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TheCommonei?
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VOL. 15,0:, 7
r -f v,"TpT ' T, ", Iff Wry jF)
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great importance!" I am an Amorlcan citizen
and as a Citizen I shall oxorclso' the citizen'
right of freo speech.
I ant here because this Is a peace meeting and
I am here in the interest of peace. In order to
have the outside papers print correctly what you.
say you must write it down and .give it to them
in advance, and I am. enough interested, in hav
ing them print what I say to meet their require
ments. I have, therefore, written down and
given to the papers an abstract of what I shall
say tonight, and I shall keep faith, with tiiem.
(Mr. Bryan here read the abstract which will
bo found at the closa of the following closing
extemporaneous remarks):
Now, my friends, I can speak to you extempor
aneously, as I have been speaking to you for
twenty-ilve years. Let me first congratulate
you that you live in this land where peace pre
vails; it is a matter for congratulation that three
thousand miles of ocean roll between us and the
reddened soil of the belligerent nations. What
ever you may have thought about war a year
ago, you can not think lightly of war today.
These newspapers that talk so glibly-about' a
national honor that would make us parties to
this strife--even they tell you of the slaughter
tliat is daily reported. Two million people have
been killed upon battlefields in the last ten
months and more than five million have been
wounded during that time! Travel over your
great city and count its populationthen think
that those who have been killed or wounded in
less than a year in this. awful war outumber your
inhabitant oifery man, woman and child in
the city of New York! And the wealth of- this
great city that has been accumulated during -all
these years of toil and' struggle measure it
against the wealth that this war -has 'destroyed.
I read in this morning's -paper that one of the
nationst'at war just one-has voted a credit of
five, billions of dollars to carrv omthe war. That:.
is what war means! It devours the people; it' eats
means as long as diplomacy avails And then becauseitof, the, sickness of an. important witn
what? bo back a year and ypu will find, that ey- ' allMB.u,rpp, sick now; itJs not, a denial f
ery nation now at war naa iYuivjja.iiNJCixvx lor war justice to.Ko ,a, cnange.or venue from a o
rnolw n ho Tmf. fntn nntlnn "hiif nnnn nrmnifv wnnrn vnsalnn mm jk a ' COttl-
roadv to bfl nut into action, but none
of them had the machinery necessary for pre,
serving peace. Not one! This nation how has
such machinery; and it is in operation. If we
get into difficulty with Great Britain, or France,
or Russia, or Italy, which does not' yield to dip
lomatic treatment, we promise her, that we will
submit that difference to an international com
mission and we agree that there shall be no dec
laration or war and no commencement of hos
tilities until that commission has investigated over it, and tomorrow when we are' calm weSw?n
an1 iflnnitof1 ni1 tiro ftivHnrt ntniiln 4-nA ll.r.4- 4-Vt A " InVn .. 4-V. .. t, .1 i. i m. . . Will
.7iSlV 9?mmnn
anTiHyT ' calmly
In othe,r. words, let .us apply to this question
the simple rules of everyday life. If iCJ
friend whom I love and we fall out about so
matter; If our voices begin to .rise and I feet
the blood purging in my veins, I say to him
"Friend, neither of us is in a condition to talk
xiuw,, icl ua tuLUtt.,yver me .matter, let us sleen
u
and Reported, and we further stinulated that the
'report shall be completed within a year. Now
that is our agreement with Great Britain and
France and Russia and Italy; no matter what
the provocation, no matter how we feel, t'here
is the pledge; our honor is at stake and I am
glad tho pledge has been given.
On the fifteenth day of September last, tne
proudest day in all my life, I 'signed four treaties '
with governments representing nine hundred '
millions of human beings. 'Great Britain was
one; France was another: and on the first rtav
9 - - 'f J , -
of October following I celebrated mv -weddiner 7Wi.'ifffl ,. il ' j1 , .
X?E527J& lnSTSty,T,ltll.u-' S'Jgs. Bryan in Madison S(llWro
take up the .subject again." The nnHnn -
our friends and. I do not.car.e whether it is Great
Britain or France or Russia or Italy or Austria
or Germany, let us treat them as we would treat
a friend; If ,we can not settle our differences
amicably during the war, let us wait until the
war is over, an,d then settle them as friends can
and. as friends will. .
NATIONAL HONOR
the treaty with Italy, I should add, was signed'
neroro any or these.
We offered 'to sign this ,knd of a treaty with
Germany and Austria, and they both .accepted,
the principle, but we did not succeed in com? .
pleting the negotiations. I hope, these .treaties
may yet be concluded.,- It wag 'a month, and a.
half after the war commenced before our, treaties
with Great Britain and with. France were, signed,
and two months after' the war , began before, we
signed the treaty with Russia. , We did noj: sue.-,
ceed in securing ia treaty with Germany;., if we
had succeeded 7if the principle which' we. offered,
and which Germany endorsed had hmi prnhnrHnri
in a. treaty as in the case of other nations, even
- ..... ...... .v.ua.u. au uctuuia uno j.juujLJic, -ii cuia " u iicttij no iii Lue uuae ui oLuer nations, even nu . i . .i ... ... , ,
up their substance; it fills their homes with sor "the jingoes could not'dfag us into, war with Ger-' millionT' men An ? and ,tti tlme Wl11 stretch
row-Ht mortgages the future.-That is war! -That many now. "' ' ' ' ' '"" throug-h--every -state... And- bebatise these men
is war as you have it across the ocean, and yet
tnere 'are Americans who- would drag you into1
that war and make you share-.in all its horrors;
But; my friends,' that is" 'not all,,trioT is it 'the l
worst. The' Worst thing about war, if it sh'ould
coniekwful-us if is, the worst thing is not-the-life-that
would be lost nor the money that1 would'
bo squandered; our country might be reeopled
and!' labor might replace tliem'oney lost'. 4 :To my
minflithe worst thing about the proposed War is'
that' vecari"not engage in it withbut surrender
ing" an 'opportunity that never before came to"
any 'nation and may never come again! That, is
the worst thin or ahnnt n'-vVnr rtnw' '
- - ------ q .Hwv w f M MVf M
Garden, New York. City. June. 24. 191K. nminr
the ausRiqes ,of the Friends of, Peace.)
Will the people support the president in case
of war' between this country and any other
country? Yds, a thousand times yes; but
whether" or not we should engage in waT is a
question which is still open ! for discussion. If
war comes all will stand as one man behind the
governments ibut until 'congress declares war
.each citizennis. at' liberty to-express his opinion
as to whether. or ndt there should be war. If
war comesnd-the -president'' needs a million
men and.. needs them in a day--he'ean issue tho
can. at daybreak arid 'the sun will go down on a
,T .' . x , '. ' ",'. ' ' " may have to die for their country "they will not
My positlon.can.be stated in. a word; .if the .. he denied, tlie" right td .register.' their protest
principle embpdi,ec,in the .treaties , was -good v against an. .unnecessary wan .-
enougn . to, (De. ottered to (xermapy a,nd, .gopd. ., Not'onlyis th&,citi2en at liberty to exnress his
opinion' '6nuthis subject,' 'bu'U iri'view of fh
enough ,to. be, acqepted. by .Germany, it4sjgood
enougn to use now, If diplomatic methods, fail.,
But. they say,. '.'What, will .ihappen while '".the
disenssipn is going on?" "Sell, if, those who are ,
opposed,. to apRlyi.ng.the treaty pjah. will agree " ,
that the principle shall be applied, jt will not
take long, to 'find out what can be done in thje ,,
meantime. .We can, tell Germany that while this
investigation is being made, we shall, expect- her . ,
to avoid the creation pf any more einbarjass
ments, such as .those that are beiner invest.. eratp.l. .
Tjhid'ls' the only great nation that is not en- and tJiat we will, do our part, to avoid ..embar
ga?r? "iHlihg people today. tThis nation' stands rassments by employing such means' as Ve can
at the' 'head' of the neutral group; it is no't'bn'ly '"to prevent American citizens from- tajcing un.
the n'atTon'naturdlly lpoked to a's the friend of ' necessary risks. The question is not as to j the,
all, Avhen the time for mediation comes and X".' technical right . pf. a,ny American to. travel
pray God that it may soon 'come; our nation is ' wheyeyer he pleases,; the question. Jq. WHY
not only the leading neutral nation, not only the,' DOE.S ANY . AMERICAN WHO'. .LOVES HIS
leader, in' the peace move'meiit, but our nation COUNTRY WANT TO. INVOLVE ?HIS .COUNTRY '
stands' in a position-which no Other nation 06, " IN DANGER BY. TAKING UNNECESSARY
cupl6sf"in that we are akin, to' the people of all RISKS? . If any American citizen, without
these bellig'erent nations.4 Tliev noiirerV th ' fault of his own and wiiiio Avrnto:n; nVnnnMW
wealth
they
nart
-x- j .y i v uuuiu ax COI.UU- wvK. vv wviuxuauijj, ua X UUUUroUlUU till
1JBUlu,e ""4 sruumess ana in snapmg our ue.s- reciprocal; tne citizen must do his part If it
tiny. Tied, stretching from the pld world to .t,he . is the, duty pf a widpws son to leave his home
nOW. Unite OUr lieartR to all hf thflm not o enlfiem anrl i( for "ha nnnntmr T.ri, l.J - ... .
dies oh ahy battlefiejd anywhere in Europe bu danger, it is just as much -the duty of the man
his death makes us sad. . The .greatest of ppppr-'. who wants to go abroad to itake the safest way
tunitlesthef opportunity of mediating, lies ;be and not endanger his country by takinc unneepq-
lore us, and-yet these subsidized papers are will- sary risks.
""tJSiS!?? SSi'SL,:'- J&'jz litey of the rd
w.mwo'n m;i no '51" --'XJZr-ri V1"va tt"Aloul! aB ne tiiat msian , 'how that
HA una nnnnTtorl H-- n.V.r.11 ..xij -p.. i '. , ..
efforts. fiQf.1 at;pottionj.of ithe ipress' to foroo the
cointryJnto.wiarr.i:iis,liis.duty tp enter his pro
test, .now; 'h (can; fl.pt, na,ff or" to risk the
happening, of . some unexpected event which
might .make,', resistance to. the war sentiment
more difficult. . ,
Shall th,e nation's honprbe; maintained? Yes,
a th.ousancj.ines.es; th.erft is, po, division among
the American, .pepple pn. this, .subject, but what
does.natiopal honoi! reauire? &. agree that the
honorable cours'e should.be -fpilowed, but what
definitiqn of,-honor .shall e' accept? The old
bloo.d-stained, definition' which, the jingoes recom
mend? ... Or, ;a definition in harmony . with the
spirit pf theage,and .the aspirations, of our peo
ple? Upon this question every citizen, has a right
to speak,, anft'tfte, citizen, ought. to speak now
befpre'.a fase standard of atiqnai.. honor is set
lin. Oiir nniinnnl Irl'oola loforminft 'what is hon
orable,, an.d.' ,tijpe ideals are . illustrated by or
increases
. Liu
iNationai npnor is a sentiment,, it is. true, "
DnnImnnl-' tn"nA' 4-V. i- nm 111 Till in fill
progress it is, the inertia of tle social world,
in the sense that it tends tp keep ajt' rest tliat
which is, at,' rest; but it is' .also the momentum
of the sqqia) world in that it terifla to keen
motion th,at wtiiph- is moving. . E.yery reform
has. .to. oe'reprne exiting, sentiment, hut when
the reform, is once established' thetnew sentiment
whiqh it creaijebecomesa cc.mp.ejjing force and
opea'tes against "!a change. "". . ..,. ' i .
It is the. duty .pf each citizen to judge behyeen
the old and the new to weieh. the arguments,
;--.- , -i .- Tims' .wti ' , ?" uui ua anxious as lie Is tliat1 Ti is nTa'n' nit 'fWon .
,- . . . w m. w . I Liiu ;tii uiiiiiiuiifiu 'lrrm r r n . a. at . w c- rp - w&& v r . w mm, w.m - t -i'-. . .
rin 'nnTinna t VQV ,w ir",r"...0 7" onuurn muss uie peace-lovinj? Hfifis ft tY, WVi VrtUoMorV this is tlie
'Vr UM .M ftM. L. !. TlCmTlin tf T Wl Mt'An L . ' A 1 a" ' ww WB .1. L&kJ in i.IIlL 111 M UUillAliU V v- v -
' ' v.r,-rrU .,' I ii il. i V ...... "v.
conditions? Is any hation 'anxious ,tp get, intpu ' pe
troutile with, us? No, not one of these beH'ig- to
What is the explanation of th;eir .conduc.?: 'Sim
ply this V T"iiey are so mad at each other tiinV u
their fight against each other, they forget that
there' is anyuody elsdln "the'W'orld: that IhH
trouble. It is not intentional wrong that they1
do n; .It is unintentional 'wrong. It would l)e
bed,efcough for us to go. to. war- at this time to
avenge INTENDED . wrong ;t .God forbid that '
:yr& should ge to war ito avenge unintended'"
: "wrpngi . ..?.. h. ;... ... , . , ,.,,.,,
'; What -.can we do? ., "We can. try diplomatic
" ' 'lO .
lho um anu uuu flew rtq eign. -UV ai.fe""'-, :
sift rtruth. from fasehopd,, aid tlien, giye, himself
UJU.C5C1 vemv uj me aeiense ox, uiy. m"u -v.- :
nana U rn ' .U';i -L nia,r- ihia is tllC
hiS :wSS5a'SX X L?S ' V3,!X
'.. peace and we believe you; we want neaop VrtA 9 x V vV ' ye'.vul 8-ve J-11' ri.iiil-
7 ... and we will stand by you in the efftof S 2 coma4;Si,cpmes to us as, ii.came .to the child
.t .,,, r J " ll1 iuu enorno secure1 'rfinofTnm.nl vua -hninn imr made is tne
,t jicuuu. 11 uijHomatic eirorts fail. We annn-ii tn .TV1 ' y "'." . r - . .,.
you, Mr. President. -to nronnn Vhn liS1 Phoice. fe each, generatipn--and;each mem
vestigation as provided in the 'treaties op' In ," , f th'9' .neration fB. qaUed, uppp .10 p -
pone the final settlement of this questU? Sn ,,ip?-n .th Vfc inade han. fa;e f
reason is restored, until tjalmness rSn 5n!l. divirtals and .'the' .destiny of nations, .
thG-ae frionrtR p m.rc il ?f J?PnB. .nt This striiKKle has been Koing on from the be-
us aloneana'tiot-be'ctoiXi'LS1,111 . Sinning itli ' constant yictbries" for reforms-
nnii fnr .kV.T.rvrfc V.n An' mht t.uril UIVUJV-
... v ,numo. t,jJt umv ,r ..
1, . , . , 1 '. .. 1 1 ' .
effect Of that settlfiH nnnn fi,A0Xir-.?cr..ine
.. x-w .i.jav YYItll WnOTTI than . .t
are at war." . ...". ., Wl,ra- . , ' .... . . u i,,
It is' hot a denial of justice to oonnn -A Tt as 6e tlie custom tt Ihflia' to domp.ei tue
. ,, . justice to continuo'a case widow to 'Join' her hiisbahd in aeatti--to-ascend
litoV
;" ,' ,.i?
A,
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