Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-05

ecutiye committee The executive COM
mittee Is to consist of the organization
committee. with the addition OF Judge
Martin A. Knapp, chairman OF the
United States board of mediation and
conciliation; Charles P. Neill, commits
sioner of labor statistics; Louis F. Post.
assistant secretary of labor, and A. 5.
Worthington.
present was David Jayne Hill.
Mr. Bryan started his address by
commencing the patience with which
"pacif1sts" in the audience had listened
to the views contrary to their own
convictions expressed by DR.. Vrooman.
and censured the fact that the views
expressed by Representative Slayden
and Senator Vardaman had not been
listened to with similar foroearance
He referred to occasional Interruptions
from the floor and TO repeated notes
sent to the speakers for answers dur
ing the course of their remarks Mr..
Bryan, in the course of his speech,
challenged opposition from the floor.
and at one stage declared I'VE will not
be frightened into lve-year contracts
with manufacturers of guns and am
munition because they know that when
the war is over this bubble will burst
When he was interrupted by ap-
plause he said, You do not need to
applaud. 1 am giving you the phi
losophy of the common people. who
have not forgotten the doctrine of the
Bible and nave not Deen aHecLed by
the rabies of war
"a Farce, Fallacy and a Fraud"
Again he exclaimed that those who
make distinction between preparedness
for aggression and preparedness for
defense are making a distinction that
is "a farce, a fallacy and a fraud. His
tory teaches that the man who car
rles a revolver carries the disposition
to use it and to provoke Others" He
quoted President Wilson as saying that
we are not threatened from any quar-
ter, and said: Even il any mailman
of Europe should challenge US our
answer should be that we have tradi-
tons and ideals to maintain and will
not wallow with him in the orgies of
war which is the result of false moral
Standards: -
He claimed that this country in pre-
pairing for war now would be admitting
that the European nations in their prep,
aFation for war have been right and
the course Of the United States as a
republic all wrong. He said that this
nation owes example to the other
American republics that have written
their constitutions after ours and that
we must not bear false witness to them
that militariSm is right.
Mr.. Bryan said that certainly this
was no time. during the turmoil of war,
to decide the course for the future;
that with the warning nations STEPPED
in debt and being weakened each day
in every way this nation has no fear Of
attack. He quoted Majority House
Leader Ktchin as showing how. be-
cause Of mines and torpedoes, England
has not been able to make death
struggle on the German coast. He said
that if twenty miles of English channel
was barrier. this nation was much
hnf TOW ~f1 uric 3, 1oV net nc
on the globe separating it from any
possible enemies on either side.
Nation Would Have Defenders"
He said that this nation would never
lack for defenders. and that it would
be the people who fight when the ma
ton needs fighters and work when the
nation needs workers who will be the
defenders He attacked the Navy
League. the National Defense League
and other preparedness propagandas.
In stating something Affirmative that
the people Of the United States can do
toward peace, he said:
I'VE can do more than set them an ex-
ample. We can play the part of friend
by rendering our services. not once or
twice, but continually until our offer is
accepted. Humanity demands it: when
the last eighteen months? The neutral
nations demand it; every one of them
is bearing a burden of taxation that
would not be necessary but for this war,
ton of trade. Our own interests de-
mand 1t; we have not only suffered in
common with other countries. but the
attention of our people is being taken
raised by the war. and we ourselves
are dragged to the very verge of the
conflict by violations Of our rights by
against us by both sides. These viola
lions and injuries are not intended
against us. but are merely incidental
urs sse that each side at INTEND nd
dealt with with patience and a spirit
Of forbearance. 1t would not be bad
enough to go to war with a nation that
hated US and wanted war with US: 1t
would be inexcusable to compel any
nation to go to war with US when 1t
is not an enemy and does not want war.
But these constant irritations are a
menace to our people as well as an in
terruption Of our nations work, and
we have right to ask, either by our
selves or in conjunction with the other
neutral nations. that the nations at
war state definitely what 1t Is they are
fighting for, which 1t but another way
Of stating the terms upon, which peace
Is possible. They must know what they
are fighting about, and it would be
reflection upon them to assume that
they are unwilling to state to the world
clearly and definitely the reasons for
the war and the conditions upon which
1t can be terminated.
Resort to Sword Unnecessary.
Neither can we assume that there is
any dispute which must Of necessity be
settled upon the battlefield. The thirty
treaties which we havo made with ma
tions representing three-quarters of
the world are framed upon the theory
that all disputes between nations are
proper matters for Investigation with
view to peaceful settlement, and
since this principle has been embodied
in treaties with four of tho belligerents
Great Britain. France Italy and Rus
sia-and has been formally Endorsed
by three other belligerents-German
Austria and Belgium-it offers the
basis for approaching these nations
with a view of restoring peace. Who
can say that an offer made in the
proper spirit would be rejected?
Pointing to the friendship for US OK
listing among the people of Belgium be-
cause Of American contribution, Rev.
DR.. Hardin of Chicago suggests that
we can do more to prevent war by con-