Fr?-r"P" - f$--
The Commoner
'AUGUST, 1917
The Officer's Responsibility
Speech of William Jennings Bryan at Fort
BenJ. Harrison, Indiana, August 3rd, 1917.
General Glenn, Gentlemen:
'This is, in some respects, the most remarkable
audience that it has ever been my pleasure to
address in the course of a life, thirty-seven years
0f which have been largely devoted to public
speaking.
In the first place, this assemblage carried me
back nineteen years, to the time when I was, for
a little while, a soldier. I do not mention my
service to make a comparison between that war
and this. We had few called to the colors com
pared with the number th :t have already been
summoned for service in this war. We entered
the war againBt Spain in order that a little re
public on a little island might be made secure.
You entered this larger war that democracy may
be made safe on this big, round world cf ours.
Your work, therefore, is a very different and a
much larger work.
But coming into your presence, I am remind
ed of my experience when I first thought of be
coming a soldier. I broke the news to my wife
one evening; I told her that I had reached the
conclusion that war was imminent ar.d, if we
entered the war, I thought it my duty to offer
my services. To relieve her anxiety, I told her
that I would have the safe st place in the army,
that of a colonel. She said there was no safe
place in the army. I replied that, from the
number of colonels I had met, I was satisfied that
few had ever been killed. She said: "You can
not fight." I said: "You never saw me madV'
She said: "They do not get mad they get
scared." I said: "You never saw me scared."
My experience in the army covered about five
months. My offer of Service was sent on the
day war was declared; my resignation as colonel
was accepted the day the treaty was signed, so
that my constructive service covered the entire
period of the war. I wad in the army long enough
to learn something more of men than I had ever
learned before. I became better acquainted with
men in the army than-1 had outside, and I
reached the conclusion that army life brings out
the best and the worst in man. I have cherished
among Ihe inner circle of my friends some men
whom I learned to know in the army.
I am glad to come and speak tonight to this
remarkable collsction of men. I nave been
speaking to men all over the world and to crowds
varying largely in size. My first political speech
was prepared thirty-seven years ago, but it was
never delivered. There were three speakers and
no audience. I lool; back to that first occasion
with gratitude because it relieves me of any fear
of falling below my be rinning.
This audience differs from any other audience
I have ever addressed, in several respects. A
few years ago I had an occasion to deliver an
address when it was not proper for me to make a
political speech. It is quite a hardship for one
of my experience to avoid politics. I have tried
to make speeches that were entirely free from
any political suggestions, but one who enters in
to politics, actively, is sure to encounter preju
dicesometimes so deep that his words are mis
construed. I remember that in 1908 I had occasion to
wake a speech in New York; it was in Febru
ary, near enough to the campaign of 1908 for me
to know that that was one- of the years that I
would be a candidate. Knowing that I would be
closely watched, I made up my mind that I
would disappoint them by saying nothing that
jney could criticize. I went to the Bible for my
jext and took as my subject: "Thou Shalt Not
Meal." And, do you know, I hurt the feelings
oi more people that night than ever before. They
seemed to think I was making a personal attack
Pon them. Even in the west one can not always
escape manifestations of this prejudice. Some
one after I went to Nebraska and before there
jJB any particular reason for republicans to dis
an i u e' we nad a Clvic Federation in our city,
n l, 1 asked tlie churches to hold meetings the
"p., u ,re Section, suggesting for discussion,
Dart t Polltlcs" A republican spoke for his
hnSn ,spoke for mine. The audience made no
uue demonstrations and I thought we had had
rennSu meetinS- But the next day a prominent
spud lean was denouncing me on the streets
a Urging that I had desecrated the Presby-
nanrt SS ? 7. pol,tlcal spcoch- u ha
J2r friond ot mino wh0 heard the
speech overheard this gentleman's accusation
! nHSS?d tn repXbllcM1 that I did not make
a political speech. -Well, ho told them to vote
for Judge Broady, the democratic nominee,"
said the republican. "No," responded my friend,
uQVeL mentlonei Judge Broadys name."
But, said the republican, "Ho told them to
vote for the best man, and everybody know ho
meant Judge Broady."
I make many religious speeches but repub
licans sometimes say I talk politics, and when
ever I make a democratic speech they say I am
preaching a sermon. The only explanation I
can give is that there is so little difference be
tween a good democratic speech and a good ser
mon people get them confused.
On the occasion to which I have referred, I
had to avoid politics and in looking for a sub
ject I happened to run v.pon the word: Civiliza
tion. I thought that might bo a subject upon
which to make a speech general enough not to be
regarded as political. So I began to look up the
word to see what had been said on the subject;
if you have never made the investigation you
will be surprised to find how little can be found
that has been said on this subject. What sur
prised me more was that I could find no defin
itionithat seemed to le adequate. I found sev
eral tilings spoken of as entering into civiliza
tion,, tyut a definition, in order-to be a real defin
ition,, should include every essential element of
thejthjng defined and exclude everything else.
Finding no such definition I ventured to make
one' I am not sure it is a perfect one. If you
think it is not, make a better one and see how
difficult the subject is to handle.
This is my definition of civilization: Civiliza
tion is the harmonious development of the hu
man race, physically, mentally, and morally. I
would count that civilization the highest In
which there was among the people the highest
development of the three-fold man. Now, if
that is a fair definition of ' civilization then
every citizen has his part in establishing the
standard of his nation's civilization: for just in
proportion as the citizen can present as his con
tribution the highest development of body, of
mind and of heart, he makes the largest pos
sible contribution to the civilization of his na
tion and his age.
Now, my friends, if that is correct, then I
ask you, where, among all the audiences that I
have addressed, have I stood face to face with
a larger number of men who represent a higher
average development than the men whom I have
the honor to address tonight? I am not flatter
ing you. (Applause.) I do not ask YOU to ap-plaudi-1-
I will let your instructors applaud the
statement.
Now let me tell you the foundations upon
which t make the statement. You have passed
a physical examination. I Itnow of nowhere
else In 'this country or, for that matter, in the
world", where I could find higher perfection of
physical development than I find in this select
audience tonight. So, the first part of your con
tribution to civilization is a large and sufficient
part, for, were you not examples of health and
tvnes of physical development you would not be
among the chosen few who are assemb ed here.
What about your mental development? They
tell me that 85 per cent of you are college men.
Do you know what that means? Have you ever
examined the statistics of this country? We
32m and I think we are entitled to the claim,
St we Mve in this country the highest stand
ard oTeducatlon-the highest average education
?ordbe found in all the world. But in sp too a
do to educate our p;-'r-"- rMB
' take advantage oi um ww, .""
. 1. " onf nf thA hoys and girls who en-
Ks&wsr JW5T or
11 nn vn know that 85 per cent of your
1NO,w' 11Z "; ,n who have been in college,
memDerBiui' --- f verv 8mall per.
our nation's intelligence ,nd thus contrlbnted
to tho standard of ctYillMirHm?
But that Is not tho thins that Interests me
most. I find another thing, that Is oven more
gratifying, naraoly, that about 85 per cont of
the raon who arc registered, horc glvo tholr coa
ncctlon with some church organization. Now, I
bollevc that, ot tho three, tko heart Is tho most
important. Tho head in more important than
tho body, and tho heart Is more Important thaa
tho head. If man is developed In boay only, ho
may bo a perfect brute and nothing more. It a
man la developed only physically and menially
ho may be simply an influential scoundrol. If I
had to choose between development of tho head
and development of tho hoart, I would muck
profcr the development of tho heart. A good
heart can take a dull brain and make It usoful
for society, hut a bad heart can not make a good
use ot any brain, no matter how trained or brilliant.
we
many
than
ter
uni
you can see thai : you represen
centage ot the nation, i ,. as far
tnan-two-per-ceni """" 'wh.r. then, couM I
."P'f"? ","' 'Sta tho world, a higher
iST'tw. country or in tho wortd. a --;
average, measured JwW-n-TrmtJsXrX
to Se mt.ng ot the .eve. ot
Young men, I speak for your fathers and your
mothers, and I can speak as a parent, for I havo
passed through tho poriod a paront passes
through while his children aro bolng reared, and
I have reachod tho ago when a parent becomes
a grandparent, and thus Interested in two gen
erations. I can speak aa parent and grandparent
and tell you that tho burdon of your mother's
prayer and of your father's wish is that you
shall be GOOD rather than that you shall bo
smart.
"Out of tho heart aro tlq Jsbucb of life." "As
a man thlnkoth In his hoar, so is he." I am
more gratified to find that you measure high by
religious standards than I im gratified by your
intellectual moasuroraont.,.Yr'U novcr know what
a man is until you measure him in units ot
spiritual power. Measure. 11 im in units of horse
power and ho is not as V ong aa some boasts.
Measure him in units of intellectual power and
you soon reach his limitations, but measure him
in units of spiritual power and there is no ratio
that can describe tho difference between man at
his best and man at his worst.
Men, I do not flatter you, therefore, when 1
tell you that, in' tho last tour decades I do not
know when I havo stood in tho presonco of so
many men who average so high In tholr contri
bution to what I descrlbo as civilization. I ap
preciate tho privilege. I thank your command
ing officer for the honor extended mo In inviting
mo hero. I am glad to use the time given mo to
say a word to you.
I shall not exhort you to bo brave It is not
necessary. In all this audience there Is not a
man who will ever turn his back to tho foe, not
one who will fall to measure up to the require
ments of a soldier or lack courage in time of
danger. Nor will I spend any time encouraging
you to believo that your country wIJI stand be
hind you. It would bo a reflection on my coun
try to occupy one minute of your time In assur
ing you that you will not be deserted by tho
American peoplo. We live in the best country
on earth, under the best form of government
that man's mind over conceived a government
which rests upon great fundamental principles,
principles which are essential to a government
like ours. One of these principles Is freodom of
speech, but, my friends, every man should know
that discussion ends when tho country renders
its decision and tho people announce their will.
"Acquiescence in tho will of the peoplo," as
Jefferson declared, "Is tho vital principle of a
republic, from which there Is no appeal except
to force."
So, today, our nation is one. If there Is a dis
cordant voice In this nation today it must come
from one who olther does not understand tho
genius of our Institutions or whose heart 1c not
with his country I think I know the American
people; I believe' I am as well acquainted with
them as any other citizen. I havo been among
them now for a generation and I know that the
American peoplo will stand back of the President
and congress and furnish the government what
ever it needs, in men and money, to win this
war.
People ask me every day how long this war
will last. My answer is that I do not. know: and
I do not know any body who does know. When
anybody tells mo he thinks he knows I lose con
fidence in his judgment I know of nothing upon
which any human being Is able to predicate
guess that is of any value as to tho length of this
war. But, my friends, I can state a fact that is
worth more than any guess, prediction or pro
phecy, and that is that no matter whether tho
war be long or short, the shortest road to peaca
i.,i.aijJiia.j-.