Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17
LET WARR|NG NATIONS
BEAR BURDENS OF WAR
No Reason Why Countries at Peace
Should Be Compelled to Share
Trouble and Expense.
BRYAN GIVES HIS VIEWS
Former Secretary of State Says
United States VIII Have Greatest
Pcace-Making Opportunity World
Ever Has Known.

WASHINGTON. June 16-Former
Secretary Bryan. in the first section of
his statement on The Causeless War"
to-day prophesied that the greatest
peace making opportunity in all his
tory was certain to come to the United
States, and declared there would be
demand for an international confer
ence, with the return of peace. to
change the rules of international law,
which seem to have been made for
the nations at war rather than for the
nations at peace"
Under tho stress and strain of the
titanic struggle in which they are on
gagged" Mr.. Bryan's statement says,
each side has felt itself justified in
encroachinG upon the rights OF neu-
trails. The ocean highways. the COM
ron property of all. have been to some
extent appropriated for war purposes.
and delicate diplomatic questions are
forced upon the neutral nations
EVERY NEUTRAL NATION
INCREASINGLY ANXIOUS
Just at this time. when these ques-
tions are most acute the belligerent
governments are least able TO deal
with them with the calmness and poise
which their great Importance demands.
No wonder every neutral nation is in
creasinGly anxious for the war to end;
but, OF all the neutral nations. ours
has tho most reason to pray for the
return of peace-most reason to set its
race resolutely against participation in
this war. This nation, the head of the
neutral group and the sincere friend
OF all the belligerents is in duty bound
to set an example in patience and self
restraint
I'm all history. no such opportunity
has ever come to any other nation as
that which is destined to come to the
United States. In all history, no other
peacemaker has ever been in position
to claim as rich a blessing as that
which will be pronounced upon our
President when the time for mediation
comes-as como 1t must"
SECRETARY DESCRIBES
HORRORS OF WARFARE
Introducing his statement, Mr. Bryan
describes the horrors of the war. and
says:
Neutral nations cannot look on with
indifference-the ties that bind them
together are too strong. the relation
ship too intimate. This is especially
true of the United States We have
n composite population-every nation
Of Europe having contributed literally
to our citizenship These, our country
men, themselves born abroad or imme
diately descended from forolgn-born
ancestors. cannot but take n lively in
terest In the conduct as we'll as in the
results of the war. and n still larger
circle shares the concern of those d.
rectly connected. Not soldier falls on
either side but the sorrow expressed
in his home finds an echo at some fire
side In the United States"
Aside from sentimental considera-
tons. Mr. Bryan asserts. neutral ma
tons suffer serious disturbance because
of the war.
Nearly every neutral nation finds
new domestic problems thrust upon II
and old problems made more dificult."
the statement declares. NO American
citizen can note without deep concern
the manner In which war questions
have intruded themselves into our
politics--overshadow economic is
sues and stimulating agitation In favor
OF enlarged appropriations for military
and naval purposes"
At some length Mr.. Bryan refers TO
Interruptions to neutral commerce. de-
rangement OF business and consequent
readjustments. and speaks of scarcity
OF American ships as one of the great
est. embarrassments to the United
States.
NATIONS AT PEACE
PUT TO GREAT EXPENSE,
The neutral nations are put to a
great expense to preserve neutrality"
continues the statement. "and are con-
stantly in danger OF being embroiled
In the war without intention or fault
on their own part. The rules of in.
Continued on Second Page.)