The Washington times., 1915-06-17
Declares That Fact That Nation
Has Weak Military System
Keeps It Out Of War.
PRAISES PRESIDENT WILSON
CongratuIates Country That
Chief Executive Is Setting
Example For Peace. |

OF military preparedness Is the chief
point Of former Secretary Of State
Bryan's second statement on the THE
csrseless War;" issued here today.
That preparedness Is the kindling''
and opportunity the match" which set
the world afro with war, Is another
declaration Of Mr.. Bryan. He also
sets forth the assertion that military
unpreparedness on the part of tho
United States Is one Of the chief rea-
sons this nation now is at peace.
The former secretary's latest COM
munication is lengthy. in all about 1. 200
words. He sums up the causes OF the
war as not based on race, creed. or
family hatred. and draws the conolu-
sion that rivalry in wrongdoinS'
and competition in armament among
the nations now at war. was the most
cause Of the conflict.
"The United States" says Mr.. Bryan.
sis without excuse for entering Into q
mad rivalry in preparation form war.
thousands Of miles Of ocean and this
protection is worth more to US than
any number of battleships."
Supports Wilson.
. AS IL to offset the growing criticism
that he is not in accord with the Pres
ident. Mr.. Bryan closes his statement
with another appreciation of the efforts
of the White House to preserve Amer
lean neutrality.
"IIappy for our nation that we have
in the White House." he says, "a Pres
ident who believes in setting tho Old
World a good example instead Of fol-
lowing the bad example 1t sets In this
matter. What an unspeakable mis-
an hour as this. the nation had been
under the leadership of q President in
famed by the false philosophy which
has plunged Europe into the abyss Of
MAN Is Responsible"
The statement was in part as follows:
THE conflict now raging in Europe
has been described as The Causeless
War but since no one would be bold
enough to lay the blame for such an
unholy situation upon an over-ruling
Providence, 1t must ind its origin In
nets for which man. and man alone. Is
responsible.
not guilty in the present inquiry.
'Tt l have correctly analysed the sit
uation, the war is the natural result of
a false philosophy. The fundamental
prsSept Of n,oas this false philosophy is that
Tho individual makes this maxim his
excuse for violating three command
Inents that stand In his way; this maxim
also leads nations to violate the same
three commandments for the Same pur-
pose. but on q larger scale.
"Covetousness Turns to Might"
"Covetousness turns to might az tho
principle to be invoked. and the greater
the unlawful desire. tho firmer the
faith in the false principle.
Conquest is the word used to describe
the means for securing the thing de-
sired. If the force Is employed by a
naandments-thou shalt not steal and
thou shalt not kill.
,''By what sophistry can rulers con-
vince themselves that. while petit lar
eeny Is criminal. grand larceny is pa.
triotic: that while it Is reprehenusible
for one man to kill another for his
money, 1t Is glorious for one nation to
put to the sword the Inhabitants Of
another Eation in order to extend boun-
''As in the case of the individual. the
violation OF the commandments-thou
and thou shalt not kill. are usually
traceable to the violation of the first
great COMMUNICATION shalt have
no other gods before me-that is, to the
putting OF self before service OF the
Creator.
THE soldier always exhibits unself1sh-
ness of high order. but, as a rule,
conflicts are waged for selfish ends.
IF have made it clear that the doo-
trine that might makes right Is the
most common cause of war, we may
pass to the consideration of a maxim
quite sure to be applied in war, namely,
THAT Like cures like"-the theory upon
which retaliation rests.
There are many believers in the gos-
pei of force who have brought them
selves to think that cruelty can be cured
by greater cruelty-that the only way to
win an antagonist away from inhuman
acts Is to surpass him In inhumanities.
Absurdity of absurdities
Ihere was time when men openly
advocated war as thing to be desired.
"Join In Chorus of Peace"
Now all Join in the chorus for peace.
And how. according to the jingoes, shall
peace be insured? BY preparedness,
say these sons of Mars. Stand with
preserve peace-yes. preserve 1t until
some one. by accident or design, gives
the signal-then all fall upon each other
with cries for blood.
man thS ShSi6y eNiployeQ IN prepar-
ing for war. would effectually prevent
war If used in propagating the principles
which make for peace.
The doctrine that preparedness will
prevent war will not stand the test of
logic, and the confederation In Europe
shows that it fails when tested by ex-
perience.
IF any nation is without excuse for
entering into a mad rivalry with the
belligerent nations in preparation for
war 1t is the United States
The leading participants in the pres
ent war are the nations that were best
prepared, and l fear 1t would have been
difficult for us to keep out of this war
If we had been as we'll prepared as they.
Happy for our nation that we have
In the White House at this time Pres
ident who believes In setting the Ola
World good example, instead OF fol-
lowing the bad example which II sets
in his matter! What an unspeaka bic
misfortune II would have been If. IN
such an hour as this. the nation had
been under the leadership OF a PresI-
dent inhamed by the false philosophy
which has plunged Europe into the
abysA OF warl''