The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-09-24
FOLLY, SAYS BRYAN,
TO STAND PREPARED
Nebraskan Tells Columbia Au-
dience Doctrine of Pre-
parednesS is Failure.
NO ONE CHALLENGING US.
Had Hoped the European War
Would Show United States the
Evil of Militarism,

Columbia, Sept. 23.-William J..
Bryan, former secretary of state,
speaking here tonight under the aus
pices of the Y. M. c. A., attacked
preparedness" as melting to war
and stressed the opportunities which,
he said, America now had to ad-
vance the cause of peace.
II had hoped" said Mr.. Bryan,
that this war would show all Ameri-
cans that preparedness is the original
cause OF war. Had we been as pre-
pared as some of our citizens now
want, we would be in the war now.
L firmly believe. The doctrine of
preparedness will not stand the test
Of logic and this war shows that it
will not stand the test of experience.
No nation is challenging us and if
there was we should answer that we
have the welfare of many people and
high ideals to take care of and can
not go to war without a cause.
mot nation in the world desires
to attack u.s." he continued. "Why,
then, should we let alternate scares
result in getting ourselves in state
of preparedness? 1t is pure folly"
Mr.. Bryan, in an interview this af-
ternoon, said he hoped that national
prohibition would not be an issue in
the campaign of 1916. He hoped.
he said, that the campaign would be
fought out on the issue of economic
reforms fostered by the administra-
tion. which needed the Endorsement
of the electorate.
Mr.. Bryan left at midnight for
| Miami, Fla.
BRYAN REACHES CAPITAL.
Mr.. Bryan arrived in Columbia at
room from Washington over the Sea-
board Air Line. He was met by a
committee and taken to the Jefferson
Hotel. where he stopped while in the
city. Several of his personal friends
called to pay their respects. After
luncheon the Nebraskan was taken
| for an automobile ride around the
city by John l.. McLaurin, state
warehouse commissioner, who served
IN Congress with Mr.. Bryan back in
the nineties before he came into ma
t:onal notice. In the car with SEN
ator McLaurin in acdition of Mr.
| Bryan were the representatives OF
The News and Courier and The
Record. The first stop was made at
| the state house, where the Great
| Commoner" called at the office of
Governor Manning. The governor
was absent, having gone this morn
ing to his plantation in Barnwell
county, but Col. o. K. LaRoque, the
private secretary of the governor,
greeted the distinguished visitor and
assured him that the governor re-
| GREETED having to be away today. Mr..
Bryan asked Mr.. LaRoque to give
/ his regards to Governor Manning.
/ Colonel LaRoque joined the auto
! mobile party and accompanied them
on the ride around the city.
While seated in the outer Office of
/ the governor, Mr.. Bryan got into a
/ discussion Of his favorite subject OF
peace, the matter having been
brought up by some reference to the
/ initiative which Governor Manning
! ;ook in settling the recent street car
! strike in Columbia. He said that he
believed in the principles of arbitra-
/ tion and referred to this idea he had
! gotten included in treaties between
| the United States and some twenty
six nations OF the world Mr.. BRYAN
thought this would be a good plan TO
pursue when countries approached
/ the verge OF war. Investigation of
7 the facts at dispute and the giving of
the facts to the public he thought o
good idea in all such matters, and he
bei'evfd this plan a good one to fol-
low in settling disputes between ma
tions.
CHATTED PLEASANTLY.
Colonel BRYAN chatted interesting
iy during the ride around Columbia
NJ prohibition and woman suffrage.
being an enthusiastic supporter of
both propositions. He believes that
woman suffrage should be granted
Continued on Page Eight.)