The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-11-10
Fights PRESIDENTS PROGRAM
BRYAN COMMENCES CAMPAIGN
AGAINST ARMAMENT pOLYCY
or WILSON.



rotary Bryan came out squaro,y
against President Wilson s. national
defense plan today in a formal state
mcnt in which he took issue with The
presidents views as expressed last
night before the Manhatton club ~
New York.
"a departure from our traditions,
a reversal of our ro"onal policy. IL
menace 70 our peace and safety and
a challenge 10 tua spirit of Ch,istian-
ity which teaches US to influence
others by Example rather than by
exciting fear" is Mir. iryans dcsclip-
tion of the national dcrense plans.
The former secretary of states
statement, Whi"'. rcitcratcs vicws lie
has previously expressed on the sub
ject Of preparedness For war, was re-
Garded as the opening gun in tho
fight which administration leaders
expect in congress against adoption
of the plan. Mr.. Bryan's statement
says:
Il have read the presidents speech
at New York with sorrow and con-
Germ. lie is doing what he believes
to be his duty and 50 LONG as a man
follows his conscience. and judgment,
We can not Criticisc his motives, but
we may he compelled to dissent from
his conclusions. felt it my duty 20
dissent, and, as he has given his
views with ciearness and emphasis
those who differ from him are under
"a like obligation to express them
solves with equal cleorncs5.
He scys that his position is diff
ferent from that Of the private indi-
dividual i'm that the individual is free
to speak his own thoughts end ris.i
his own opinion. This sentence is .
lit,lc obscure. In so far as he ex-
presses his own. opin,on'hc does not
differ from the private citizen except
that he speaks under a sense Of Of
hcial responsibility, but where a na-
lions fate is involved in a policy
every private citizen who loves his
country and tries 10 8crve ii is con-
sclous of responsibility. The prcsi-
dent will not assume that lie is more
deeply interested in the welfare Of his
country than the millions Who elected
him to be for the time being their
spokesman. And if, as he evidently
believes, he is giving voice to the
opinions of his countrymen, ne is, OF
course, anxious 20 have them rs franl;
with him Us hc has been with them
how otherwise can he know wheth-
or he represents or misreprescn.s
their views?
He has announced a policy which
has never before boon adopted in tnis
country and never indorscl by any
party in the country, and he has no
way ot knowing, until Ec hears from
the people, whether he has correctly
Interpreted tie will of the public. Eis
appeal is not to any party, but, as nc
says, To men OF all shades or opin-
ION He asks for the hearty support
Of the country meaning, of course.
thot he wants the support, provide /
the people favor the policy which he
has outlined. He could not, Of course.
ask them to support a policy which
they did not indorse, especially if the.
considered the policy dangerous 20
tho country.
From nv view of the subject, the
Plan which ne PROPOSES is not ONLY a
departure f.om our traditions. but -
reversal of our national policy. il H.
not only a menace t. our peace ana
.".l,tE bur CHALLENGE 20 tLc spirit oi
Christianity which tcachc. Us to in
Hu"rce others by example rather than
hy exciting fear.
The president says that we should
." prepared not for AGGRESSION lut
'"r dc;easo.' Tnat is the ground upoa
which all preparation for war .v
moa'. What nation has ever pra-
pared for war on the theory that e
wa preparing for AGGRESSION? It Is
only fair to assume that the Europca4
rulers who arc involved in the present
war thought that they were contrib
uttns toward tho maintenance OF peace
""'" they We're mJhiu- c.UH,r.t,
Preparations for dorcnsc. II is q false
philosophy ard, bc.ag false, it iu-
'''io'Iy leads into difficulties. Tl.
spirit that m"tca tEc Individual carry
H r.vniNor--onG Hh"cvc, e'ric. 30 ,.-
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