Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-03-29
Nebraskan Asks That the
Nation Apply the Princi-
Piles of Peace Plan Offered
by America to the World.
READY TO LINE UP
TO CITIZENS DUTIES
Declares the Wrongs Which
the United States Would
Punish Are the Acts of
Desperation Dir e ct e d
Against Other Nations.

New York. March 29.-"As one who
expects to live up to citizens duties,
If war comes" William Jennings
Bryan today wired the following to the
United Press:
Miami, Fla, March 29.--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 diplom-
Rcy and some advise settlement with
The sword.
THE metropolitan press, which tried
to prevent the reelection of the pres-
dent and failed, undismayed by a pop
ular verdict of more than one half mil
lion, now seeks to lash the country into
a fury and urges the government to
take part in the European conflict.
ACTS OF DESPERATION.
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 thou
sands, even millions of your country
men, and the laying of grevious bur-
dcns upon future generations. Before
you ldAt llllS blDUu upbl your iidutSt
consider. l pray you first, that the
wrongs which you would punish, cruel
and uniustifiable as they are. are not
intended primarily against this coun-
try but are the acts Of desperation di-
rected against other nations with
which the offenders are at war.
Second, that our land is not threat
ened with invasion, but that we are
asked to go 5000 miles for a chance to
fight.
AMERICA HAS PEACE PLAN.
Third, that we have not the excuse
for going to war that the European
nations had. They had no machinery
for peace. We have a peace plan Of
fered by this nation TO the world and
now embodied in 30 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. II provides for investiga-
ton of all disputes by an International
tribunal before going to war
fortunately, these treaties compel
us to employ the plan with Great Brit
ain, France, Italy and Russia before
going to war with them. Germany for
mally approved HE PLAN although no
treaty has yet been concluded with her.
WORTH WHILE TO TRY.
"Shall we repudiate our own plan
the first time we have an opportunity
to employ it? If, as the president re-
Gently declared, the American people
do not want war, is it not worth while
tT +r,r
the people the horrors of war? Until
an attempt is made and fails, no one
is able to say that it would be impos-
sible to secure the suspension of
ruthless submarine warfare during the
investigation for which the plan pro-
vides. 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 well 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 dis
regard all risks and ride upon beIlig-
orent ships? Is il not worth while to
separate passengers from. contraband
Ndt 5OtH' ~ Nlidl lux I'd pldlilS Oh pa s.
senger ships can give their entire at
tention to the safety Of the passengers
our nation is the worlds foremost adj
Yocate of peace. If we go to war it
should be for a cause which history
will justify.
SUGGESTS REFERENDUM.
IF you reach the conclusion that
nothing but war viii satisfy the ma
tons honor, is it too much to ask that,
by a referendum you consult the wishes
of those who must, in case of war, de-
fend the nations honor with their
lives?
AS one who expects to live up to a
citizens duties, if war comes. | plead
with you to use all honorable means
to preserve peace before you take the
responsibility of plunging our beloved
land into this unprecedented struggle,
begun without any sufficient cause
and conducted by both sides in utter
disregard of the well-settled rights of
neutrals.'
---pS-s----