The Commoner
VOL. 15, NO. 7
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The Commoner
ISSUED MONTHLY
Entered at the Postoffico at Lincoln, Nebraska,
as second-class matter.
WILLTAM J. BRYAN CHARLES W. BRYAN
Editor and Proprietor Associate Ed. and Publisher
Edit. Rms. and Business Office, Suite 207 Press Bldg.
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THE COMMONER, LINCOLN. NED.
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"Strong Js He whose cause is ours,
" In conflict with unholy powers;
"We grasp the weapons He has given,
The light and truth and love of Heaven."
0V5
Recent observation would justify the belief
that the only clams found at Oyster bay are not
those secured by the usual dredging process.
Tho jingoes seem to have overlooked a neces
sary part of their program. They should insist
on the rebuilding of the railroads so that they
respond to the demands of military strategy and
not to the needs of the people.
A Colorado woman announced some weeks
ago that she was disgusted with woman suffrage
in that state because tho women did not follow
tho leaders of their sex. She knows now just
how a machine boss feels when his crowd fdes
back on him.
Those persons who And in the peace movement
in America a thing to sneer and jeer at might
receive some enlightenment if they would take
a poll of the men in the trenches of Eurpe on
tho question of whether they prefer personally
to go on doing somebody else's fighting.
One of the popular songs of the day is: "I
didn't raise my boy to be a soldier." It expresses
a! sentiment embedded in the heart of every
'American mother, and there are no jingoists
among the women of this country who bore the
boys that it is proposed to .train them as food
for cannon.
Colonel Roosevelt has been as modestly silent
since the Barnes libel trial as any ordinary cit
izen. Even the Wilson administration seems to
have been forgotten in his deep meditations.
Possibly tho colonel is mentally trying out a
few explanations of why he has been so prompt
in the past to assume that a maji is known by
the company he keeps and yet himself for years
kept from Boss Barnes h!3 old associate, the
khdwledge that he believed himself to be better
than Barnes.
A standing army of half a million men and a
reserve army of trained soldiery nambering sev
eral million aro what the militarists of the na
tion say the United States should have in order
to properly frighten any other nation with which
it gets into diplomatic differences with. This is
approximately what France had a year ago, and
it didn't seem to have saved her from invasion.
Germany had a still larger military establish
ment, ana she was early plunged into the vortex
of the war. If thd militarists should bo givon
Kfhat they now ask, they would soon be demand
ing an army and a navy large enough to meet
any two or three of the great powers because
there would exist just the same necessity in that
case as they contend now exists the safeguard
ing of the country from invasion.
Two Letters
"W. J. Bryan, '
Cheverne, Wyoming.
At request New York Times am forwarding to
you following matter. Will you please answer
direct to Times. Wo have received from our
Paris corespondent cab!? giving text of open
letter from Baron d'Estournelles de Constant to
W. J. Bryan. Please ask Mr. Bryan for answer
that wo may print tonight along with the letter.
Text follows. Representative N. Y. Times.
Dated Paris, June 17th.
Hon. William Jennings Bryan:
It is our duty to enlighten our many mutual
friends who heard us support the cause of peace
together. We ought to explain why we are now
separated, why you aro for peace, I for war, I
am still devoted to peace, but must champion
France against German militarism in the inter
ests of the weaker nation. Like you, I have done
my utmost for peace, even visited Germany and
proposed on behalf of the majority of the rench
nation an honorable lasting peace on the basis
of mutual concessions in Alsace and Lorraine.
How were tho concilatory offers received by Ger
many? By the cowardliest imaginable attack,
cunningly planned like a crime. By the invasion
of neutral Belgium, in massacre, captivity, mar
tyrdom of innocents, the rack of Louvain, bom
bardment of Rheims cathedral, the sinking of
the Lusitania. Naturally you find repugnant the
idea of Americans being killed along side the
allies, but no one here wishes America to de
clare war upon Germany. Europe realizes the
value of America's help and sympathy, but na
tional charity does not free government rom ob
ligation. American government silenco when
Belgium was invaded was a surprise to all your
friends, even the German people would have
been grateful to you for opening their eyes. They
might have recoiled in horror had they been able
to measure by your protestations the true enor
mity of the crjme with which they identified
themselves. Now what are you doing, preachmg
peace. What peace will permit German militar
ism to retire unpunished, unvictorious, but un
conquered, to prepare better another time. In
giving German militarism the support of your
eloquence you risk prolonging the war, increas
ing the bloodshed. Your peace we can not un
derstand. We would sooner die than accept it.
It is truce, not peace, at all. We are fighting to
end war forever. Not war only, but the under
lying causes of war, namely, the insupportable
expense and the uncertainty of armed peace. We
must end conquests by violence, wo must end
Prussian militarism.
D'ESTOURNELLES de CONSTANT.
' , En Route, July 2 1915
New York Times, '
New York City.
. fHaVJU8t re;eived your telegram communi
cating the open letter addressed to me by Baron
d'Estournelles de Constant, of Paria. 'dated Parts
June seventeenth. I send herewith iny reply and
shall be pleased if you will communicate it to
j.'bryan t0 the press of thIs country-
Baron d'Estournelles de Constant,
Paris, France.
Esfeemed0Pseir:letter dated June enteenth re
calls the many pleasant days which we have en
joyed together as co-laborers in the cause of
-peace. I am greatly distressed that the situation
in Europe compels you and other distinguished
pacifists, residing in the belligerent nation l
? TUle ?m lhQ PGace oSpagandaa n "or'de?
that each, true to his patriotic impulses mav
sunport his nation in the unprecedented conflict
which now convulses the Old World. You and
they could not do otherwise. If, however peace
advocates residing in tho warring countries Ivt
in duty bound to support their respective eov
ernments while the war continues, it is likewise
the duty of the citizens of neutral nations to ho
neutral in spirit as well as in word and act It
would violate the spirit of neutrality foV Cen
tra s to declare judgment upon the acts of ?
belligerent nations; they have not the complete
information necessary to form an unbiased I in i
ment even if they felt it their duty to announS
such judgment during the nroi?rp a.nnounce
While I regret that yortoSw m govIrT
ment deserving of criticism, still I am not !"
prised. The neutral countries, if they carefX
refrain from unneutral acts, must ,!? iiy
cism from both sides, becTuseeVs'isteo
intensely interested in its own success to qn o
an impartial judge. It is as natural thit il
Allies should criticise us for not doing thin
that would help them s it is for German
Austria to criticise us for not platan em
bargo on arms and ammunitions. Criticism frni
both sides is proof that this government hw ?
cessfully maintained a neutral position 1 Z
not conceive it to be the duty of neutrals to ,i
cide at this time whether it is more cruel to at
tempt to drown non-combatants at sea than i"
is to endeavor to starve non-combatants on land
Neutrals can, in my opinion, serve humanity bGt
ter by refusing to approve of either method of
?!!? r J am Sending you y mil tbe v ews
which I have expressed and I shall very much
appreciate yo.ur judgment upon the propositions
which, in the interests of humanity, I venture ?o
advance. I especially call your attention to my
statement entitled "The Causeless War and
beg you to give me the benefit of your opinion
upon the facts presented and the concisions
drawn from them. To my mind, the paramount
S??n ?fWJ8 l0t "Who began the warr S
Which side has been most cruel in its conduct
of the war?" History will render a verdicl on
these questions when passion has subsided and
when all the facts are obtainable. The most im
p rtanJ, Question now is "How can peace be re
stored?" The war can not last always; the end
must come some time. Why should any bellte-
S??l ?ati hesitate t0 stae conditions upon
which it will agree to peace? The war is not an
international secret; it is being waged in public
and all nation are suffering. Has not the world
a right to know why bloodshed continues? Is it
not due to the neutral nations that the partici
pants should give, not vague generalities, but
definite and explicit statements as to the ends
sought? If the belligerents are too much ab
sorbed m the struggle to consider the rights of
neutrals, do they not owe it to their own brave
soldiers and their own suffering people to answer
the question "Why do we die?" Who knows
but that peace may be possible now not a truce
but a permanent and enduring peace? If the
nations will only make known for what they arc
fighting they may find it possible to come to a
satisfactory understanding. Recrimination as to
what is being done and silence as to what is de
sired these mean an indefinite prolongation of
the struggle. ' The only possible hope of reach
ing an end lies in a frank statement by each na
tion of its position. In announcing the terms
which will be acceptable the nations will be re
strained by a sense of responsibility, because up
on the nation or nations which demand condi
tions which are unjust must rest the blame for
a continuation of the indescribable woes of this
unspeakable war. The conditions of peace must
De announced ultimately, why not now?
With assurances of great respect, I am, sincere
ly your friend, w. J. BRYAN.
MR. BRYAN'S PliANS
Mr. Bryan announced on June 24 that at the
invitation of the Exposition authorities he would
participate in the celebration of the Fourth of
July at San Francisco. Mrs. Bryan will accom
pany him and they will be on the coast for some
two weeks, during which time they will visit
their son and his family. - When asked about his
future plan's beyond that Mr. Bryan said, "I have
not made any definite plans beyond the trip to
the coast.. Desiring to contribute as far as I can
to the crystallization of the peace sentiment of
the country, I shall, for the present keep the
time open for such service as it may be possible
to render.
"Answering the many questions that have
been asked as to place of residence, I will sav
that we shall retain our home in Nebraska. We
shall be there a part of the year and I shall do
my voting there. We shall, however, establish
a summer home at Asheville, North Carolina, the
chief reasons for this decision being the unsur
passed mountain scenery of that section and the
mvigorating climate, r shall continue to use
The Commoner as a means of reaching the read
ing public and sball, in addition, do
enough lecturing and writing to supply my pe
cuniary needs. I expect to devote considerable
time to speaking to college students on subjects
relating to citizenship."
A professor has been dismissed from the fac
ulty by tho board of trustee of the University
of Pennsylvania because he assailed, in his lec
tures, the sacred faith in a high tariff. The
professor may consider himself lucky. It was
quite generally believed in the United States tlw.
a Pennsylvanian who did not believe in a high
tariff was indictable for high treason.
'S