The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-10
NATIONS LEAGUE
PLAN IMPERFECT,
SAYS W.. BRYAN
However, "Commoner" Says
We Must Accept it or Un-
dergo Further Wars.

William Jennings Bryan. former Sec
retary of state and three times candi-
date for president, addressed crowd
Thursday afternoon, on The Work
Accomplished and the Task Before
U.s."
Bryan's speech was given as part
of his three-weeks' tour Of the middle.
west under the auspices of the Anti
Saloon League, and was a combination
of the two topics of prohibition and
the league of nations.
S. Edgar Nicholson introduced the
speaker at 2:15 o'clock, and he was
greeted with much applause. Many
women and children were in the audi
ence, in contrast to the audiences
which he has many times addressed
in Richmond.
Had No Regard for Party
"The prohibition victory was a vic
tory OF the national conscience with
out regard to party or faction" said
Bryan. He spoke at length on its nom
partisan and non-sectional character.
Referring to the threats of those who
started the "No BeereNo Work" agi-
tation, Bryan said: "It ought to be
remembered that in the fight for pro-
hibition the various unions connected
with the liquor traffic, the beer MAX
ers, bartenders and bottle blowers,
have never been able to secure from
the national organization a declara.
ton against prohibition.
"a man who, having spent more for
beer for himself than he had for bread
for his family, puts on button and
goes out and declares he will not work
for his own child if he can't get beer.
will not have much influence upon
public opinion. The protest of that
kind of a man is not apt to move the
conscience of the nation, and the abb
surdity of his position is so apparent
that it is not likely that there will
be any buttons worn by July l."
A Complete Victory
He emphasized the completeness OF
the prohibition victory, and pointed
out the necessity for the formation OF
some organization to stand guard and
mobilize the temperance forces in sup
port of the national amendment and
state laws. He said the Anti-Saloon
League had been the greatest factor i'll
the national victory, and deserved sup
port in it's fight against the saloon in
this country and its foreign propa-
ganda.
In his talk on the league of nations,
which preceded the prohibition speech,
Bryan said:
"The plan of the league Of nations
is not perfect, but even in its original
form it contains three premises that
make war nearly mpossihle-reduc-
tion of ornaments, investigation of all
disputes before war, and abolition of
secret treaties.
Amendments Help Matters.
Several amendments have been
made recently which remove some of
the greatest objections. We must
choose between the league and the
crtainty of recurring wars, and l am
sure that a large majority of the
senators will vote for it's ratification,
and that large majority of the Amer
lean people will approve thereof.
I'VE must take risks, no matter
whether we accept the league or re-
ject it. The risks that we take in
accepting it are less than the risks We
take if we reject it and turn back to
the old ways of blood and slaughter.
God grant that those who are en-
trusted with the launching of this
great work may have the wisdom to
SO purge it of selfishness and greed,
and infuse into it the spirit of the
Prince of Peace as to make it the end
of war"
Mr. Bryan left at $50 o'clock for
Muncie where he will speak this eve
ming. He stopped at the Arlington
hotel while here, spending two hours
in his room alone Immediately after
his arrival here.