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The Commoner
10
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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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.
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