New-York tribune., 1920-01-19
Bryan Calls
Party to End
Treaty Delay
Loves Democracy Too
Well to Let 1t ''Run
Into Crime of Making
Peace Campaign 1ssue''

William Jennings Bryan demanded
last night that the Democratic party
abandon any plan to use the peace
treaty as a campaign issue, and bring
about ratification of the covenant at
once by compromise
He fatty announced that he loved his
party too we'll "to permit it to run into
the danger of that crime" when he re-
ferred to the possibility of delaying
final settlement of the war until after
the Presidential election.
Moreover, he openly intimated that
he would not follow the party into any
plan that involved further delay in rat
lfication of the treaty. In the face of
such delay, he asked how it would be
possible to hold Republican Senators
responsible for the six months they
had held up the treaty by filibustering
methods.
Like Bryan of Years Ago
Colonel Bryan's remarks took the
form of an eXtemporaneous speech be-
fore the Society of Arts and Letters at
the Hotel Astor. He took pains to ex-
plain that he had not expected to make
such speech and that he had not pre-
pared it. He made it plain that the
sentiments he uttered were his fixed
opinions, however, and in calling upon
his party to cease delays that are pre-
venting final settlement of the World
War rose to flights of oratory that re-
called the Bryan of years ago.
Senator Robert L. Owen and former
Governor Joseph w. Folk of Missouri
both advocates of ratification by com
promise and the acceptance of reser-
vations, preceded Colonel Bryan on the
speaking list. They expressed the be-
lief that immediate action should be
taken to bring about compromise
that would remove the peace covenant
from the realm of politics.
A political tone was given the meet
ing by ahe numerous significant trib-
utes paid to the brand Of statecraft
exhibited by Mr.. Bryan by all of the
speakers. James W. Gerard, who acted
as toas tmaster, declared that the Com
moner probably had done much more
for humanity as a civilian than had
many Presidents in their official CA
pacities.
Mayor and Nixon Present
And not the least interesting picture
presented at the dinner was the an
pearance of Mayor Hylan and his. arch
enemy on traction matters, Lewis
Nixon, seated together at the speakers
table. Colonel Bryan and several other
notables separated them, however, and
they did not approach ono another
throughout the evenings program.
Mr.. Bryan opened his remarks by
calling attention to the significance Of
the debut of the woman voter in poll
tics almost simultaneously with me de-
parture of John Barleycorn from that
field of activities-and all others. for
that matter.
ION last Friday night the most cor
rupting influence ever known in Ameri-
can politics went out" he said "And
just as liquor passes and is forever
dead, woman enters as an important
and active factor in politics. l think
this one of the most significant signs
Of the present trend of events"
Mr.. Bryan then referred to his recent
Jackson Day speech and his obvious
differences with President Wilson,
which resulted in stories of split IN
the party.
~ recently had occasion to make a
speech in Washington" he said. AT
the same time the President wrote a
letter. Of course, l didn't know what
the President was going to say in his
letter and he didn't know what l was
going to say in my speech. | wouldn't t
have changed anything | was going to
say, even if | had known what the
President was going to say.
l. II wouldn't belong to party that
could dictate to me: | have right to
my own views, and l hope to retain
that right
Not a Perfect Treaty
II believe the President got better
treaty than anybody had a right to ex-
pect him to get. You must remember
that we and we alone were the only
people who went into the peace parley
without asking for single favor.
you must remember, too. that the
other representatives of bellgeren nts
their people They knew that if every
thing was taken away from Germany
the price would not come even near to
paying for the suffering and losses the
Germans had incurred during the war.
The people of these other countries
wanted to use the victory to obtain
whatever redress they thought might
be obtained in that way.
"When 1 urged ratification without
reservation l did 50 not because
thought it was perfect treaty, but
because I thought it would be the bet
ter procedure to go into the League
of Nations and then obtain such
changes as might seem necessary for
the good of all parties concerned.
II hope that outside influences now
will get together and push so hard
that they will break the she'll Of cp-
position to settlement in the Senate
and coerce that body into compro-
mise that can be accepted BY an over
whe Inning ma jority.
II venture to suggest that the Demo
cratic party cannot afford to go before
the country with responsibility for
this long delay in ratification of the
treaty resting upon it. A compromise
should be brought about to prevent the
tibilustering that will prevent the
minority from working its will on the
majority. This is a government by a
majority, and whenever have dis
covercA that the majority has over