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The Commoner
VOL. 17, NO. 6
2
ttr . jtfi-
Nebraska on the
Firing line
Nebraska, a pioneer in all economic reforms,
is again on tho firing lino.
By a deoislvo majority Nebraska has abol
ished tho saloon and is ready to do her part in
making the nation saloonless. On the great
est moral issue of the generation Nebraska
stands with tho homo against the home's great
est enemy the saloon.
Nebraska also stands for the extension of
suffrage to woman on equal ter'ms with man.
She has conferred all that can be conferred by
statute and will complete the enfranchisement
as soon as a constitutional amendment can be
adopted. Again Nebraska Btands by the home,
and recognizes the mother's right to a voice
in shaping tho environment that shall surround
her child.
The liquor question caused the only division
tho Nebraska democracy has known for twenty
years and now that that cause is removed the
party is in position to make a united fight for
the reforms necessary to complete the party
program a program that contemplates , "a
government of the people, by the people and
for tho people," administered according to the
Jeffersonian maxim "equal rights to all and
special privileges to none."
W. J. BRYAN.
TWEN'1'Y-FIVE YEARS A FRIEND
Mr. Wm. H. Mullane, at present owner and
editor of the Evening Current, at Carlsbad, New
Mexico, claims to have been the first newspaper
man in the United Ctates to put Mr. Bryan in
nomination for tho presidency. As will bo seen
In an extract from The Current, reproduced on
another page, he made the suggestion In 1892,
three years before Mr. Bryan reached tho ago
required by the constitution, arid ho has re
mained steadfast for a quarter of a century.
Can anyone show a better record?
- TRESBYTERIANS ENDORSE SUFFRAGE
On another page will be- found a report of the
action of the Presbyterian General Assembly in
endorsing woman suffrage. This brings the in
fluence of one of the principal branches of the
Christian church to the support of this great
reform. It moves on as sure of final triumph
in state and nation as the rising of the mor
row's sun. .
HELP rtO SHORTEN THE AVAR
Don't ask how long the war will last no
body knows. Help to shorten it by standing
behind the government, and' furnishing every
thing needed from money to men.
Offering to pay 3Mj per cent a year on their,
patriotism ought to be attractive to Wall street.
Anything with a per cent attached ought, in
fact, to cause its ears to prick up.
Judging from the amount of damage done by
rain and windstorms in the last month the
weather bureau isn't in very strong sympathy
with tho conservation policy. '
NO ARMY CAMPS IN LOOAMTIES WHERE
TEMPTATIONS IiURK
An Associated Press dispatch, dated Wash
ington, May 25, says: Secretary Baker made
public today a letter he has addressed to the
governors of all states calling for co-operation
in keeping the army mobilization camps free
from improper surroundings and immoral in
fluences. "Our responsibility in this matter is not open
to question," the secretary wrote. "We can
not allow theso young men, most of whom will
have been drafted to service, to be surrounded
by a vicious and demoralizing environment, nor
can wo leave anything undone which will pro
tect them from unhealthy influences and crude
forms of temptation.
"The greater proportion of this force will be
made of young men who haye not yet become
accustomed to contact with either the saloon or
the prostituto and who will bo at that plastic
and generous period of life when questionable
modes of indulgence easily serve as outlets for
exhuberant physical vitality.
"Not only have we an inescapable responsi-.
bility in this matter to the families and com
munities from which these young men are se
lected but, from the standpoint of our duty and
our determination to create an efficient army,
we are bound as a military necessity to do every
thing in our power to promote the health and
conserve the vitality of the men in the training
camps.
"I am determined that our new training
camps as well as the surrounding zones within
an effective radius shall not be plates of tempta
tion and peril. We are not going to be able to
obtain the conditions necessary without the full
co-operation of the local authorities. Will you
give your earnest consideration to this matter
in your particular state? I would
suggest that your council make itself responsible
for seeing that the laws of your state and of
congress in respect to these matters are strictly
enforced. This relates not only to the camps
and board under federal authority but ttf the
more or less temporary mobilization points of
the national guard units. It relates, too, to the
largo centers through which soldiers will con
stantly be passing.
"If the desired end can not be otherwise
achieved, I propose to move the camps from
those neighborhoods in which clean conditions
can not be secured."
BRINGING GOOD OUT OF EVJD
1 A reader asks whether "bringing good out of
evil" is akin to "doing evil that good may
come." By no means. It is NEVER right or
safe to do evil in the hope that good will come
out of it. In doing so one boqomes responsible
for the evil and has no assurance that he can
convert the evil into good. No matter how cer
tain one may be that he can raise the dead, he
should try the experiment on some one AL
READY DEAD and NOT KILL A PERSON in
order to try his skill in raising the dead. So in
public affairs, one should do his best to PRE
VENT evil; but if evil comes in spite of all he
can' do, it is his privilege, even his duty, to
bring out of the evil as much good as possible.
- The war is here, let us bring all the good we
can out of it.
W. J. BRYAN.
DENIAL OF AGREEMENT
A Washington 'dispatch, dated May 11, says:
Mr." Lansing deemed it advisable to announce
that no agreement had been entered into on
the subject of separate peace because of a re?
port publishd thfs morning that an agreement
had been made w.ith the Allies to fight with
them to the end and to conclude peace in con
junction with them. This report was ascribed
to the state department and while not author
ized, was inspired by the views expressed by a
high official. There is no doubt that Mr. Bal
f,our and M. Viviani both understand that the
United States will not leave them in the lurch
and will use all its resources and all its power,
to quote the President, until the imperial Ger
man government is brought to terms.
The President, however, did not care to give
die impression to Germany that the United
States would not receive a direct peace proposal.
If the BerUn government cares-to make a pro
posal it will be considered here and at the same
time communicated to the aires for their de-
--n, The action of the President untf
ly would be influenced by the opinions expressed
in London, Paris, Rome and Petrograd. In
other words, while no agreement, "wr tten
unwr'tten," on the subject of a separate peace
has been made, it is a fact that the President
and the secretary of state havo discussed the
question of peace with Mr. Balfour and M. Vi
viani, and the three governments understand
one another's purpose and aspirations and will
act in harmony both with reference to the con
duct of the war and the subject of peace when
it, shall arise.
Unfair Tactics
The press dispatches announce that onnnn
ents of conscription are circulating speech
made by Speaker Clark and others BEPORP
the law was passed. This is grossly unfair
While the matter was before congress the o
ponents of the proposed measure had a righ o
discuss it and their speeches were part of ale
gitimate effort to defeat it. But when it passed
it became an expression of the people's will
and it is binding on all. Those who continue
to fight conscription havo no moral right to in
voke the influence of those who spoko before
congress acted. They should rely on the
speeches made AFTER the law passed if tney
can find any such. It is unjust to those sena
tors and members who fought when they had
a right to light to drag them into tho contro
versy now. Such tactics would weaken tho
cause of the obstructionists if it had any
strength.
W. J. BRYAN.
RED tiROSS WEEKPROCLAIMED BY THE
PRESIDENT
A Washington dispatch, dated May 25, says:
In a proclamation to the American people Pres
ident Wilson' today designated the week end
ing June 25 as Red Cross Week, and urged that
during the period generous gifts be made to as
sist the organization in properly caring fpr the
armed forces of the nation and the administra
tion of relief.
QJhe proclamation points out that every man,
woman and child in the United States may do
their respective "bits" by giving, in a spirit of
patriotic sacrifice, for the maintenance of Red
Cross work, while a small proportion of the pop
ulation is serving the nation on tho fields of bat
tle. The text of the proclamation follows:
"Inasmuch as our thoughts as a nation are
now turned in united purpose towards the per
formance to the utmost of our services and du
ties which we have assumed in the cause of
justice and liberty;
"Inasmuch as but a small proportion of our
people can have the opportunity to serve upon
the actual Hold of battle, but all men, women
and children alike may serve and serve effec
tively by making it possible to care properly
for those who do serve under arms at home and
abroad.
"And inasmuch as the American Red Cross
is the official recognized agency for voluntary
effort in behalf of the armed forces of the na
tion and for the administration of relief;
"Now, therefore, by virtue of my authority as
presdent of the United States, and president of
the American Red Cross, I, Woodrow Wilson,
do hereby proclaim the week ending June ,
1917, as Red' Cross Week, during which tne
people of the United States will he called upon
to give generously and in a spirit of patriotic
sacrifice for the support and maintenance w
this work of national need. mTTQnNM
(Signed) "WOODROW WILSON.
A poll taken by the National J""'
Soc'al Sciences on the question of P11
the manufacture, importation and sale w
toxicating liquors durng the period of M n
resulted in 360 affirmative votes and 60 neg
live. The National Institute of Social Sc en
apparently does not accurately reprosei jg
sentiment of the American senate, win
about the only deliberate body that has votea
tho negative so far.
The railroads appear to be ud "
idea that the good old times are about i
lurn. They have announced the "t
large number of trains and the consequent
ting out of a large number of men a
same time are attempting to induf .J,. rates
state commerce commission to raise
15 per cent.
' At any rate the situation has not reached so
desperate a stage that anyone steps forward
to suggest that we should take to eating Ben
Davis apples or carp.
GOD IS BACK OF ALL
Back ,of the loaf is the snowy flour.
And back of the flour the miii d tbe
And .back of the mill is the wheat an
, shower, , . .mi
And the sun and the Fathers al)C0ck.