Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-11
BRYAN So j ARELy
OPPOSES WILSON
DEFENSE POLICY
Ex-Secretary of State Calls 1t
"A Departure from Our
TraditiOns"--Menace to
Peace and Safety.

Washington, d c., Nov. 6.---Former
Secretary Bryan came out squarcly
against President wilson's national
defense plar to-day in a formal state =
ment in which he takes issue with tho
Presidents views rs expressed last
nigh: before the Manhattan club in
New York
"A departure from our traditions, a
reversal of national policy. a menace
to our peace and safety. and chal-
lenge to the spirit of Christianity
which teaches US to influence others
By example rather than by exciting
fear" is Mr.. Bryan's view OF the ma
tional defense plan.
Tho former secretary of state reiter
ates views he has previously expressed
Oh the subject of preparedness
and his statement is regarded as the
opening gun in the fight which ad-
ministration leaders expect in Con-
gress against adoption of the plan
Mr.. Bryan's statement 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 a man
follows his conscience and judgment
we cannot criticize his motives. But
we may be compelled to dissent from
his conclusions. l feel it my duty to
dissent, and, as he has given his views
with clearness and emphasis, those
who differ from him are under slight
obligation to express themselves with
equal clearness.
He says that his position is different
from that of the private individual in That
ho midi \ ic n
thought and risk his own opinion. This
sentence is n little obscure In so far as
he expresses his own opinion, he does not
differ from the private citizen except that
he speaks under a sense of official respon-
siblity, but where nations fate is IN
voved in policy every private citizen
who loves his country and tries to serve
It 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, for the time being. their spokes-
man And it, as he evidently believes, he
is giving voice to the opinion of his coun-
trymen, 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 misrepresents
their views?
He has announced 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 is not to any party, hut as
he says. to men Of all shades of opinion.
He asks for the hearty support of the
country, meaning of course. that he wants
that support, provided the people favor
the policy which he has outlined. He
could not Of course ask them 10 support
policy which they did not endorse, es-
reclally if they considered the policy dam
Gerous to the country.
From my view of the subject, the plan
which he proposes is not only a depart
ure from our traditions but a reversal
Of our national policy. 1t is not only
menace to our peace and safety, but a
challenge to the spirit of Christianity,
which teaches us to influence others by
example rather than by exciting fear
THE President says that we should
be prepared not for aggression but for
defence. That is the ground upon
which all preparation for war is made.
What nation has ever prepared for
war on the theory that it was prepar-
ing for aggression? 1t is only fair to
assume that the European rulers who
are involved in the present war thought
tina. they were contributing toward the
maintenance Of peace when they were
making elaborate preparations for de-
1ence. 1t is false philosophy, and being
false 1t inevitably leads into difficulty.
The spirit that makes the individual
carr" revolver-and whoever carries
revo!ve: except for defence LEADS him
not only to use it on slight provocation
blt to use language which provokes
trouble. SpeaG softly, but carry a big
SICK, Is one of the deusiVe maxiyns
employed by those who put trust fate
70 force. There are two answers to it
first, the mar who speaks softly has not
the disposition TO carry club and if n
man with n SOFT voice is persuaded to
carry club his voice changes as soon VI
he begins to rely upon the club
III there is any truth in our religion
patton must win respcct as ar in |
u.Vidual does. not Ey carrying arms but
" nm upright. honorable course that in
iites confidence and ensures good will.
This nation has won its position in the
world without resorting to the habi, OF
Mslns a pistol or carrying u club"