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The Commoner
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
WOL. 18, NO. 5
Lincoln, Nebraska, May, 1918
Whole Number 709
Put none but ratificationists on guard. Democrats and Re
publicans everywhere should see to it that every candidate for the
state legislature is openly pledged to vote for the ratification of the
National Prohibition Amendment Take no chances This is
the supreme domestic issue until Constiiutional Prohibition is secured.
Democracy or
Autocracy?
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two tneories or. government tnat are tnus
lyed against eadh other. In fact, the result
not but be regarded as a. triumph for the
-of goyernment that triumphs.
LThe supporters of monarchy have always con-
ided that an executive exercising arbitrary
jwer was stronger than the head, of a repre-
mtative government. The supporters of dem-
jracy have disputed this and believed "with the
istorian, Bancroft, that- republics are the
tronger because, "discarding the implements of
jrror, they dare to build their citadel in the
iearts of.men."
Bancroft is right; and we must, by winning
iis war, establish the superiority of the form
government under which we live and which
re commend to other nations as the one worthy
po uecome tne worms moaei. we can not auora
bo allow this war to so end that the historian
f the future will say, "A kaiser was better able
i
Ito mobilize the resources of an empire than a
CONTENTS
DEMOCRACY OR AUTOCRACY?
ARE YOU WATCHING?
A CALL TO ALL
THE RED-CROSS DRIVE
- GERMAN AMERICANS
THE ISSUE IN NEBRASKA
SIGN THE PLEDGE -THE
REAL PUNCH AND JUDY SHOW
GOING AFTER THE PROFITEERS
A YEAR OF PROHIBITION .
A PARTISAN EFFORT
. THE PRESIDENT. NEEDS HELP
PROHIBITION A GREAT SUCCESS IN
NEBRASKA
President and congress were the resources of a
republic," or that "The oppressed subjects of
an ambitious emperor woro moi'o loyal to that
government than the free citizens of the world's
gfeaegt republic were to theirs."
History will not-contain so melancholy a
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q3BrSFamfo
past, to every appeal made by the government
and by the voluntary organizations that aid it
in its gigantic tasks. W. J. BRYAN.
A CALL TO ALL
In doing his part in subscribing to the war
loans the average man is not only responding
to a call upon his patriotism but he is putting
himself in position to do his part in the work
of recpnstruction when the war is over. There
will be much to bo done in the restoration of
normal conditions, in the rebuilding of the waste
places and in adjusting ourselves to new du
ties; and no one can afford to risk having his
right to speak then questioned because of fail
ure to aid his government jn its hour of stress
and strain.
Let ALL help TODAY, and then all can help
in that day which will as sorely, test our wisdom
as the v present hour tests our strength and
courage. W. J. BRYAN.
THE TEN DISTRICTS
The ten dry Nebraska districts which were
so shamefully misrepresented by ten wet sen
ators who refused to vote for ratification havo
an important duty to perform this fall, namely,
to wash away the disgrace by the election of
senators who will lead the fight for ratification.
THE RED CROSS DRIVE
The Red Cross Society asks for $100,000,000
more for its war work. The response should bo
immediate and generous. Never before has so
much been done for the comfort of the soldier
r-a fact of which every citizen should be proud.
The soldier is bearing the heavy part of the
burden of war those upon whom the load
rests more lightly should gladly furnish the
money needed by the men at the front. Help
the Red Crow. W. J. BRYAN.
Are You Watching?
The liquor Interests are at work; are you?
Thoy are bringing out candidates for the legls-
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rauflcilon?' How about your district?
In some of the dry states where ratification
has been taken for granted the wets are work
ing like beavers. If they can delay ratification
a year it will mean a billion dollars to the li
quor traffic and will force upon your stato an
other contest in which brewery money will
flood your state.
In the close states the fight Is on, but what
about those states in which there are no saloons?
These are the ones where the danger is the
greatest.
Awake, friends of the national amendment,
and see to it that a ratification runs IN
EVERY SENATORIAL AND REPRESENT
ATIVE DISTRICT that means, in YOUR dis
trict? Are you on guard?
W. J. BRYAN.
It has almost reached a point where the
allied commanders, in trying to figure out where
Germany is going to launch her next thrust,
play safe by hurriedly ascertaining which town
has the most churches undestroyed.
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THE ROLL OF HONOR
List of States That Have Ratified the
National Prohibition Constitu
tional Amendment
1-2-3-4-
25,
-MISSISSIPPI January 8, 1918.
-VIRGINIA, January 11, 1918.
-KENTUCKY, January 14, 1918.
-SOUTH CAROLINA, January
1918.
5 NORTH DAKOTA, January 25, 1918.
6 MARYLAND, February 13, 1918.
7 MONTANA, February 19, 1918.
8 TEXAS, March 4, 1918.
9 DELAWARE, Marh 18, 1918.
10 SOUTH DAKOTA, March 20, 1918.
11 MASSACHUSETTS, April 2, 1918.
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