o
'AUGUST, 1915
The Commoner
ii
that country now before the senate is ratified.
The Mexican trouble has made negotiations with
that government impossible for the present. The
seven countries remaining in Europe which have
not yet signed peace treaties still have them
under consideration, and Secretary Bryan is
hopeful that they will bo approved when the
peace of Europe is restored.
It seems like poetic justice that fate so shaped
it that Mr. Bryan should have the opportunity to
sign these treaties, having originated the plan
and having worked unceasingly to bring it to
a success. Had he been elected president he
.could not himself have signed the treaties, and
probably had he been president he would never
have been secretary of state. There is no time
limit to these documents, and wh-. can say that
the name of William Jennings Bryan will not
throughout . the future stand recorded in prac
tically every chancellery of the world!
Great minds all over 4he world believe these
treaties will go far toward making war a remote
possibility, for it will be difficult to engage in
war after a year's deliberation. Nor is it fair
to assume that the present war necessarily will
produce disdain of treaty obligations; on the
contrary, the horror which has ensued from vio
lation of treaty obligations is likely to strength
en immeasurably every treaty Mr. Bryan has
made.
Endorse Work of Pan-American Conference
THE WAY OUT
From The Literary Digest for July.
There is a way out, says the Chicago Tribune;
"the gate is open, but it is the gate of comprom
ise." And it continues:
"The question is whether the United States
stands ready to insist upon the full measure of
its rights as a neutral and to enforce such rights
to the uttermost, or finds it consistent with its
honor, its duty, and its interests to forego a full
enjoyment of its legal rights in favor of an agree
ment which in faTct will protect its citizens and
avoid danger or certainty of a resort to extreme
measures.
"The question is one which challenges both the
pride ,and pacific, intent of the American people.
There, is a profound reluctance in the nation to
being drawn, into . the European vortex on any
pretext. There is, except among minorities of
ardent partisans, a disposition to see rights and
wrongs on both sides. There is a realization that
tho rigors of a desperate ' conflict have tempted
or forced all the belligerents into breaches of
technical law and even into infringement of
right. There is a profound revulsion against
German submarine tactics on grounds of human
ity. There is also resentment against England
for its illegal interference with our commerce.
There is, however, n sane recognition of the
pressure upon both combatants, and, we believe,
an equally sano sense of proportion concerning
our own interests and necessities as involved in
tho conflict.
"Thero is, in short, wo aro. confident, no dis
position to undertake a war for tho sake of en
forcing a right whoso exercise we can substanti
ally enjoy by any reasonable concession. There
is no. dispositionamong the people generally to
take up arms6r the rights of Americans to'
travel on ships conveying ammunition to bellig
erents if a fair alternative in fact exists."
Such is the position of ex-Secretary Bryan, who
said in a statement which the Milwaukee Sen
tinel calls "tho sanest, soundest, fairest, and
most sensible utterance as yet from any public
man": v
"I believe that a large majority of the people
will heartily approve any steps that the president
may see fit to take to keep Americans out of the
danger-zone or separate passengers from contra
band, especially from ammunition. It is not a
sacrifice of' rights to avoid unnecessary risks."
COUNSEL THE DEMOCRATS "SCORNED"
Lincoln Cromwell of New York, at a recent
gathering of manufacturers, complained bitterly
because the Wilson administration "scorned the
counsel of business men in framing its tariff,
warning them away from Washington as if, one
and all, 'they were robber barons." Mr. Crom
well stated the facts fairly well, but he neglected
to add, for purposes that will be readily con
ceived, to state that the business men whose
counsel was scorned were those who had written
the tariffs of 1897 and 1909 for their own bene
fit and that those who were warned away were
the manufacturers who had hired lobbyists in
and out of government employ to gain special
advantages for themselves.
The following is a statement issued frdm
Washington, D. C, under date of August 5,
1915:
Secretary McAdoo today announced that
Pledges of cordial co-operation aro being re
ceived from all tho countries of Central and
South America for tho continuation of tho work
of tho Pan-American Financial conference. Each
American republic is evincing deep and intenso
interest in practical methods to tako up tho work
whero the conference left oft and thus establish"
closer and stronger financial and trade relations
between tho United States and Latin America,
for which purposo tho conference was called.
This wholesomo spirit of optimism in tho fu
ture economic relations of tho Americas as a re
sult of tho conference is reflected in cablo cor
respondence between President Wilson and tho
presidents of the republics of Latin America.
Impressed with tho outcome of tho conference,
President Wilson cabled tho president of each of
the eighteen countries which participated in tho
meeting, expressing tho appreciation of tjio
United States government and his own thanks
for tho material aid lent to tho success of tho
conferenco by tho distinguished delegates from
Latin America and added: "The patriotic and
intelligent labors of this conferenco of leading
men from our sister republics of Central and
South America will, I feel assured, bear early
and beneficial fruits and lead to increased mu
tual prosperity."
Responses to this cablegram express the
thanks of those governments for tho warm wel
come extended to their representatives by tho
United States and further show that tho confer
enco has struck a friendly and responsivo chord
throughout tho western hemisphere.
Extracts from the replies of tho various chief
executives of Latin America follow:
President V. de la Plaza, of Argentina: "I
share tho opinion of Your Excellency and con
fidently believe that the labors of the assembly
will prove highy beneficial to tho solidarity of
tho American republics, stimulating tho econom
ic bonds necessary for their mutual develop
ment." President Ismael Montes, of Bolivia: "I have
tho honor to express my thanks for tho cordial
welconio extended by Your Excellency find by
your enlightened government to tho delegation
of Bolivia, and to givo utteranco to tho confident
belief I entertain as to tho wholesome influence
which tho labors of tho conference, intelligently
carried out, will havo on the relations and com
mon prosperity of the three Americas."
President Wenceslao Braz P. Gomes, of Bra
zil: "i congratulate Your Excellency most warm
ly on the success of tho labors of tho conference,
which, I feel assured, will produce early and
profitable results and concur toward tho greater
prosperity of all the American republics."
President Ramon Barros Luco. of Chile: "On
behalf of tho -government of CMle, I take pleas
ure in offering Your Excellency my most sincere
congratulations for tho success of the Pan
American Financial conference, recently held in
Washington, and at which resolutions of such
vast moment to tho commercial and economic
development of the "nations of America were
adopted."
President Jose Vincento Concha, of Colombia:
"I trust that the results of the conferenco will
bo in keeping with tho noblo wishes of Your Ex
cellency and will further the prosperity of all the
nations of this continent."
President Alfredo Gonzalez, of Costa Rica: "I
feel highly gratified at tho brilliant success of
the conference so opportunely initiated by Your
Excellency, for the purpose of bringing about in
a practical manner the development and expan
sion of our commercial relations."
President Mario G. Menocal, of Cuba: "It is
most gratifying to me to know that our delegates
lent their material aid to the success of tho con
ference and I trust .that the work rendered by
the distinguished delegates from all tho Amer
ican republics will bring about a closer com
mercial relation and an era of greater prosperity
for all of them."
President J. I. Jimenez, of the Dominican
republic: "I am grateful for the expressions of
your favorable impressions regarding the aid
lent by our delegate to the 'Financial congress,
and I entertain tho hope that the. countries ly
ing between the Behring and Magellan straits
may derive great advantages from it and thus
increaso their prosperity."
President Leonidns Plaza, of Ecuador: "My
government, in sending its delegates to the con
ferenco of American financiers, felt certain that
it would bear great fruit in establishing closer
commercial relations nmong tho nations of our
continent. Tho favorable impressions of Your
Excellency on tho results attained arc highly
gratifying to me.'' .
President Manuel Estrada Cabrera, of Guatema
la: "I likewise take special pleasure In expressing
my sincere congratulations to the government
and peoplo of tho United States for tho success
attained by the conference, and for tho benefi
cial results which wo believe will, beyond doubt,
soon flow fr6m It and lead to increased mutual
prosperity. My government and peoplo were
highly honored by Yur Excellency's kind Invi
tation to Guatemala to tako part in the confer
ence, and I share Your Excellency's good wishes
that patriotic and intelligent labor of tho nature
referred to may crown its work and thus bring
about an extension of commerce and of tho mag
nificent relations which 'In this respect unite the
countriesvof North, Central and South America."
President F. Bertrand, of Honduras: "The
government of Honduras views with great pleas
ure tho brilliant success which has attended the
praise-worthy Initlatlvo of Your Excellency in
calling tho American republics together in a
meeting from which wo confidently expect tho
most fruitful of results. For theso reasons, &
pray Your Excellency to accept my very warm
felicitations and most cordial wishc-n for tho
closer relationship and prosperity of oil tho na
tions of tho continent."
President Adolfo Diaz, of Nicaragua: "We
havo looked upon tho conferenco as a promise
of tho most gratifying consequence-for the pros
perity and closer friendship of all tho nations
of America." ' v
President Belisario Porras, of Panama: "I
cordially appreciate tho cablegram of Your Ex
cellency, and am most happy to know that Ydur
Excellency considers that tho delegates of Pan
ama to the Financial congress rendered valuable
assistance in tho great work conceived by tho
illustrious and just government of Your Excel
lency for tho establishment of closer rotations
between tf?e great American republic and her sis
ters of tho samo continent."
President Eduardo Schaerer. of Paraguay: "In
thanking Your Excellency for theso courteous
expressions, I avail myseK of the opportunity to
utter the very sincere wish that the results of
tho conferenco will bo fruitful in tho establish
ment of closer friendly relations a'riu" in tho cre
ation of economic and financial tips among our
sister nations."
President Benavides, of Peru: "I am certain
that results beneficial to all tho countries of
America will bo derived from the happy initia
tive of Your Excellency in calling a conference
which in cementing the spirit of Pan-American
solidarity marks a new era in the economic de
velopment and prosperity of tho continent."
President Carlos Melendez, of Salvador: "In
voicing the sincere hope that the success of the
conference, held under thauspices of Your lax
cellency's government may correspond to the
lofty motives which inspires its inception, I avail
myself of this exceptional opportunity to renew
to Your Excellency the assurances of my high
and distinguished consideration." '
President Fcliclano Viera, of Uruguay: "The
co-operation furnished by the Uruguayan gov
ernment has been an affirmation of the solidar
ity of Interests and objects which exists among;
the American countries and a recognition of the
prestige and spirit of initiative of the government
of the Union. I am glad to share the opinio
of Your Excellency that the work .of the confer
ence must bear beneficial fruits for the Amer
ican countries. Permit me to add to these sen
timents my wishes for the prosperity of the
United States and for the happiness of Your
Excellency."
President V. Marquez Bustillos, of Venezuela,:
"I trust that the final results of this conference
which was promoted and patronized by Your Ex
cellency's noble government, will be worthy
fruits of the high practical talent characteristic
of the great descendants of Washington, and I
am sure that these mutual benefits, while being
factors of prosperity, will also constitute a new
and strong bond of solidarity between the sister
republics of this continent.".
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