The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-06
Declares Preparedness Propo-
sal Is Reversal of National
Policy and Menace of Peace
SAYS CHALLENGES
CHRISTIANITY'S SPIRIT
Former Secretary of State Fires
Opening Gun in Campaign
Against Announced Defense
Measure


Secretary Bryan came out squarely
against President wilson's national
defense plan today in formal state
ment in which he took issue with the
Presidents VIEWS as expressed last
night before the Manhattan Club in
New York.
"A departure from our traditions, a
reversal OF our national policy. a men,
acc TO our peace ana fcty and a
challenge to the spirit Of Christianity
which teaches US to influence others
by example rather than by exciting
fear" 10 Mr.. Bryan's view OF the ma
donal defense plan.
Open Gun of Fight
The former Secretary of States
statement. which reiterates views he
has previously expressed on the sub
Ject of preparedness for war. was re-
garded as the opening gun In the
hight which administration leaders ex-
pect in Congress against adoption Of
the plan.
Mr.. Bryan's Statement.
Mr.. Bryan's statement says Il
have read the presidents speech at
New York with sorrow and concern.
lie ~ doing Whist he believes TO he
his duty and So long as a man fol-
iows his conscience, and Judgment,
We cannot criticize his motives, bpt
We f'aay be compelled TO dissent from
his conclusions / feel II my duty
10 q ssse0t. aud, rs he has given his
views with ciearness and emphasis
ts Nto tifler from him are under
. like obligation 10 express them
selves With equal cleaTness.
Declares President Obscure.
He says that his position Ia diff
fesegit from that OF the private in
dsv.aual in that the individual is free
Il. speak his own thoughts and risk
his own opinion,
This sentence n q little obscure.
insofar as he expresses his own
opinion. lie docs not differ from the
private citizen except that he speaks
undo + a sense OF official responsibility,
but where a nations fate Is involved
In a policy every private cirszen who
loves his country and tries TO serve
il Is conscious of responsibility. The
President will not assume that he Is
more deeply Interested in the welfare
of his country than the millions who
elected him to be fer the time being
their spokesman. And II. as he evil
IDENTIFY believes. he is giving voice TO
the opinions OF his country,nen, he is,
Of course. anxious TO have them as
frank with him as he has been with
them--how otherwise can he know
whether he represents or misrepre-
sents their views?
TIE has announced a policy which
has never before been adopted in this
country, and never endorsed by any
party IN the country. and he has no
way Of knowing, until he hears from
the people. whether he has correctly
Interpreted the will OF the public.
His appeal In not to any party,
bat, ~ he says, to men of ali shades
OF opinion He asks for the hearty
support Of the country, meaning. of
course. that he wants the support
provided the people favor the policy
which he has outlined. He could not.
Of course. ask them to support poi
icy which they did not endorse, ee-
pecially II they considered the policy
dangerous to the country.
Calls Proposals Menace.
From my view OF the subject the
plan which he proposes Is not only
: departure from our traditions. but
q reversal of our national policy. It
= not only q menace to our peace
and safety, but a challenge to the
spirit OF Christianity which teaches
a. to influence others by example
rather than by exciting fear.
Tho President says that we should
be prepared not for aggression, but
for defense That Is the ground upon
which all preparation for war IL
made. What nation has ever pre-
pared for war on the theory that II
was preparing for aggression? 1T
Is only fair TO assume that the Eu-
ropean rulers who are Involved in
the present war thought that they
were contributing toward the main
tenance Of peace when they We're
making elaborate preparations for
defense.
.sIt Is a false philosophy and. being
false, 1T inevitably leads into diff
fsCulties. The spirit that makes the
Individual carry revolver--and,
whoever carries revolver except Tor
defense n--leads him not only to use
Il on slight provocation. but to use
language which provekes trouble.
sSpe.is softly. but carry big stick
is one OF the dciusive maxims en-
ployed by those who put their faith
in force.
The are two answers to IL -
f1rst. the man who speaks softly has
not the dispcJitiUo TO carry club,
and if man with a soft voice is
persuaded te carry II club his voice
changes soon as he begins to rely
upon the club
III there Is any truth in our rel
eion. nation must win respect as
an individual does. not by carrying
arms but by an upright honorable
course that invites confidence and in
sures good will. This nation has won
IT'S position in the world without re-
sorting to the habit OF toting pistol
or carrying club Why reverse
our policy at this time?
THE President himself admits that
there Is no reason for change. He
says. The country is npt threatened
from any quarter; she stands in
friendly relation with all world.
, Her resources and her seH-respeci
(Coutinusa on Fifth Pagal