The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-04-03
REFERENDUM FOR WAR
BRYiN'S LATEST PLEA
Former Secretary, in Petition to Con-
greSs, Wants People to Vote Oh
Whether Country VIII be Plunged
Into COnfIict-ilsO Urges Resort 10
His Own Utopian Peace Treaties.

Into COnfIict-.Als0 Urges Resort ~
His Own UtOpian Peace Treaties.
Miami, Fla, March 29.-William J.
Bryan today addressed an appeal to
the senate and house Of representa-
tives urging that an attempt be made
to obtain suspension Of German 5
ruthless submarine campaign through
the application of the social Bryan
peace plan which provides for an in
vestigation Of all disputes by an III
ternational tribunal before resort to
war.
Mr.. Bryan asked that congress also
consult the wishes OF the people
through referendum if it concludes
that nothing but war will satisfy the
nations honor. Mr.. Bryan's appeal to
congress follows:
Exercising the citizens right G.
petition, I appeal to you. The dispute
with Germany has passed beyond the
domain of diplomacy and some ad-
wise settlement by the sword. The
metropolitan press, which tried to
prevent the reelection of the presl-
dent and failed, lndismayed by a pop
ular verdict of more than one-half
million, now seeks to lash the country
into a fury and urges the government
to take part in the European con-
fict.
"To you, and to you only, is given
constitutional authority to declare
war-war which in this case mean the
signing of the death warrant of thou
sands, even millions, of your country
men and the laying of grievous bur-
dens upon future generations. Before
YOU take this blood upon your hands
consider, 1 pray you, first, that the
wrongs which you would punish,
cruel and unjustifable as they are'
are not intended primarily against
this country, but are acts of despeca-
ton directed against other nations
with which the defenders are at war.
Second, that our land is not threat
ened with invasion but that we are
asked to 90 three thousand miles for
a chance to fight Third, that we
have not the excuse for going to war
that the European natit ad. They
had no machinery for pea y; we have
a. peace plan offered by this nation
to the world and now embodied IN
thirty treaties with three quarters OF
the population of the globe.
The plan has the endorsement OF
the president, the commentator OF
the senate and the approval Of the
people at the polls. 1t provides for
Investigation of all disputes by an Ill
ternational tribunal before resort to
war.
Fortunately these treaties compel
US to employ the plan with Great
Britain, France, Italy and Russia be-
fore going to war with them. Ger
many formally approved the plan, al
though no treaty has yet been con-
cluded with her. Shall we repudiate
our own plan the first time we have
an opportunity to employ it? If, as
the president recently declared, the
American people do not want war, is
it not worth while to try the peace
plan before bringing upon the people
the horrors of war? Until an attempt
is made and fails, no one is able to
say that it would be impossible to
secure the suspension of ruthless
submarine warfare during the investl-
CATION for which the plan provides
Shall we deny ourselves the credit
of trying to settle the dispute with
the treaty plan?
"And is it not worth while to DO
our part in trying to avoid injury!
Would it not be better as we'll as
cheaper, for the government to carry
on it's own vessels such Americans
as must go to Europe rather than
engage in war to vindicate the right
of citizens to disregard all risks and
ride upon belligerent ships?
cit is not worth while to separate
passangers from contrabrand cargoes
so that the captains of passenger
ships can give their entire attention
to the safety of the passengers? Oul
nation is the worlds foremost advo
cate of peace. If we go to war i
should be for a cause which hlstor!
will justify.
eff you reach the conclusion tha
nothing but war will satisfy the na
tons honor, is it too much to ask
that by a referendum you consult the
wishes of those who must, in case o.
war. defend the nations honor WITH
their lives?
Gas one expects to live up to
citizens duties if war comes, pleat
with YOU to use all honorable means
to preserve peace before you take the
responsibility of plunging our below.
ed land into this unprecedented
struggle, begun without any sufficien'
cause and conducted by both sides II
utter disregard of the well settled
rights of neutrals.'