Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-18
BRYAN ARGUES AGAINST
PREPAREDNESS FOR WAR
Upheaval in Europe Result of False
Philosophy That might
Makes Right"
PRAISES COURSE OF WILSON
No Excuse for This Nation, He Says,
to Enter Into Mad Rivalry With
ligerents-Protected by Thou
sands of Miles Of Ocean.

WASHINGTON. June 17.-Asserting
that preparedness provokes rather
than prevents war. and that the up
heaval in Europe WIS a result OF the
false philosophy that might makes
right" former Secretary Bryan to-day,
in a second of his series of three state
ments on The Causeless War;" sub
mits an argument against military
preparation by the United States, and
praises the course of President Wilson
In the international emergency.
''If any nation is without excuse for
entering into a mad rivalry with tho
belligerent nations in preparation for
war. it is the United States" says Mr.
Bryan. I'VE are protected on either
side by thousands Of miles of ocean,
and this protection is worth more to
us than any number of battleships.
I'VE have an additional protection In
the fact. known to every one. that we
have the men with whom to form an
army of defense if we are ever at
tackled; and it'is known also that we
would have the money too-more
money than we would have had il all
the surplus earnings of the people had
only do not need additional prepara-
ton. but we are fortunate In not hav-
ing 1t, since it seems impossible for n
nation to have what is called prepared
ness without having along with it a
disposition to use its preparedness on
the slightest provocation.
LEADING PARTICIPANTS
NATIONS BEST PREPARED
The leading participants in the
present war are the nations that were
best prepared. and fear 1t would have
been difficult for us to. keep out of this
war IL we had been as we'll prepared
as they.
Happy for our nation that we have
in the White House at this time a
President who believes in setting the
Old World a good example, instead Of
following the bad example which it
sets in this matter. What an unspeak-
able misfortune 1t would have been IT,
In such an hour as this, the nation had
been under the leadership of Presi-
dent infamed by the false philosophy
which has plunged Europe into the
abyss Of war"
In discussing the cause of the Euro
pean conflict, Mr.. Bryan, in lengthy
analysis. argues that it is no war Of
race. religion or families, and declares:
IF have correctly analyzed the
situation, the war is the natural result
of n false philosophy. Tho
fundamental precept of this false phi
losophy is that might makes right"
ARGUMENT AGAINST
PREPARATION FOR WAR
Leading up to his argument against
preparation for war by the United
States. Mr.. Bryan says:
I'VE dare not trust the peace Of tho
world to those who spend their time
in getting ready for wars that should
never come. Half the energy employed
in preparing for war would eTectually
prevent war II used in propagating the
principles Which make for peace In
stead Of preventing war. preparedness
provokes war. because it is impossible
to coerce the people into bearing the
burdens incident to continuous and in
creasing preparation without cultivat-
ing hatred as If it were natural
virtue. There must be some one to
fear: some other preparing nation that
must DO represented as plotting for
war.
How can preparedness prevent war
If all prepare? Each step taken by one
nation toward more complete prepared
ness eXcites the other nations to addt-
tional purchases of new leves, until
all have exhausted their productive in
dustries and menaced their moral
progress.
THE doctrine that preparedness will
prevent war will not stand tho test Of
logic. and the confagration In Europe
shows that 1t fails when tested by
experience"