The Commoner
OCTOBER, 1915
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Christianity vs. War
It Is possible to understand the warlike spirit
of those who deny the divinity of Christ, and
look upon His teachings as weakness, but how
can professing followers of the meek and lowly
Nazareno espouse the doctrines upon which war
rests? Compare the boastful, brutal swagger
of the militarist with the calm confidence of those
who, taking Jesus at his word and trusting the
truth of his teachings, rely upon love to conquer
anger upon good to overcome evil?
I recently heard of a case in point: Two
friends fell out and one wrote a bitter letter an
nouncing that friendly relations were at an end.
A reply in the same spirit would have made them
enemies for life. But instead of sending such a
reply, the other answered: "My religion does
not permit me to share your feelings; I prefer
to remember you as I have known you in the
past as a friend." In a few days another let
ter passed from the first party to the second, and
friendly relations were restored, proving anew
that "a soft answer turneth away wrath."
This is the Christian way among friends.
Why not apply it among nations? Is it more
manly to thrust out the sword in anger than to
extend the hand in friendship? If it is"" Christian-like
to go upon the battlefield and care for
the wounded, wdiild it not be Christian-like to
avoid the war and thus make relief unneces
sary? Is not this the day for which the ages have
been waiting? For nineteen centuries the gos
pel of the Prince of Peace has been making its
majestic march around the world, and the phil
osophy of the Sermon on the Mount has become
more and more the rule of daily life. It only
remains for it to be lifted from the level of in
dividual relations and made real in the Jaw of
nations, and is not our nation the one best fitted
to lead the way to the larger and the brighter
day? Can it be that in the presence of this su
preme opportunity the nation will give its en
dorsement to the policy of frenzied preparedness
and devote its energies to getting ready for war?
Will it put its trust in the weapons of physical
force and commit itself to the fatal fdlly that
has driven Europe into this unprecedented con
flict? With an ocean rolling on either side, and
a patriotic people able to resist any possible at
tack, surely we are in a position to test the
power of truth and justice against the policy of
force and violence. We can not afford to com
mit the nation's destiny into the hands of tho
professional soldier or the army contractor.
W. J. BRYAN.
A THOUGHT ON THINKING
The Memphis Commercial Appeal, in com
menting on the speech recently delivered there
by Mr. Bryan, says:
"Mr. Bryan is a great talker, but ho has never
learned how to think."
Thanks. Sweet are the wounds of a friend
even when they expose'-one's frailties to the pub
lic gaze. It has been evident for some twenty
years that something was lacking else why has
tho Commercial Appeal withheld its affections?
And why did it not announce its discovery earlt
er, while there was yet time to learn?
Mr. Bryan has tried to commend himself to
thoughtful people, and ho had even indulged tho
hope that he had succeeded to a degree.
Three presidential nominations might seem to
raise a presumption In hid favor, and the receipt
of nearly six and a half million votes three time
would .strengthen the presumption but it must
bo a delusion.
How mortified these voters will feel when they
read the Commercial Appeal and find that tho
one for whom they voted "has never learned how
to think!" But maybe they have never learned
how to think, either certainly not in the same
way as tho C. A. and possibly for the same
reason. What a comfort it must be for an editor
to feel that he has a monopoly on thought and
what a responsibility. W. J. BRYAN.
There is philosophy in the conclusion of tho
mountain feudist, "3here alnt nothing In it, no
how. When you kill a man you can't hurt him
any more, and then there's somebody after you."
'And so it ia with war it Is linked murder Ion
drawn out.
MR. BRYAN AND BOB CRITICS
Mr. Bryan still finds it hard to pleaso ovory
one. He recently made a trip through tho south,
visiting eleven states: Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mis
sissippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Ten
nessee. As is usual, ho addressed public moot
ing at some places- at Nashville, Hot springs,
Jackson (Miss.), Houston, Galveston and lec
turdd at other places. When ho spoko at public
meetings one of his critics asked:
"Why should Mr. Bryan favor us with a freo
lecturo at this time?"
When ho lectured, his critics enquired: "Why
does ho chargo for his speeches?"
Now, the only way to pleaso all critics would
bo to stay at homo and not talk at all. But Mr.
Bryan is not trying to pleaso his enemies: he is
trying to serve his country and, incidentally, to
pleaso his friends. More people hear him at tho
public meetings than hear him at lectures, but
ho could not afford to travel and speak at public
meetings if ho did not deliver tho lectures
they furnish the funds for travel.
Mr. Bryan's real sin in that ho Is self-supporting;
he can continue indefinitely tho discussion
of public questions, and will continuo to discuss
them whilo his strength lasts. Thoso who at
tend his meetings and lectures do so voluntarily
and Mr. Bryan keeps in touch with tho masses.
Is it any wonder that editors who ARE PAID
POR-ALL THEY WRITE, are indignant that ho
should give so many a chance to hear him with
out cost? But what are these critics going to
do about it? Mr. Bryan continues to expose them,
and the people continue to listen and applaud.
Just how close the democratic law creating a
federal reserve banking board touches the aver
age citizen is shown in the inevitable effect of its
recent order forbidding rediscount by reserve
banks of paper bearing a higher rate of interest
than 6 per cent. This practically bars from par
ticipation In the benefits of a large bank of re
discount every bank that practices usury, and
means lower interest rates in the smaller towns.
Here is an object lesson to show that tho dem
ocratic party has the interest of the masses at
heart in its legislation that should not bo over
looked. The republicans promised for years to
re-create the banking system of tho country, but
failed because the republican party is controlled
by those elements that a reformed banking sys
tem would deprive of profits to which they were
not rightfully entitled.
A pistol toting nation is about as certain to
get into trouble as a pistol toting person.
Nebraska is preparing to employ the Initiative
and referendum upon the question of tho prohi
bition of tho manufacture and sale of liquor. In
Nebraska every social and political reform work
er has found, at every turn of the road, the II
enmr intprosts lined up solidly with every other
interest that they could dragoon or cajole into
alliance with them, and it has been an effective
barrier. Having found it Impossible to govern
themselves because the saloon can not and will
not got out of politics, the voters of that state
are preparing to put the saloons out of business
so that they may resume and perform the tasks
laid out for a democracy.
i
Every time a rumpus Is kicked up in a city
governed under the commission plan which na
turally happens now and then where tho peonle
make mistakes and elect the wrong men to office
every standpatter fn the country points to It
as proof of the failure of the new system. But
ask one of them to give you the name of a city
that after having once tried It goes back to tho
old system, and see him stammer. v
Tho republican congressional committee Is de
termined to find some good reason for smiling.
Its experts have been going through the records
and find that a change of Trom 33 to 969 votei
fn thirty-two districts wquld have elected a re
publican congress. This Is real cheering for tho
future, but the melancholy reflection that it
did not happen and that it Is not likely to happen
next year still intrudes.
Those who talk so glibly about going to war
should read the record of the past year. Somo
20 billions expended DIRECTLY; the cost di
rect and indirect more than 50 billions! Somo
of the income taxes now reach 34 per cent.
One of the jingoes says that it makes him
"shudder to think of the country's unprepared
ness." If he really shudders when he thinks, it
is probably because thinking is a new experlenco
for him. The shudder will wear off in time.
Strange Inconsistency
Ono of tho jingo papers which divides its
spaco between preaching preparedness aud crit
icising tho allies, contains two editorials on tho
sarao pago, ono urglnf? "got-rcadyneaa" and tho
other finding fault with tho floating of tho half
billion war loan. Why this inconsistency? If
wo aro so daft on war that wo must spond our
tirao preparing for it, why not take part in tho
present war? Loaning to belligerents has some
thing of tho excitement of war without its dan
gers. The spectator at a horse race can not
sharo tho delights of tho Jockoy, but he can
shout a little louder If ho stakes his roonoy on
tho result. If preparedness Is to bo tho national
policy, why dony to its propagandists tho pleas
ure of this partial participation in tho risks of
war?
If tho loans nro largo enough and prepared
ness comes quickly enough wo may get into this
war yet. To be consistent, thoso who loan should
favor preparedness to protect their loans; and
thoso who favor preparedness should not object
to loans they naturally go togothor.
W. J. BRYAN.
When tho next campaign is on and tho ropul
licans start in trying to stampedo tho voters back
to tho protective tariff doctrine they aro likely
to run against several largo-sized snags. One of
these will be tho opposition of those far-sighted
manufacturers who have found how valuable for
eign markets are and who have senso enough to
know that they can not bo rotained if we return
to tho foolish policy of barring other nations
from trading with us by erecting a high tariff
wall. Western farmers could not buy eastorn
manufactures if eastern manufacturers did not
buy thoir farm products, and tho world won't
buy our stuff unless we aro willing to make fair
exchange with them.
Tho now constitution drawn up by the New
York convention that has been sitting for months
makes provision for tho appointment by tho gov
ernor of eleven administrative officials without
any veto power being exorcised by the senate.
Twenty-five others whom ho has power to ap
point must be sifted through tho senato sieve.
At first glance this looks liko substantial prog
ress towards short ballot reform, but before giv
ing it cordial approval it might bo well to ex
amine whether tho eleven aro positions tho ma
chines caro nothing about, whilo tho twenty-fivo
aro necessary to thoir existence.
THE GLORY OP SERVICE
John Greonleaf Whittier
Who, looking backward from his man
hood's prime,
Sees not the specter of his misspent - 0
time?
And, through the shade
Of funeral cypress planted thick behind,
Hears no reproachful whisper on the
wind
From his loved dead?
Yet who, thus looking backard o'er his
years,
Feels not his eyelids wet with grateful
tears,
If he hath been
Permitted, weak and sinful as' he was.
To cheer and aid In some ennobling
cause,
His follow men?
If he hath hidden the outcast, or let lm.
A ray of sunshine to the cell of sin
If he had lent
Strength to the weak, and in an hour of
need.
Over the suffering, mindless of his creed
Or home, hath bent,
He has not lived In vain, and while he
gives
The praise to Him, In whom he more
and lives
With thankful heart;
He gazes backward, and with hope be
fore, Knowing that from his works he never
more Can henceforth art.
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