Evening star., 1915-06-20
Attacks Former Presidents
Taft and Roosevelt as
Its Sponsors.
DECLARES WORKINGMEN
ARE REAL SUFFERERS
Addresses Labor Meeting at Carnegie
Hall, Beginning His Peace
Propaganda.

NEW YORK, June 19.-William Jen-
nings Bryan, addressing a labor peace
meeting at Carnegie Hall here tonight,
attacked former Presidents Roosevelt
and Taft as leading sponsors of organi-
cations which stood for the use of
force in international affairs and which,
the former Secretary of State declared,
were inimical to the true interests of
this country and to the cause of inter-
national peace.
Mr.. Bryan began his address by de-
claring that he could find no more ia
vorable auspices than those of tonight
for beginning the work which he
felt it his duty to perforn-aiding 'fn
the crystallizing of the sentiment in
favor OF peace in support of the Presi
dent in his efforts to reach an amica BILE
settlement of all differences that may,
during the war. arise between this
country and belligerent powers"
Mr.. Bryan alluded to the labor ele-
ment" as an honorable appellation"
and declared that no advocate of peace
could have deeper interest in its
preservation than the laboring man,
who. without any pecuniary interest in
war, recognized that it was hurtful to
him as bringing about enforced idle
ness, increasing taxes and In calling
upon him probably among the first to
take up arms. and leaving the aI..r-
math of war to be borne in great
measure by him or his family.
Laboring Men Should Lead.
Therefore. Mr.. Bryan argued. 1t was
| natural that a peace movement should
begin with the laboring man and that
organized labor. because of its readily
operative machinery, should take the
lead in such a movement Mr.. Bryan
| continued:
Those who work in the cause of
peace will find 1t necessary to combat
| the forces of militarism as we'll as to
do educational work in behalf of the
principles upon which the hope of per-
| manent peace rests. and 1 deem this an
| opportune time and place to invite you
| to enter a protest against two organ
| izations which are already asking the
support of the public. Both of those or
ganizations are off1cered and manned
by men of great respectability.
One of these organizations has for
its object a large increase In the army
and navy. 1t has set for itself the
| task of providing for the national
minimizing the force and effectiveness
, Of our army and navy in order to fur
nish arguments In favor of the
largement of both.
| potential factor in this group and 1t is
quite natural that. on account of his
prominence. his great ability and his
extreme views, he should direct the
general policy of the organization. He
discredit. not only the intelligence, but
even the motives of those whom he
contemptuously describes as pacincists
and advocates of peace at any price.
He more than intimates that they are
| physical towards and that their atti-
. a
| to fear of bodily injury.
Says Col. Roosevelt Is Bloodthirsty.
ut ts not necessary to answer Mr.
| Roosevelt upon the low plane upon
| which he pitches the controversy. 1t
| Is entirely possible to credit him with
the purest motives and the sincerest
patriotism, and yet resoutely oppose
| the methods which he would employ
for the safeguarding of the country.
| "Mr Roosevelt might be excluded
| from the list of the nations advisers
on all matters relating to peace or war,
on the ground that he Is so anxious to
| get into any contest that involves
| bIood-letting that he cannot he trusted
to deal with any phase OF the subject.
| The preparedness which he advocates
| will provoke war instea dof preventing z
it. and the hotheads which II would
arouse would destroy our nations
moral influence
Mr. BRYAN declared that Mr. Roose-
yelt's plan of making this nation "a
. rival Of the powers of the old world In
| military and naval preparation" would
| involve Indefinite increase In expendi-
ture for ships and men, TO be con-
tinued so long other nations con-
tinue to Increase
| Col. Roosevelt's Ambition.
| He asked II 1t could be possible that
Col Roosevelt was ambitious to be
known to history as having Launched
q thousand ships" as Helen of Troy
in the poets query inspired by the far.
famed beauty: I'1s this the face tina,
launched a thousand ships"
Mr.. Roosevelt's plan. Mr. BRIAN said
armory, with skull and crossbones
above the door. and the designing arch
tteot of the system will go in and out
in uniform with the proud conscious
ness that our nation longer con.
tains moilycoddles or weaklings"
Mr.. Bryan declared, however that
there was no danger OF Mr. RooseyeIt's
organization securing a numerous fol.
lowing when its real purpose becomes
known" and he urged the laborinl
men of the country to see that it's pur
pose was clearly understood and give
j. to the President assurances of sup
port to counteract any influence that
the jingoes may seek to exert"
! Opposes Tart Organization.
OF the other organization. with for.
| I0on,i,n-S -