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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1916)
The Commoner VOL. 16, NO. 5 S f ,v ft ivii ' i. -'A 'Russia and Italy in caso of dispute Why not adopt this course In regard to disputes with Germany, Austria and Belgium? Does any one doubt that wo would with Belgium? Then why pot with Germany and Austria? And, while tho dispute is being investigated, is it too much of ia concession to friendship to avoid new causes of dispute, by keeping Americans off of bellig erent ships going into tho danger zono? 3d. But supposo war can not be averted by a friendly diplomacy or by resort to tho treaty plan, thoro is still a third way of escape. Friends, who desire to remain friends, postpono tho final eettlemont of their disputes until their anger can cool, just as a court, in tho interost of jus tice, adjourns trial until passion subsides. Why can not tho settlement of disputes between na tions be postponed until normal conditions are rcstorod and calm deliberation is possible? Postponement would be almost certain to result In an amicablo settlement. Would not that be better than war? Why should tho nation allow Itself to bo forced into war to please militarists, manufacturers of munitions, or the jingo press that represents them? If war must come, an unnecessary alternative, It is better to have it after this war is over after wo have holped to bring this conflict to a close, and whon wo could hdvo tho war with tho eno nation with which wo have our dispute. To enter this war would bo to take upon ourselves tho support of European monarchs and the set tlement of European quarrels. Surely no neu tral American could want that nation to become a supporter of either side a course which would lot only sacrifice American lives on foreign soil, but which would sow among our own people discord which would for generations interfere with tho progress of domestic reforms. For nearly a year these views have, as oppor tunity offered, been presented to tho President, tho senate, tho house and tho country. Do you approve of thorn? If so, present them in your own language, and with such elaboration as you like to those who, as your representa tives, speak for you on national questions. They desire to do what you want done. If you fail to inform them of your wishes you can not com plain if a subsidized press misleads them by mis representing your views. If war comes you will bo willing to make any sacrifice that your coun try may requiro why not make an effort to pre vent war? If peace is desirable, is it not worth whilo to try to preserve it? If you favor a dip lomacy dressed in civilian's clothes and speaking the language of friendship tell your represent atives. If you dosire tho thirty treaty plan applied to tho dispute with Germany, say so to your rep resentatives. If you think American citizens should be kept off of belligerent ships going into the dangor Eono so Inform your representatives. If you prefor postponement' of the dispute, if necessary, to enlisting under the banner of a king, lot your representatives know your views. Write if you have the time to write; wire if tho mails aro too slow; but act at once, and con tinue to act until the danger of war is passed. 'A few cents now may save you the unspeakable horrors of this unparalleled war. W. J. BRYAN. THE FORD VOTE Thoro is no way of avoiding tho significance of tho Ford vote. It was an expression in favor of peace and a protest againat war. Mr. Ford does not stand for any political issue; he is not identified with any economic reform. He stands lor the ending of war in Europo and against a preparedness which would commit this country to tho falso philosophy of Europe. A vote for Ford, therefore, can not bo mis understood, and it has alroady had a powerful effect upon both republicans and democrats. Mr. Ford organized his expedition to Europo in the hop of hastening peace there, without tho thought of affecting tho policy of this country on the subject of increased armaments. But tho unexpected has happened. "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perforin." W. J. BRYAN. If Great Britain had followed the examplo set toy tho United States government in dealing with confederate generals at the close of our civil war, she would not have aroused tho enmities which sho has by applying the methods recom mended by -the militarists of tho world The Nebraska Primary That tho renders of TheCommoner may know tho facts, the following resume of the results of tho Nebraska primary is submitted: A prohibition amendment to the Nebraska constitution is to bo voted upon next November. 1 advised against tho submission of this amend ment this year for two reasons, first because I believe it would be stronger two years hence, and second because I did not want attention di verted from national issues during the presi dential campaign. My advice was not followed, however, and the issue being before us, I urged tho democrats of Nebraska to take the side of prohibition, pointing out the growth of prohi bition sentiment, and protesting against our party being made tho champion of the brewery, the distillery and the saloon. Feeling that it was a matter of vital concern, not only to the party but to the state, I devoted nearly a month to the campaign everywhere appealing to the members of both parties to nominate candidates committed to the amendment. This, of course, alienated the opponents of prohibition in both parties, and they retaliated by opposing my se lection as delegate to the national convention many wet republicans voting in the democratic primary to defeat me and my brother, Chas. W. Bryan, who, failing to find any prominent dem ocrat willing to lead the fight, became a candi date for the democratic nomination for governor. The line was drawn on tho prohibition issue and wo were both defeated. The vote for governor stood: Neville, wet democrat 46,662 Bryan (Chas. W.) dry democrat 33,022 Wet majority 13,640 The vote for delegates stood: Thompson, 47.55G; Oldham, 43,159; Thomas, i?'??.31??' 41,1&3; Bryan (W J' 37,793; Piatti, 37,164; Cones, 30,819. It will be seen that 1 came fifth with only four to be elected falling 3,360 behind the fourth man. This shows that a majority of the democrats oppose tho amendment, but the liquor influence is de creasing in the democratic party. When, six years ago, I endeavored to secure the indorse ment of county option, I was defeated by a vote of more than three to one. Now, on a test vote, C. W. Bryan carried forty-one of the 93 counr ties, and received 41 per cent of the total vote cast for governor, IN SPITE OF THE WET REPUBLICANS WHO ENTERED THE DEMO CRATIC PRIMARIES. I carried 65 counties for delegate. When the liquor business is closed out in Nebraska, as it will bo in November, the demo- ?nf nPa?ty wl" agaIn be united and ready to join the democrats of the south and west in the effort to make the nation dry. The vote cast at tho primary shows that the amendment has a substantial majority in the state. There were four dry candidates for gov ernor three of them republicans, and they rl fonows rmwne Vte "'176. distributed as l?reSTioqiM2ra?,.(de,I1-) 33'022; Sutton' It (L B?b n McKelvIe, (rep.) 30,197; Madg ett, (rep.) 5,039. There were three wet candidates 2 0 0 ! ?' (de 46'662! Mil. (rep.) th 1JSA ?0rge' (rep) 8'426- This gives 2K nn?eind.m0nt an aPParent majority of about 25,000, but as only about two-thirds of the total S atiaTlBMO r jrity ShUld be inc"eased inlntKoSeyntag f thGir VOtGS ySE to see the amendment carried than 1 was tc b LoenEat,e' flia ,my defeat has served to SmSha! size the truth of the statement which I mada fn every speech, namely, that the democrS or ganization was completely controlled hv iL" quor interests and that we could no? w! 1 draw young men to our party wtfl this ioSSn? tion was overthrown. uomina- 'ROTTED SOXJIiS" Mr. Roosevelt is talking war again. Thja time he la giving the public hig opinion of the American people or rather that large portion that does not live on raw blood or satisfy its literary taste with jungle tales. In a preface to a hook on the invasion of Belgium, ho says: "August 4, 1914, the issue of this war for the conscience of the world was Belgium. Now, in tho spring of 191G, the issue remains Belgium. For eighteen months our people were bidden by their representatives at Washington to feel no resentment against a hideous wrong. They were taught to tame their human feelings by polished phrases of neutrality. Because they lacked the proper outlet of expression they grew indiffer ent to a supreme injustice. "But today they are at last becoming alive to the iniquity of the crushing of Belgium. Bel gium is the battle ground of the war on the western front. But Belgium is also the battle ground of the struggle in our country between the forces of good and evil. "In the ranks of evil are ranged all the pa cifist sentimentalists, the cowards who possess the gift of clothing their cowardice in soothing and attractive words, the materialists, whose souls have been r-tted by exclusive devotion to the things of the body, and sincere persons who are cursed with a deficient sense of reality, and all who lack foresight or who are uninformed. "Against them stand the great mass of loyal Americans, who, when they see the right and receive moral leadership, show that they have in their souls as much of the valor of right eousness as the men of 1860 and 1776. "The literary bureau at Washington has acted as a soporific on the mind and conscience of the American people. Fine words, designed to work confusion between right and wrong, have put them to sleep. But they now stir in their sleep." He did not demand war a the time Belgium was invaded, but the more he thinks about it the madder he gets. And to think thai the onlv way to keep the soul from rotting is to kill somebody! If the Lord so made us that blood letting is necessary to keep us from becoming degenerates, why not repeal all laws against murder, so that men of Mr. Roosevelt's type may not be restrained by "conventional restric tions ? Wars are repulsive and, besides, it takes time to work up a first-class war, but or dinary homicide is cheap, or would be but for the law which enables a lawyer to collect a heavy fine in the way of a fee, even when the jury acquits. If any philosophy can rot a soul it Is the Roosevelt philosophy that puts man on a level with the brute. w. J. BRYAN. TRUSTING THE ENERGY l1 is unfortunate that on the question of fix- ntl !me fort impendence, thirty democrats ! USe should have cnosen to trust the stances. indePendee under any circum- i,TndH!l8,of a policy 8hould o agreed to lSa. S25?8 ?f !hat policy- is neve safe to leave details to be determined by those who have no sympathy whatever with the policy essential S6h 3d5g ,of a date ia not absolutely tS nirnl lhe .ration announcing the na favorine iS' i1 &S a laige marityof those date 5 wnnitff d6n?e favored the fixg of a had 'jotaed maiX better lf the minority ins iith tup i maJority lnstead of act ventin anv ri?Ub Cans at tlle rIsk of pre- Now fw Clarat on whatever, conference it i T ter has been thwn into demSts L"i?f UVfirst Portance that the unUed front Tt gGt together and Prent a Pledge XoCBL- the Platf0m W. J, BRYAN. Americ, first! To enter the European I I ZoT "V to ,,ut t" set w .tangling alliances. ssti) timUm