The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1915-06-17
The United States, lie Says,
Will Yet Become a Great
PeaCemaker.
SOME DIFFICULT PROBLEMS
He Says This Nation Faces the
Greatest Opportunity in Its
History-Rules of Warfare
Must Be Changed.

WASHINGTON, June 16-Former
Secretary of State Bryan, in the first
section of his statements on the
causeless war" today prophesied that
the greatest peace-making opportun-
tiles in all history was certain to come
to the United States, and declared
there would be a demand for an in
ternational conference. with the re-
turn 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 the stress and strain of the
titanic struggle in which they are
engaged" Mr.. Bryan's statement says,
leach side has felt itself justified in
encroachng upon the rights Of neu-
trails. The ocean highways, the com
mon property of all, have been to
some extent expressed for war pur-
poses, and delicate diplomatic ques-
tions are forced upon the neutral ma
tions.
"Just at this time, when these
questions are most acute, the bellig-
erent governments are least able to
deal with them with the calmness and
pcise 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 reasons to
pray for the turn Of peace-most rea-
sons to set its face resolutely against
participation in the war. This ma
ton, the head of the neutral group
and the sincere friend of all the bellig
erents, is in duty bound to set an eX-
ample in patience and self-restraint.
"ln 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 the po-
sition 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
Introducing his statement, Mr.
Bryan describes the horrors of the
war and says
Neutral nations cannot look 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
composite population, every nation
Of Europe having contributed liberal
ly to our citizenship. These, our coun.
trymen, themselves born abroad or
Immediately descended from foreign
born ancestry, cannot but take a live.
ly interest in the conduct as well as
in the results of the war and a still
those directly connected Not q sol
dier falls on either side but the sor-
row expressed in his home finds an
echo at some fireside in the United
States"
Aside from sentimental considera-
tions, Mr. Bryan asserts, neutral ma
tions suffer serious disturbance be-
cause Of the war.
Nearly every neutral nation finds
new domestic problems thrust upon
it and old problems made more diff.
cult" the statement declares. mo
American citizens can note without
deep concern the manner in which
the questions have intruded them
selves into our politics, overshadow-
ing economic issues and stimulating
agitation in favor of enlarged appro-
priations for military and naval pur-
poses"
Mr.. Bryan refers to Interruptions to
neutral commerce, arrangement Of
business and consequent readiust-
ments, and speaks Of scarcity of
American ships as one Of the greatest
embarrassments to the United States.
"The neutral nations are put to a
great expense to preserve neutrality"
continues the statement, "and are
constantly in danger of being EN-.
broiled in the war without intention
or fault 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. 1t is
almost impossible to alter those rules
during the war, because any material
change, affecting as It would the in
terests of the belligerents, would be
seeming violation of neutrality.
AS soon as peace returns there