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OThe Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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VOL 17, NO. 12
Lincoln, Nebraska, December, 1917
Whole Number 704
A Powerful Document
In this issue will be found the full text of
the President's annual message. It is a powerful
document. While the request for a declaration
of war against .Austria will command immedi
ate attention and action, the parts which are
most vital and far-reaching are the appeal to
the Germa"h people and the reference to the
Russian situation. The argument addressed to
the masses whom the 'Kaiser is using to for
ward his ambitious plans ought to be translated
Into the' German language and distributed by
airships. If the assurance given does not stir
revolt against autocratic authority, the people
must be strangely blind to their own welfare.
The President is patient with Russia and.
hopeful that her people now freed from des
potism will yetuse their power to check the
land-hunger off Germany's'inilitarists. It is the
clearest :statemeht yet made of the terms of
peace and ought to:make a profound impression
on the world. W. J. BRYAN.
MASSACHUSETTS' OPPORTUNITY
, The constitutional convention now in session.
in Massachusetts has decided ,to submit to the
people for ratification an amendment embodying
the initiative and referendum. Good; now let
the people of the bay state improve their op
portunity and put their constitution in harmony
with the progressive thought of the day. The
initiative and referendum will enable the people
to rule in Massachusetts that is why. the pre
datory interests oppose it.
With New Jersey adopting local option Penn
sylvania is left without a rival as the state most
completely controlled by the breweries and
that, too, in spite, of the fact that Pennsylvania
brewers confess themselves criminals by plead
ing the criminal's excuse for refusing to testify.
New Jersey has declared for local option
heretofore "no local unit in that state, however
small, could vote on the saloon question. The
liquor interests were in such complete control
that they could deny the people even this right,
but things, are changing. The saloon will soon
be banished from New Jersey.
At last November's election one hundred and
twenty-two New York towns went from wet to
dry. Query: If so great a change occurred when
only men voted, what may we expect at the next
election when the women vote?
The Halifax disaster is unspeakably sad but
it will give our people an opportunity to show
their neighborly sympathy, and the opportunity
is already being improved. .
The' war is still on and the country is stand
ing, unitedly behind the government.
President's Address to Congress
Recommends Declaration of State of War Against Austria-Hungary
Following is the full text of President Wil
son's annual address before the regular session
of congress at Washington, December 4, 1917:
Gentlemen of the Congress: Bight months
have elapsed since I last had the honor of ad
dressing you. They havo been months crowded
with events of immense and grave significance
for us. I shall not undertake to detail or even
to summarize those events.
The practical particulars of the part we have
played in them will be laid before you. in the
reports of the executive departments. I -shall
discuss only our present outlook upon these vast
affairs, our present duties and the immediate
means of accomplishing the objects we shall hold
always in view.
OUR DUTY IS ACTION.
I shall not go back to debate the causes of the
war. The intolerable wrongs done and planned
against us by the sinister masters of Germany
have long since become too grossly obvious and
odious to every true American to need rehearsal.
But I shall ask you to consider again and with
a very grave scrutiny our objectives and the
measures by which we mean to attain them; for
the purpose of discussion here in this place is ac
tion and our action must move straight towards
definite ends. Our object is of course, to win
the war, and we shall not slacken or suffer our
selves to be-diverted until it is won. But it is
worth while asking and answering the question
when shall we cdnsider the war won?
From one point of view it is not necessary to
broach this fundamental matter. I do not doubt
that the American people know what the war is
CONTENTS
A POWERFUL DOCUMENT
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
THREE PER CENT BEER
SUBSIDIZING THE PRESS
THE MAN HIGHER UP
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN OHIO
PROHIBITION LEGISLATION '
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO LABOR
BREWERS TRY TO COME BACK
r.ANSDOWNE ASKS NEW PEACE AIMS
THE i GREAT SUFFRAGE VICTORY
MR. BRYAN IN PHILADELPHIA
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMIS
SION'S REPORT
about and what sort of an outcomo the); will re
gard ns a realization of their purposo in It. As
a nation wo are united in spirit and intention. I
pay little heed to those who toll mo otherwise. I
hear the voices of dissent who does not? I
hear the criticism and the clamor of tho noisily
thoughtless and troublesome. I also see men
here and there fling themsolvcs in Impotent dls-'
loyalty against tho calm, Indomitable power of
the nation. I hear men debato peace who un
derstand nolt.icr ILh nature nor the way In which
wo may attain it with uplifted oyes and un
broken spirits. But J. know that none of these
speaks for tLe nation They do not touch tho
heart of anything. They may safely bo left to ,
strut their ui.easy hour and ho forgotten.
WHAT THE WAR IS FOR
But from another point of view I believe that
it is necessary to say plainly what wo here at
the seat of action consider tho war to bo for and
what part .we mean to play In tho settlement of
its searching issues. We are the snokegmen of
the American people and they have a right to
know whether their purposo is ours. They de
sire peace by the overcoming of evil, by the de
feat once for all of the sinister forces that in
terrupt peace and render it Impossible and they
wish to know how closely our thought runs with
theirs and what action we propose. They aro
impatient with those who desire peace by any
sort of compromfse deerly and Indignantly im
patient, but they will be equally Impatient with
us if we do not make it plain to them what our
objectives are and what we are planning for In
seeking to make conquest of pea'ce by arms.
I believe that I speak for them when I say two
things: First, that this intolerable thing of
which the masters of Germany have shown us
the ugly face, this menace of combined intrigue
and force which we now see so clearly as tho
German power, a thing without conscience or
honor or capacity for covenanted peace, mu&t be
crushed, and if It be not utterly brought to an
end, at least shut out from the friendly inter
course of the nations; and, second, that when
this thing and its power are indeed defGaied and
the time comes that we can discuss peace wbtfn
the German people have spokesmen whose word
we can believe and when those spokesmen are
ready in the name of their people 10 accept the
common judgment of the nations as to what
shall henceforth be the basis of law and of cov
enant for the life of the world we shall b
willing and glad to pay the full price for peace
and pay it ungrudgingly. We know what that
price will be. It will be full, impartial Justic
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