The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-17
BRYAN THINKS J. 5.
 WILL HAVE CHANCE
 ID STOP THE WAR
Issues Statement on "the Causeless" War and Says This County Must Bring
 About Peace

Washington, June 16.-Foriner Secretary Bryan, in the first section of his state ments on "The Causeless War" today prophesied that the greatest peace-mak- ing opportunity in all history was cer- tain to come to the United States. and declared there would be a demand for an international conference with the re- turn of peace to change the rules of the interna tional laws. which seem to have been made for the nations at war rather than for the nations at peace.'
 Under the stress and strain of the titanic struggle in which they are en- gagged" MT. Bryan's statement says. leach side has felt itself justified in en- croaching upon the rights of neutrals. The ocean highways, the common prop erty of all, have been to some extent appropriated for war purposes and deli cate questions are forced upon the neu- tral nations.
 Just at this time, when these ques- tions are most acute, the belligerent gov ernments are least able to deal with them with the calmness and boise which their great importance demands. No wonder. every neutral nation is increasingly anxious for the war to end; but of all the neutral nations, ours has the most reason to pray for the return of peace most reason to set it's face 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.
 Opportunity Unprecedented
 Tn all history no such opportunity has ever come to any other nation that which is destined to come to the United States. In all history no other peace maker has ever been in a position better to claim as rich a blessing as that which will be pronounced upon our President when the time for mediation comes, as come it must"
 describes the horrors of the war and says:
 ''Nentra1 nations cannot look on with inoifference-the ties that bind them to- gether are too strong; the relationship too intimate This is especially true of the United States. We have a composite population-every nation of Europe hav- ing contributed literally to our citizenship. These, our countrymen, themselves born abroad or immediately descended from foreign-born ancestors, cannot but take a lively interest in the conduct as well as in the results of the war. and a still larger circle shares the concern of those
 
 either side but the sorrow expressed in his home finds an echo at some freside in the United Staets."
 Neutrals Made to Suffer
 Aside from sentimental considera tions, Nr. Bryan asserts neutral nations suffer serious disturbance because of the war.
 Nearly every neutral nation finds new domestic problems thrust upon it. and old problems made more difficult" the statement declares. "No American citizen can note without deep concern the manner in which war questions have intruded themselves into our politics, overshadow- ing economic issues and stimulating ag- itation in favor of enlarged appropriations for military and naval purposes"
 At some length MT. Bryan refers to in- terruptons to neutral commerce, derange- ment of buseiness and consequent read justments, and speaks of scarcity of American as of tine greatest eInbaf- rassments to the United States.
 ''The neutral nations are put to a great expense to preserve neutrality" continues the statement. and constantly in dan ger of being embroled in the war with out intention or purpose on their part. The rules of international law seem to have been made for the nations at war, rather than for the nations at peace It is almost impossible to alter those rules during their own war, because any ma terial change, affecting as it would the n- terests of the belligerents, would be a seeming violation of neutrality
 "As soon as peace returns there will be demand for an international confer ence on the subject. The presumption should then be given to peace; for peace, net war, is the normal condition. If nations are determined to fight they should as far as possible bear the burden them- selves and not be permitted to transfer it to the nations which avoid war by re- sorting to reason instead of force.''