Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-04
impartial Arbitration
BY w. J. BRYAN.

| "a speech delivered before the
Inter-Pariiamentary Union. in Loa-
don, July 20. 1906, en- resolution in
Itroduced BY Mr.. Bryan asking for an
international commission OF inquiry
or the mediation OF friendly powers,
/ in case OF disputes between nations.l
/ The first advantage OF this resolu-
ton is that it secures an inyestiga-1
ton OF the facts, and IL you can but
/ separate the facts from the question
of honor, the chances are one hun.
i dred to one that you can settle both
the fact and the question OF honor
without war There Is. therefore, a
great advantage in an investigation
that brings out the facts, for disputed
/ facts between nations. as between
friends. are the cause. OF most dis
agreements.
The second advantage of this In
yestigation is that it gives time for
1 calm consideration That has already
been well presented by the gentle
man who has preceded me. need
not say to you that man excited is a
very different animal from man calm,
! and that questions ought to be set
tied not by passion but by delibera.
ttion II this resolution would do
i nothing else but give time for reflec-
]. ton and liberation, there would be
4 sufficient reason for its adoption. IL
we can but stay the hand of war un-
i til conscience can assert itself, war
will be made more remote When
men are mad they swagger around
4 and tell what they can do. when they
/ are calm they consider what they
ought to do.
i The third advantage of this inyesti-
CATION is that il gives opportunity to
mobilize public opinion for the com
Il polling of peaceful settlement, and
that is an advantage not TO be over
/ looked. Public opinion is coming to
be more and more a power in the
world One of the greatest statesmen
OF my country Thomas Jefferson,
4 and, if it would not offend, would
i say believs him to be the greatest
4 statesman the. world has produced
i said that IL he had to choose between
government without newspapers
Il and newspapers without govern
4 nent, he would rather risk the news
papers without government You
II may cali itsan extravaganza statement.
II and yet 1t presents an idea, and that
idea is that public opinion is a con-
/ trolling force. am glad that the
time is coming when public opinion
Is to be more and more powerful;
glad that the time is coming when the
moral sentiment of one nation will
/ influence the action of other nations;
3 glad that the time is coming when
j the world will realize that war be-
y tween two nations affects Others than
the nations involved; glad that the
4 time is coming when the world will
insist that nations settle their differ
enees by some peaceful means. II
!. time is given for the nlarshaling Of
Il the force Of public opinion, peace will
be promoted. This resolution is pre-
4 sented therefore, for the reason that
it gives an opportunity ia Investigate
the facts and to separate them from
I the question of honor, that it. gives
!, time for the calming of passion. and
: that it gives time for the formation
!. of controlling public sentiment.
81 will not disguise the fact that I
consider this resolution long step
4 in the direction of peace. nor will /
disguise the fact that + am here be-
cause / want this Inter- arliamentary
Union to take just as long q step as
q possible in the direction OF universal
peace. We meet in famous hall,
Z and looking down upon us from these
j walls are pictures that illustrate not
! only the glory that is to be won in
~
There is a picture of one of tho great
Figures in English history (pointing
to the fresco by Maclise of the death
of Nelson1 Lord Nelson is repre-
81 scented as dying. and around him are
the mangled forms of others. nm
: derstand that war brings out certain
3 Virtues / am aware that 1t gives OPP
portunity for the display of great pa
triotism; am aware that the exam
pie of men who give their lives for
their country is inspiring; but ven
]. ture to say there is as much inspira-
! ton in q noble life as, there is in a
heroic death, and trust that one of
the results Of this Inter-Pariiament.
airy Union will be to emphasize the
doctrine that life devoted to the
public, and ever flowing, like spring,
I with good, exerts an influence upon
q the human race and upon the destiny
of the world as great as any death in
: war. And If you will premit me to
mention one whose career watched
with interest and whose name / re-
lvere, / will say that, in my humble
a. judgment, the "a years Of spotless
public service of William Ewart Glad,
stone will, in years to. come, be re
vi garded as as rich an ornament to the
history of this nation as the life oil
any man who poured out his blood
upon battlefield -.
al All movements. in the interest oil
peace have back of them the idea, Of
: brotherhood. If peace is to come in
|, this world, it will come because peo