The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-11-06
ONCE STRONG.
SUPPORTER IS.
WILSON S FOE
Former Secretary Of State
Denounces Presidents
Defense Plan.
RIDICULES SOME
OF HIS STATEMENTS
Declares the President is In
Bad Company When at
Manhattan Club.
nv AssocrATED PRESS.

-
Washington, Nov. 5.--Former Sec
rotary 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;
O reversal Of our national policy; a
menace to our peace, and safety and
challenge to the spirit of Christian
ity which teaches us to influence
others by example rather than by
exciting fear,D is Mr.. Bryan's view
| OF the national plans.
The former secretary Of states
Statement, which nitcrases views he.
has previously expressed on the sub
ject Of preparedness for war, was
regarded as the opening gun in the
fight which the administration leaders
expect in congress against the adop-
ton of the plan. Mr.. Bryan's state
ment says:
IL have read the presidents speech
at New York with sorrow and con-
Germ. He is doing what he believes
to be his duty, and SO long as man
follows his conscience and judgment
we cannot criticize his motives, but
we may be compelled to dissent from
his conclusions. / feel it my duty ia
dissent, and, as he has given his viewl
with clearness and emphasis those
who differ from him are under q like
obligation to express themselves with
equal clearness.
AN AOBSCURE" SENTENCE.
Ale says that his position is diff
ferent than that from the previous
individual and that the individual i!
free to express his own thoughts ant
risk his own opinion. This sentence
is little obscure. Insofar as h
expresses his own opinion, he does no
differ from the private citizen excep
that he speaks under sense o
official responsibility, but that wher'
nations fate is involved in policy
every private, citizen who loves hi
country and tries to serve it is con
scious of responsibility. The presi
dent will not assume that he is NOR
deeply interested in the welfare o
his country than the millions who cleo
ted him to be for the time being thei
spokesman. And if, as he evidentl
believes, he is giving voice to tn
opinions of his countrymen, he is, 9
course, anxious to have them as fran
with him as he has been with them
how otherwise can he know whethe
he represents a policy which ma
never before been adopted IN tn
country and never endorsed by an
party in the country and he has Z
way Of knowing, until he hears fro
the people, whether he has correct
interpreted the will Of the public. Il
appeal is not to any party but, as
SAYS, to men of sall shades OF opinion
He asks for the hearty support Of q
country meaning, Of course, that
wants the support, provided the Peep
favor the policy which he has outlin
He could not, of course, ask them
support q policy which they did n
endorse, especially if they consider
the policy dangerous to the COUNT
"From my view of the subject, t
plan which he proposes is not on
departure from our traditions, but
reversal of our national policy.
A MENACE TO PEOPLE.
1t is not only menace to our pes
and safety, but challenge to
spirit of Christianity which teach
us to influence others by examl
rathe rthan by exciting fear.
"The president says that we shol
y be prepared not for aggression,
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