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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1916)
i irk Tywl The Commoner APRIL, 1916 23 I?- who desire "George to do it." I am & delegate to the Cleveland Federa tion ot Labor, and they too are with you in this movement. I have yet to find a howling preparedness advo. cate who is willing to visit the re cruiting office. Continue your good work, and may all the blessings of humanity be yours. Rev. Charles Fredric Graeser, Waterman, 111.: In trespassing upon your busy life allow me to say in a few lines that I am with you, to the extent of all my powers, in your fight against militarism. As far as my intelligence and information goes my convictions aro as deep-seated and firm as yours in the cause of peace. In fact, I am with you in other ways, as I have always been. My father, a man 80 years old, a physician in Des Moines, la.; my brother, a lawyer in the same city, and a doctor brother in El Centro, Calif., all voted for you every time you were a candidate for president. Besides, widely separated as we were, i$hd wholly ignorant as to each, other's political intentions, wo all voted for Wilson. Further more, we are a uni,t in opposing the militarist propaganda. As for my self, I have this -winter preached a series of sermons against the war program, aitd in behalf of peace, with the result, that, my congregation and community, with vry few.exceptions, have , rallied' jtp "toe most encourag ingly. You will understand me, therefore, when I offer my services in any andqvery yay possible to the cause It you Tjaye any suggestion as to how qi4 whe'ceI can be useful it will bo welcpnied.' I seelc' nothing for myself, biftas a .Christian man, urged by the nighty principles of peace, I cov,et ,exiepded opportunity tp promulgate th new patriotism and i international gopd will which is b0und-id rpplacp he old. " , Mrs. Gertrude Q. Campbell, Red, key, Ind.: I have just read my first qopy of The Commoner, the issue of February, and .my greatest wish is that every citizen of the United States would read and study it. I believe that Mr. Ford could do no greater service for peace than to put "Con gressman Bailey's Logic," "Dunn Against Militarism," Rev. Martin D. Hardin's "Civilization at the Cross roads," and some of the Hon. W. J. Bryan's splendid arguments in leaf let form and dfstribute them. The Womau's Christian Temperance Union has done, and is still doing a magnificent amount of education by the use of leaflets, We were com pelled to use-that method, because of the control of the press by liquor ad vertisers. The press seems now con trolled to a large extent by "big busi ness. tt The following letter, signed by students and members of the faculty of Billings Polytechnic Institute, Billings, Montana, was addressed to Mr. Bryan: The enclosed is a sample of a petition sent by this institution to the congressmen and senators of Montana, at Washington, D. C. We are sending this to you in the hope that it may' in some little measure cheer you in your great work for hu manity, to know that the leading edr ucational institution of Montana Is fired with your own spirit. Thanking you for the great effort you are mak ing against humanity's greatest foe. We are yours for victory. Following is a copy of the letter above referred to: "Dear sir r We are strongly opposed to the imposition upon the republic of the United States of America of the military policies of the naipns of Europe, whose enormous standing armies anrt m'ilitary organizations, have plunged! those countries intV frightful ana Iiofriblo war- We are opposed to the. enormous military appropriations urged upon congress, which will force upon this country a policy which invites war and docs not pre vent it. We are opposed to the tax ation of American citizens for tho enrichment of the armament makers and tho steel corporations of this country. Wo aro opposed to the slaughter of our loved ones in a use less and endless strugglo for com mercial supremacy. Wo therefore urgo upon you to oppose these pre paredness measures as utterly antag onistic to American ideals and dem ocratic principles; as placing tho United States, the once great example of a peaceful democracy, in tho posi tion of forcing a still more despotic militarism upon exhausted and war ravaged Europe, and finally as de stroying the last hope of the world for peace." A. H. Meyer, Lebanon, 111.: In accordance with your advice to Com moner readers, I have registered my protest, against the proposed pre paredness, with the President, and oh two occasions likewise with my congressmen. I feel convinced that your advice in this particular is re sponsible for the formidable opposi tion which the President faces in congress on his preparedness issue. May it be such an' encouragement on yoUr -part that you will see fit, if necessary, to use your eloquence of speech in expressing your deep con victions on this meaningless, purpose less, and unreasonable program. Joseph Diehm, Dallas, Texas: I am writing to express my appreciation of the stand you have taken, and so well sustained, in favor of maintaining the neutrality of the United States, and your opposition, to tho "Pre preparedness" proposition, now being boosted by the men who hope to profit by its adoption. I hope you will keep up the good work. A. M. George, Cedarville, Ohio: Permit me to suggest some ideas rel ative to the cause we desire to ad vance, viz., the disarmament of the nation. Of course you do not under take to notice all the misrepresenta tions made against you, for otherwise you would have little time for any thing else. Tho misrepresentation that you are for peace at any price, however, is made so frequently and is so insistent, that you could do a public service, I think, to the cause to refute it. The people are looking to you to make a stand as you are already doing, only still more pro nounced and vigorous for anti-militarism. The President has given no adequate grounds for his change of front. There is no substantial differ ence in the situation now and that upon which tho President's former policy was based. If there is any change it favors disarmament. The President declares for preparation for peace; the war at all hazards party will to see to it that tho policy means, in effect, preparation for war. En deavor to unite the anti-militaristic forces in a strong, vigorous campaign. . Frederick Kashler, Basin, Wyo.: In our participation of trying to help humanity these disastrous days you ar doing more good than you can realize. Your efforts are appre ciated by a '-"t Osgood people. Some do not understand the good you are doing now, but -they will later. No one can please eeverybody. Jesus was freely criticized and ridiculed. I ff'ke the way ..you stand by your convictions, and the spirit you show qppare to be, k Daniel, and dare tfli stand alpne.d Your resignation from the cabinets -because you could not. agree with the policy being pur sued, checked and cooled the flame A DANGEROUS PJET that would lead us into the breakers of destruction. That was a noble act. Regarding the "Ship Contro versy," I Relievo 'o easy way pre cedent established by England in tho Japanese-Russian war of warning citizens from all boats of the bellig erents would be the safest and most righteous plan U: our country to adopt. On this presen, earth there will always bo wars and rumors of wars. No nation is or ever will be immune from the danger. Our turn will come soon enough even by try ing cur best to avoid it. War brings sorrow into little homes." It costs money and it ould be better to spend it in feeding poor, hungry children in our cities. Hope you have health and continued foresight to continue rour mission in the world and I hope your reward will be the blessing, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Miss H. W. Robertson, Bel Alton, Md.: Every number of The Com moner is first class, but the February number surpasses all. If it could be put in every family in the land. Preparedness would get a death blow. I am living In a farming community, not very enlightened. Those who read at all read the Bal timore Sun and the Baltimore Amer ican, so you know preparedness has the inside track. Could these peo ple be reached in any way, and oth ers in the same state of darkness? You are doing a great work. God bless you for It. I always esteemed you, but never admired you as I now do, until you left the cabinet. THE MAN OF PEACE Close contact with Mr. Bryan shows that his vital concern that the United States shall preserve its calmness and dignity is accented by the passage of time. The brutal business of men slaying each other over purely economic matters or through race pride is as repellant to the Nebraskan now as it was nearly two decades ago, when his voice first was raised in protest. Time vindi cates his attitude on the Philippines, just as It indubitably must in crying out against wholesale murder. It is unspcakablo that rational men, virtually closeted together in a world made small by the progress ot invention and communication, should not arrange their affairs to live in peace. But taking conditions as they are, it is far more strange that those who witness tho blind fury of the combatants and the awful toll hate exacts, should not be moved with pity for tho futility of it. And Mr. Bryan takes tho practical side of this pity we should feel in stating: "Instead of spending millions in preparing to kill people in future wars, let us spend it to alleviate jsomo of the suffering in the present war. Kansas City Post. PHILADELPHIA "400" TO GO DR A Philadelphia dispatch, dated March 29, says: If the leaven of a meeting held this afternoon at the home of Mrs. Joseph M. Gazzam, a leader in Philadelphia's exclusive social circles, permeates Philadel phia society r" those who were pres ent hope it will, alcohol in any form will disappear from society dinners, suppers and other functions In this city. The meeting was arranged solely to interest socelty men and women in total abstinence, especial ly In its bearing on the destinies oC the younger set. Miss Abby A. Sutherland struck the keynote of the meeting when she read a paper which characterized as a remarkable exposition of the ease with which the present, day spr ciety girl becomes accustomed ..to cocktails and cigarettes. w t, o .
