the health and physical welfare of those who
had done their bit toward putting Oklahoma's
star in the. horizon of Humanity, no future
action, no future legislation, no future effort
to care for the disabled Oklahoma boys who
wore their country's uniform during the great
struggle between Civilization and Autocracy
can be made to atone for this one great and
heartless blunder.
The charge has been made that the party
leader, the man recognized as the one whose
hand held the reins of his party, has been
charged with having passed the word which
resulted in the defeat of the soldier bill And
no denial has been made no excuse has been
or can be offered.
big JIM Harris, the hope of Oklahoma's
Republican party, the organizer of Oklaho
mas Republican cohorts. the man who has
been the guiding light. by which the Oklaho-
ma Republican prayer books were written, the
Moses who was selected by the Republicans
to lead them from the Democrat Wilderness
in this state, blundered The wrong word OF
command was given at the critical moment
The wrong Interpretation of facts made, the
wrong conclusions deduced
We are not reflecting upon "Big jim"
Harris for playing politics at the wrong mo-
rank and file of Oklahomas voters, the
fathers whose sons fought for world
wide Democracy, the mothers whose first
born lie sleeping on Flanders field, the
wives whose husbands are slowly dying OF
diseases contracted in the great war, the men,
themselves, whose systems are shattered
whose lives are ruined, whose constitutions
are wrecked and who are dying in want and
despair, are asking and will continue to ask
why u party, political body, should play
battledore and shuttlecock with their hopes
for health and expectations to live and remain
useful American citizens.
The people Of Oklahoma promised much
10 their soldiers when they marched away
beneath flying banners, keeping step to airs
Of martial music. Handkerchefs were
waived, voices were raised in cheerings, ora
tors declaimed from rostrum and pulpit. The
Starry Banner, emblem of Liberty, was fes-
tooned about the coaches which bore the boys
OF Oklahoma to the training camps, from
which they went TO the battle fields of the
Western Front. Nothing was Zoo good for
them then, nothing could be too good for
them, nothing would be too good for them
when they got back to Coumbia's fair and
God-blessed land.
But, that was away back yonder In 1917:
that was at time when the shadow of Autoc-
racy lowered like some evil bird of prey over
the Statue of Liberty; that was before the
clans of the Kaiser were scattered i'm flight :
that was when the Hindenberg line remained
unbroken: that was when the shells of Ger
many were dropping in the streets of Paris
and German demons of the air were bombing