Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-03-04
Open Letter to Congressman Hardy
-. D~..~..J..,. Taken to Task on Position
vi ! tePuI euHeS Opposing Pres. Wilson

In a night. al Mr.. Bryan so yainglor'
iously declares. but TO set them
against the veterans OF Europe would
be like sending a flock OF sparrows
against a squadron OF eagles. Such
Boosting is evidence OF lnsuffcrable
national concelt or OF mental obses
sion bordering ON emotional madness
lam duly impressed by your I'm
posing figures OF the cost OF armies
and navies. but I submit that II va
need an army and a navy we must
have them AZ any cost We can bear
II is proper TO discuss the question OF
need. but II the need be established
the only question as to cost Is wha,
the nation can afford, To consider the
problem from the standpoint OF cost
Is to set "the dollar above the man."
to make ease and comfort paramount
to righteousness and honor Pardon
me for saying d. but that Is precisely
what the extreme pacitists are doing,
Northing Ia more deceptive than pa.
cifist platitudes. You say The
truth Is, no war ever began without
some criminal agency or vicious In
oentive somewhere" That sounds
well until It is applied to a given case.
Apply II TO the wal between the
American states. Tor instance, and It
Is both an unwilling perverslon OF
history and an u%nwarranted impeach.
ment OF Abraham Lincoln and Jeffer-
son Davis. and their hosts OF patriotic
and unselfish followers who honestly
differed about an important principle
OF government. When such differences
arise between sovereign states or ma.
tons there is no appeal but TO the ar.
bitrament OF arms, because n soyer.
eign cannot IN the nature OF soyer.
yield III Judgment OF It's con.
yiction TO a higher power. ! am sure
that each OF the nations now at war
regards its cause as embodying self.
preservation and righteous principle.
Besides. though we may be free from
criminal or vicious impulse. we can.
not restrain II in others except by
the power OF resistance.
| note your objection to the pro.
posed continental army" and your
preference for an enlarged militia
II Is not necessary for us to
discuss this point. as II Is one Of the
which our resolutions referred
to the experts. Either would provide
the citizen soldiery which the resolu.
tons recommended as assurance
against the sinister peril OF militar.
ism. However. | observe from the
newspaper reports OF yesterday that
the house committee Is about to re
port a bill which aims TO conform the
as far as possible TO the con
tinental army plan. II so. Il will not
be the first time that pride OF opinion
provoked the amusing exercise OF dis
tinguishing between tweedledum aud
t~weedledee.
| am glad that you say: II nm for
preparedness for defense. but not for
aggression In this statement OF
you do not differ from those
Of your constituents who have express.
ed themselves in favor Of the presi.
dents program. nor from the presi-
profession OF policy which is
for defense. But you differ
us widely In the Interpretation OF
the statement. in your views upon nj
present military strength and In the
spirit OF the movement for prepared
ness.
iut HhtoAitH ~ Eoht itooi''n "
self mainly into the degree OF prepar.
that may be required for ma
tional safety. As to this I profess no
exact knowledge; | prefer to heed the
advice OF those who are best qualified
to- know-the secretaries OF wal and
navy. with their expert adyisers-in
the light Of the revelations OF the Eu.
war as to new and o pow.
instruments OF destruction and
methods OF warfare. | challenge the
intimation OF pacifists to the effect
that our army and navy officers seek
to plunge us into wal and that mill
tary training makes men bellicose.
Washington. Grant and Lee. our most
illustrious soldiers. abhorred war;
they fought only for defense as they
conceived the cause OF defense. What
Is there for assuming that our
present generals and admirals are
more bloodthirsty or less patriotic
than they? Physicians earn their liv.
ing and win distinction by fighting
disease. but they do not encourage
disease. On the contrary. they do all
in their power to prevent Il.
What may have seemed sufficient
preparedness two years z is not suf.
ficient now. do not ignore the con-
tention OF the pacifists that the ma
lions OF the world who are our pos.