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The, Commoner
-VOLM4, NO. 10
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Roosevelt on the Peace Treaties
There arc sorao disadvantages in tlicso timeB
i J0 rftpid change, in writing an article too long
""before its publication, and still greater disad
.. ovantages, in writing a criticism without oxarn
'ining into the thing criticized.
! 'Ex-President Roosevelt has recently written
an article in .which ho exhibits, to a painful de
igree, both of those disadvantages.
The Now York Times of Sunday October 4th
! tho day sot apart for prayer for peace con
tains an article in which ox-President Roosevelt
'attempts to bclittlo tho peace treaties which this
'government has been negotiating with tho gov
ernments of South and Central America, Europe
'and Asia. ' Ho says: "Tho nlnotoen or twenty-one '
'all-inclusive arbitration or peace treaties re
cently negotiated at Washington, although un
important, aro slightly harmful."
f Ho evidently wrote this article before the
'treaties with Groat Britain, Franco, Spain, China
"Uhd Russia had boon signed.
Tho first twonty-two treaties were with gov
ernments whoso total population aggregated one
'hundrod twenty millions. To iucreaso the
probabilities of peace in our dealings with such
' small nations could hardly bo expected to excite
;tho. enthusiasm of one who, like the ex-presi-4
dent, deals in big figures. But surely the five
treatios which havo been negotiated since, with
' governments representing over one billion of hu
man beings, ought to lift these treaties to a
1 plane which would entitle them to his respect.
1 Earlier in his article, he speaks of "LITTLE
'all-inclusive arbitration or so-called peace treat
' ios" and says of them that they "represent as
'high a degree of fatuity as is often achieved in
these mattors."
Ho spoke too soon; he was as hasty in this
matter as in tho denunciation of the adminis
tration policy in Mexico, which he unhappily at
tacked just-before Huerta retired and left the
United StateB victor in its policy of "Watchful
Waiting."
i But Mr. Roosevelt's article indicates that ho
I has not read the treaties of which he is disposed
Uomiako sport. They may bo "little" in his es
timation, and they aro "all-inclusive" as a mat
tor of fact, but they are. not "arbitration" treaties
at all. They make no provision whatever for
arbitration. Those treaties not only do not pro
' vide for arbitration, but they distinctly declare
that the contracting parties reserve the right to
act independently after tho investigation is com
pleted. Tho treaties, instead of beting "arbitra
tion treaties," are INVESTIGATION treaties
' they simply provide that all disputes, without any
N exception whatever, when diplomatic means fail,
' and when resort Is not had to arbitration (ac
' cording to the terms of some other treaty), the
'matter in dispute shall bo submitted for inves
tigation to a permanent international commis
sion, which is to bo organized as soon as the
ratifications aro exchanged, and, thereafter,
ready for service at a moment's notice.
Knowledge of what is going on can not be
safely loft to intuition, and even the most widely
informed do well to understand something about
tho subject which-they attempt to discuss.
If the ex-president will take the time to In-
vostigate" these treaties providing for investiga
tion, he may revise his opinion of them unless
Wo can accept his language as an assertion of the
doctrine that no treaty is 'binding.
Speaking of tho "little, all-inclusive arbitra
tion or so-called peaco treaties," he says': "There
is no likelihood that they will do us any great
material harm, because 'IT IS ABSOLUTELY
CERTAIN THAT WE WOULD NOT PAY THE
SMALLEST ATTENTION TO THEM IN THE
EVENT OF THEIR BEING INVOKED IN ANY
MATTER WHERE OUR INTERESTS WERE
SERIOUSLY INVOLVED." And then he adds:
"But it would do us moral harm to break them,
even though this were the least evil of two evil
alternatives."
He may speak for himself, but does not speak
for the United States when he says that "it is .
absolutely certain" that "if our interests were se
riously involved" that we would not pay any at
tention to a treaty, pledging us to INVESTI
GATE before declaring war. Sometimes people
in hours of temptation fail to do things which
they would not think themselves capable of do
ing before the temptation comes, and-for which
they humbly apologize when the temptation is
past, but it is seldom that a man boasts in ad
vance of faithlessness, and counts it a virtue to
break a treaty. Yet Mr. Roosevelt, after assert
ing his horror of war, deliberately commits him
self and tries to commit the nation, to tlie doc
trine that treaties aro not binding if a nation's .
"interests are seriously involved."
What interests can the United States have,
that can be so -"seriously involved" as' to justify
us in beginning war in an hour of passion, and
before the dispute can be investigated. Mr
Roosevelt has many good qualities, and must be
credited by history with large and important un
dertakings, but the world would have to turn
back some distance before his views on the sub
ject of treaties could be accepted as represent
ing the best thought of the country.
The senate is made up of democrats, repub
licans and progressive republicans, and yet the
senators representing ALL paTties have joined
in the ratification of these treaties, nearly all
the treaties having been ratified by unanimous
vote. They are not "little" treaties; they are
of large moment, and far-reaching in their in
fluence. W. J. BRYAN.
PEACE PRAYER DAY
October 4th, tho day sot apart by the presi
dent as a day of prayer for peace, was observed
throughout the United States. The churches,
Jewish and Christian, were overflowing with
worshippers who, obedient to the summons of
tho president, assembled to unite their hearts
and voices in prayer for peace-. The presence of
bo largo a proportion of the citizenship of this
groat republic at these services, has a signifi
cance that will not be lost on either this country
or tho countriqs of Europe, The solemn earn
estness which characterized the audience indi
cates the fervent desire of the American people
to exert bucIi influence as they can to bring tho
conflict to a close.
On another page will be found the substance
of tho speeoh delivered by Secretary Bryan on
Peace Day in New York. He spoke in the morn
ing with Former Secretary Oscar S. Straus, at
the services of the Free synagogue, Rabbi Wise's
congregation, at Carnegie hall. Dr. Wise is one
of, the most prominent of tho Jewish leaders of
the nation, and Mr. Straus has an international
reputation as a peace advocate.
In the evening the secretary addressed a meet
ing of tho Peace Society, held in Broadway Tab
ernacle Church, presided over by the pastor, Rev.
Charles Joffersoii. Dr. Jefferson is one of the
most popular ministers in New York; his book
,on "Fundamentals" is a valuable contribution to
'tlia religious literature of the generation.
Mr. Bryan followed tlie same lines of thought
at'tne two meetings, although some of the prop
ositions outlined were elaborated in the morn
ing and others in the evening.
At the morning service he referred to Abraham
as' the greatest illustration of the value of faith
Through faith the great patriarch founded a
race not surpassed in history, and established a
religious system whose principles have been im
pressed upon the more than four hundred mil
lions who worship one God. In the evening em
phasis was placed upon the growing influence of
the moral code of the Prince of Peace the basis
of a universal brotherhood.
There being no shorthand report of either
speech available, .The Commoner presents in
abstract of these addresses, which was prepared
in advance. l
BECKHAM OP 1CENTUOKY
The head of the democratic state ticket in
Kentucky this year as the party nominee for
United States senator is Mr. J. C. W. Beckham
who was for eight years governor of that stoti
and who at the national conventions of loni
sam2 servea uBon tue
Mr. Beckman is, in many ways, oneof i
most remarkable men that the democratic L, Q
n the United States has developed Surhig
last fifteen years. When he took the olfh !
governor of Kentucky m January 19 no hl
barely thirty years of age, but in less thin ?hS
days the whole state was aware ofthe?act that
it had in the- governor's office a man wh
strength of character, force of will anclS. J5
purpose waited any man that ha heW fhat
office in this celebrated state during its history
of more than a century.
Mr. Beckham made an admirable governor
and showed unusual capacities as an administra
tor. 'He paid off a large Abating debt on tho
state, and built at Frankfort, Ky one of the
most beautiful capitol buildings in America, and
this structure was erected, as Is stated in Ken
tucky by men of' all parties, "without a cent of
graft." "
The most striking feature of Mr. Beckham's
service as governor was, however, the impetus
he gave to strict and impartial enforcement of
the law. He showed no favors and played no
favorites, and naturally made for himself certain
bitter enemies. As a' result of his resolute stand
that the saloons should obey the law and keep
their doors closed on Sunday in Louisville and
other centers, a bi-partisan combination of liquor
men in politics enlisted to retire him from public
life. In the state primary of 1906, Mr. Beckham
faced this combination and defeated it, and was
made the democratic nominee for United States
senator. When the legislature met a year later,
however, although the democratic party wur in
control, four democrats voted for W, O. Bradley,
a republican, and made him senator. The affair
"was a duplication, of-tbo Lorimer scandal.
Mr. Beckham retired to private life and in
tended to remain, but in 1911 he was forced
by practically a unanimous demand of his party
to come forward and shape the state campaign,
the republicans having in the meantime secured
control of the state. Refusing to take office
himself, Mr. Beckham faced and defeated a com
bination of all the special interests in the state,
put the party on a winning platform, and carried
the state for the democratic party.
This year he became a candidate for the dem
ocratic nomination for senator and was nomin
ated at a state primary and, therefore, heads the
party ticket at the November election. President
Wilson has made a public statement expressing
his keen interest in the Kentucky election and
hie hope that Mr7 Beckham will be elected by a
safe majority.
. In the senate, Mr. Beckham will at once make
himself felt. Possessing , bpad experience in
' public affairs, an unshaken strength of charac
ter, he is moreover a trained student and" think
er, a graceful and forceful speakor.. Kentucky
can, do itself proud, and the democratic national
convention a favor, by electing Mr. Beckham to
the United States senate. W. J. BRYAN.
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE
In Nebraska and a number of other states the
question" of woman's suffrage is submitted to the
voters. In most of the states the subject has
not been dealt with in party platforms, but left
to the organizations formed for the special pur
pose of putting the issue before the public. Wo
man's suffrage being an issue in Nebraska, I have
already stated my position and presented a brief
argument in support of it. The subject is easily
understood as shown by the rapid growth of the
reform. That woman's suffrage is coming does
not admit of doubt. Ultimately why not now?
The rapid spread of the doctrine' during the
last few years is not strange. We are in the
midst of a great moral awakening, and woman's
assistance is always welcomed when the con
science is aroused. There are three questions
which the voter ought to consider before he
votes to deny the ballot to women:
First: Why should those who conspire against
the home be allowed to use the ballot to wreck
a young man, and his mother be forbidden the
use of the ballot to protect ber son?
Second: Why are all the evil influences of so
ciety arrayed against woman, suffrage? Is it not
because they recognize that woman suffrage i3 a
menace to wrong doing and the wrong doers?
Third: How does it happen that some honest,
pure-minded well-meaning men and women join
hands with the worst elements" of society in the
effort to defeat woman's suffrage? Which crowd
is deceived? w. J. BRYAN.
TIIE PEACE PLAN TRIUMPHANT
Since the last issue of The Commoner, the
British, French, and Spanish treaties have been
ratified and treaties with Russia, Greece, and
Ecquador have been signed. A treaty with
Sweden has been agreed upon and is being pie
pared. Thirty of these treaties baveT)een agreed
to in all, representing about three-fourths of
the population of the world. Only a few
nations of ,any size are left, and agreements
with these are expected soon. In less than wo
years the peace plan, providing for investigation
m all cases, will have been accepted by the en
tire world, w. J. BRYAN.
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