Evening journal., 1917-03-29
BRYAN SPEAKS FOR
Peace By treaty
Should Plea Fail, He Says
lie Expects to Live Up
to Citizens Duties
NO EXCUSE FOR
WAR, HE DECLARES
By The United Press.

hg An9 AAAANA A~'e
NEW YORK, March 29.-"As one
who expects to live up to citizens
duties. il war comes" William Jen-
nings Bryan today wired the follow
ing to the United Press:
Miami, Fla
TO the members Of the Senate and
House, Washington, d. c.
Exercising the citizens right OF
petition, I appeal to you. The dispute
with Germany has passed beyond the
domain OF diplomacy and some ad-
wise settlement with the sword.
THE metropolitan press, which
tried to prevent the reelection Of the
President and failed. undsmayed by
q popular 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 Euro
pean conflict
ITO you and you only is given con
stitutional authority to declare war
war, which, in this case, may mean
the signing Of the death warrant Of
thousands. even millions. OF your
cOuntrymen, and the laying OF pre-
wous burdens upon future genera
tions. Before you take this blood
upon your hands, consider and pray
you, first, that the wrongs which you
would punish. cruel and unjustifable
as they are, are not intended primar-
lily against this country but are the
acts of desperation directed against
other nations with which the offend
ers are at war
Second, that our land is not
threatened with invasion. but that we
are asked TO go 5000 miles for a
chance to fight.
Third, that we have not the ex-
cuse for going to war that the Bu-
ropean nations had They had no
machinery for peace. 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 commendation Of
the Senate and the approval Of the
/ people at the polls. II provides for
investigation OF all disputes by an
International tribunal before going
to war.
Fortunately these treaties com
pei us TO employ the plan with Great
Britain. France, Italy and Russia be-
! fore going to war with them. Ger
many formally approved tho plan
although no treaty has yet been
concluded with her.
Shall we repudlate our own plar
the first time We have an opportunity
to employ It? Ir, as the President re
Gently declared, the American people
do not want war, is II not worth Will
to try the peace plan before bringing
the people the horrors Of WARP Unit
an attempt is made and fails. no on
is able 10 say that Il would be impos
sible to secure the suspension Of ruth
less submarine warfare during tho I'm
vestigation for which the plan pro
vides Shall we deny ourselves tn,
credit of trying TO settle the disput,
with the treaty plan? And. is It no
|. worth while to do our part I'm trying
TO avoid injury? Would It not b'
better, as well, as cheaper, for tn,
government to carry on its own yes
sells such Americans as must go tC
Europe rather than engage in war e
vindicate the right of citizens to dis
regard all risks and ride upon bellig
erent ships?
"Is il not worth while TO separate
passengers from contraband cargoes
so that the captains Of passenger ship
can give their entire attention TO tn
safety OF the passengers? Our natiol
2 is the worlds foremost advocate o
| peace. II We go to war it should b.
t for a cause which history will justify
t "If you reach the conclusion tina
D, nothing but war will satisfy the ma
e tions' honor, is it too much to ask tina
r, by a referendum you consult tn
- wishes Of those who must, in case O
war, defend the nations honor wit
p their lives?
4 "As one who expects TO live up to
citizens duties. If war comes. / plea
, with you to use all honorable mean
: to preserve peace before you take tn
responsibility Of plunging our believe
, land into this unprecedented struggle
=. begun without any sufficient caus
and conducted by both sides in ute
disregard of the well-settled rights {
neutrals"