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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1914)
BTKWWK 'fyfW? "I."HWK"V t -ynwyowHBP ipfTmrn ' mmfsw,' I The Commoner 10 WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR . . " ' miiiiui. ! VOL. 14, NO. 8 On August 4th the president sent the follow ing offer of mediation to the emporers of Ger many and Austria, the czar of Russia, the king of Great Britain, and the president of France: "As official head of one of the powers signa tory to the Hague convention, I feel It to be my privilege and my duty under article III of that convention to say to you, in a spirit of most earnest friendship, that I should welcome an opportunity to act in the interest of European peace, either now or at any other time that might be thought more suitable, as an occasion to serve you and all concerned in a way that would afford me lasting cause for gratitude and happiness." It may be some time before the nations en gaged in the European war will be willing to listen to any suggestion of mediation, but the president, in tendering the good offices of this government at this time, has measured up to the responsibilities of the nation and to the ex pectations of the American people. The United States stands for peace for its preservation as long as it can posBlbly be preserved and, in case of war, it stands for the restoration of peace at the earliest possible moment. When the anger of the belligerent nations has sufficiently abated, they will find the president waiting to render such assistance as may bo within his power in the direction of accommodation and con ciliation. He has sent the dove out of the ark In search of dry land God speed its return with tho olive leaf! W. J. BRYAN. ENLARGING OUR MERCHANT MARINE The president is wise in urging the enlarge ment of our merchant marlno by the purchase of foreign built ships. There never was any good reason for withholding the American flag from ships built abroad it was a part of tho -protection system, and ought to bo abandoned as the system is being abandoned. CONTENTS THE PRESIDENT OFFERS MEDIATION EPOCH-MAKING TREATIES THE NEW HAVEN CASE THE JONES APPOINTMENT MRS. WOODROW WILSON SOME ADVANCE NOTICES OF PROS PERITY THE TWENTY PEACE TREATIES SECRETARY M'ADOO INTERVIEWED ON OUR FINANCIAL CONDITIONS WORK OF THE PRESIDENT'S CABINET PRESIDENT WILSON DIRECTS ACTION AGAINST NEW HAVEN NEBRASKA DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM Lincoln, Nebraska, August, 1914 Whole Number 664 The President Offers Mediation 0 0 THE ROLL OF HONOR 0 Q List of Nations That Have Entered Imto Now Ponce Treaties With Th United States 0 Salvador Costa Rica Guatemala Dominican 3 ' Panama Republic 0 Honduras Venezula- 0 Nicaragua Italy 0 Netherlands Norway 0 Bolivia Uruguay 0 Portugal Brazil 0 0 Persia Argentina 0 Denmark Chile 0 0 Switzerland 0 0 0 atchfdVaitih Wins hi Mexico VOTE FOR STRINGER The progressive democrats of Illinois have en dorsed Congressman Stringer for the United States senate, and every democrat who believes In democracy as interpreted and applied by President Wilson, should support him. Every corruptionist in the democratie party in that state will support Sullivan, and so will all whom the corruptionlsts can influence. There will bo no division among the reactionaries, the veneered republicans and the representatives of tho predatory Interests, they all want Sullivan in the senate "to steady the boat," as he puts it There should be no division in the ranks of those who oppose the special interests. Gov ernor Dunne, Senator Lewis, and Mayor Har rison are for Congressman Stringer. Let every progressive democrat vote at tho primaries, and he should vote for - Stringer. W. J. BRYAN. President Underwood of the Erie railroad doesn't think much of this constant talk about the high cost of living. He says that he believes in the high cost of living. Mr Underwood is not compelled to work for $2 or $3 a day. If he had ho might change his belief. Ez-Presldent Roooelvelt says that President Wilson's foreign policy is a "disgrace." Well, there is something to bo said of a policy that preserves peace. Could the ex-presldent keep out of this European war if he were president? The statesmen who have been arguing in favor of a big navy as a "preventive" wilL have a hard time explaining why the big navies of Europe did. not prevent the present war. Epoch-Making Peace Treaties The twonty treaties havo boon ratified by tho Unltod States senate and are epoch-making. They provide for investi gation IN ALL CASES. The contracting nations agree NOT TO DECLARE war or BEGIN HOSTILITIES until tho Investigation Is com pleted (tho investigation not to extend beyond one year without special agreement) but reserve the right to act Independently AFTER tho re port la mado. Tho commission Is a permanent one and rep resents five nations. Tho method of selection and other details will be found In another part of this issue. Tills plan, upon which tho secretary of state, by tho authority of tho president, has been work ing for more than a year, will go far to make war Jmpossible, Onp more treaty has been slgiij ed, but has not yet reached Washington, and several more, including Great Britain; France aha Cniria, are agreed upon. Lot tho lovers St peace rejoice 1 , W..J. BliYAN. A CONTRAST . Tho old world and the now present a striking contrast Just now. Tho war spirit Is aroused in the east, and Europe is an armed camp; nearly all tho countries of the now world are, at the same time, entering Into peace treaties which provide for a year's investigation before war can bo declared. It is wonderful with what coolness and Indifference the greater part of mankind see war commenced. Those that hear of it at a distance, or read of It in books, but havo never presented its evils to their minds, consider It as little more than a splendid game, a proclamation, an array, a battle and a triumph Some, indeed, must perish in the most successful field, but they die upon the bed of honor, "re sign their lives, amidst tho Joys of con quest, and, filled with England's glory, smile in death." The life of a modern soldier is ill-represented by heroic fiction. War has means of destruction moro for midable than tho cannon and the sword. Of tho thousands and ten thousands that perished In our late contests with Franco and Spain, a very small part ever felt tho stroke of an enemy; the rest languished in tents and shlDs. amidst damns ami nn- trefactlon; pale, torpid, spiritless and helpless; gasping and groaning, unpltied among men mado obdurate by long con tinuance of hopeless misery; and they were at last whelmed In pits, or heaved into the ocean, without notice and without remembrance. By incommodious encamp ments and unwholesome stations, where courage Is useless, and enterprise im practicable, fleets are silently dispeopled, v and armies sluggishly melted away. SAMUEL JOHNSON. 4 -J - .
