The Commoner
UIY, 1916
11
MILITARY TRAINING IN PUBLXO SCHOOLS
From tho Now York Sun, July .
William J. Bryan raised his role in Madison
Square Garden last night against military train
ing in public schools, against tho "teaching of
irreligion in tho guise of philosophy in our uni
versities" and in behalf of woman suffrage.
Six thousand teachers, most of them women
the largest audience the convention of the Na
tional Education Association has developed in its
three days meetings applauded each of theso
sentiments impartially. If tho teachers vote as
they clap their hands they aro going to squelch
a resolution for training boys to handle rifles if
such a proposal is set before them on Friday, as
it may be.
Mr. Bryan begged them not to "yield to tho
clamor for militarism," which to him was "not
the voice of tho people, but an echo from the
battlefields of Europe."
"Tho temporary excitement of a world war,
he said, "should not bo allowed to disturb our
permanent educational system. The school is
not a transient institution; it will still abide
with us 'when the battle flags aro furled.' "
In inviting Mr. Bryan to speak tho N. E. A.
disregarded a protest from S. Stanwood Menken
of the National Security league. Mr. Menken
wrote to the association last week: "Mr. Bryan's
career is evidence of the fact that he is incapable
of hard reasoning or correct thinking." But tho
association .replied that it wanted to hear all
sides of the""preparedness question. Before tho
convention ends tho teachers themselves will
take sides for a resolution regarding military
training which is to be presented to tho con
vention on Friday.
The audience stood up when Mr. Bryan en
tered the garden, temporarily Interrupting tho
address of Mrs. Ella Flag Young of Chicago. It
applauded heartily one of his earliest sentences,
"We can not compel the teaching of religion, but
Christian taxpayers have a right to protest
against the teaching of irreligion in tho guise of
philosophy in our universities."
Swinging to the topic of school militarism he
said: ' '-
"Twoyears 'ago no one suggested that we put
military training into our public schools, and let
us hope that two years hence this awful fever of
war will have run its course and that no ono
will ever again suggest it after that. If polit
ical 'parties looking for votes couldn't be scared
into putting militaristic planks into their plat
forms this year, why should the teachers who
are not looking for -votes bo scared?
"What an idea is it possible that a country
that could not be frightened two years ago by
solvent nations filled with able-bodied men
should now bo frightened by bankrupt nations
filled with cripples! We can not afford to fol
low at the tail end of Europe as a military na
tion. Shall we convent our nation into an armed
camp and our public schools into breeding places
for an army?"
PUT PATRIOTISM BEFORE PARTY
A Peeksill, N. J., dispatch to the New York
Journal, dated July 5, says: William Jennings
Bryan, addressing several thousand citizens in
Depew park,- offered congratulations on the city's
one hundredth birthday and delivered a speech
on "Patriotism and Democracy'
"Patriotism is service expressed in national
terms," he said, "and it is only living up to tho
doctrine that muck is required'of those to 'whom
much is given.
"The state militiamen are responding to a
call from the nation's need. They are unafraid
and marching to that they know not of. They
leave loved ones behind weeping, and I do not
consider it unpatriotic to say to their loved ones
that they are doing their duty, while I'll pray
with you that they may not bo called upon to
die or to kill any one else. Peace and not war
is the normal state of nations and men who
stand ready to die should also stand ready to
live.
"I am one who believes the prophecy will be
fulfilled that war shall bo no more,and when
that time comes, and there is no more war, the
day of patriotism will not be passed. Patriotism
is not limited to the battlefield. Every ono of
us can line up and join a political grand army
of the republic and do a citizen's duty every day
wo live.
"This government of ours is the best govern
ment conceived .by the mind of man. It is a
popular government, and the people have a right
to have what they want.
"Democracy says society is buUt from the bot
tom upward, and aristocracy thinks that society
is suspended from the top. The aristocrat says
Let the Democrats Get to Work
Tho lines of battle for the 1918 campaign
havo been drawn. Tho conventions of tho lead
ing parties havo been held and tho presidential
tickets havo been placed in the Held. Tho timo
remaining between now and tho fall elections
will bo devoted to the discussion and presenta
tion of tho issues to tho voters.
The democratic party is united and confident.
Never in its history has it gone into a campaign
presenting & more solid front or occupying a
more advantageous position. Backed by the
present administration's splendid record of
achievement, during which tho democratic party
has placed more constructive legislation on tho
statute books than tho republican party accom
plished in thirty years, tho democrats of tho
country aro confident that this record will bo on
dorsed by an overwhelming victory at tho No
vember elections.
Tho measure of success attained by the demo
crats this fall, however, will depond largely upon
their ability to win a largo per cent of tho in
dependent, progressive vote of tho country. Tho
withdrawal of Mr. Roosevelt and tho indorse
ment of the candidacy of Charles E. Hughes by
tho progressivo national committee has by no
means satisfied tho voters of tho rank and fllo
of tho progressivo party of 1912, and no amount
of secret bargaining and manipulation on tho
part of tho leaders can deliver tho independent
progressivo vote to tho republican party. Al
ready prominent progressives all over the coun
try aro declaring their intontion of supporting
the national democratic ticket this fall. There
is a widespread and growing resentment among
progressive voters over tho betrayal of their
party into tho hands of the very men and inter
ests that made the progressivo revolt of 1912 a
practical necessity.
With the democratic record of achievement
and a platform of progressive principles placed
squarely before tho voters, it will not bo a diffi
cult task to convince the average independent
voter that ho should support tho democratic
ticket this fall. Right hero will be tho greatest
opportunity of the democrats for effective cam
paign work. Every independent, progressive or
doubtful voter should bo provided with a medi
um that will give him authentic facts, figures,
reasons and arguments bearing on the demo
cratic position on public questions, its work and
record of accomplishments, as well as what it
proposes to do in behalf of the people if it is
entrusted with further power..
For tho coming campaign Tho Commoner will
be found especially valuable for this work. Its
columns will be filled with articles that will be
found helpful and instructive to voters, and that
will asist tho democrats in bringing about a dt
cislvo victory for Wilson and Marshall. A spe
cial rato of 25 cents on now subscriptions
from now until tho close of tho campaign will
bo made for this purposo. This low rate will
make it posslblo for tho domocrats of every con
gressional and legislativo district to use Th
Commoner for educational campaign purpose
among tho voters, and tho offer will be mad
available to campaign committees who wish to
havo Tho Commonor sent to them in bulk or t
a list of voters furnished by them. The circu
lation of democratic litoraturo, especially th
placing of good democratic papors in the hands
of tho voters, has boon proven by cxperlonce to
bo ono of tho most effectivo methods of holding
tho party membership together as well as to add
new voting recruits.
Every Commonor reader should take time to
help placo Tho Commoner into the hands of as
many voters as possible during the fall cam
paign. Tho special subscription rato of 25c for
The Commonor-T-from now until tho campaign
closes is very low and any ono will be glad to
join a Commonor club if somo worker presents
the matter to him. Every democrat should, form
at least ono club of four in his precinct. Th
rato will hold good for all clubs, no matter how
large. In past campaigns somo workers havo
sent in as high as 1,000 subscriptions. Ask your
friends and neighbors to Join a Commoner club;
get tho now and doubtful voters to add their
names to tho list. Tho coupon below may be
used, or a blank sheet where largor clubs are
secured. Let every democrat get to work.
LETTERS FROM THE WORKERS
Goo. H. Moellrlng, Ray, N. D.: Enclose check
to pay for five yearly subscriptions to Tho Com
moner. Am always glad to extend tho circle of
readers to The Commonor. I regard it as on of
tho greatest moral influences in tho country to
day. Four years ago, if you will remember, I
sent you ono thousand short time subscriptions.
W. C. FIndloy, Butler, Pa.: Enclosed find
check for subscription. , Wo aro bound to con
tend with ofllco seekers and special privileges,
and desperate fanatics in this campaign. Let us
bo up and at it. Wo must havo a forceful press
and "Performance Clubs." Let us bo loaded to
strangle their false pretenses and tho falsehoods
which they set afloat at Chicago and from which
their piping organs havo taken tho cuo. Wo havo
fair notice of tho kind of a campaign of mis
representation they will make. Let The Com
moner smito them wherever they present a vul
nerable point and there aro many such points.
SPECIAL 1916 CAMPAIGN RATE
The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb.
Gentlemen: I bolieve in tho effectiveness of personal work among the voters and will
do what I can to placo good democratic literature in the hands of the voters as an aid to.
democratic victory -this. fall. I am sending you tho following list of subscribers, for which
I enclose 25c each under your special campaign offer.
Namo
Name
Namo
Name
P. O.
P. O.
,P. O.
P. O.
rf
legislate for the well to .do and then, wait, pa
tiently wait for the prosperity to leak through
on thoso below.
"Tho great duty of all is to make love of
country stronger than love of party. You should
love your country so much more than your party
that you can rejoice in its defeat if against the
country's good and pray to the Gpd who rules
our.destiny to overrule us when ?we make any
mistakes."
,,. ra ft-
f ALL TANGLED UEfj t .
No man with a sense. of' humor caf ail to. en
joy Mr. Roosevelt.'stributes, to'' the" democrats.
He says: - " ' ''
"Our strongest party antagonists havo ac
cepted and pnacted Into law, or embodied im
their platform, very many of our most important
principles."
Let the reader take a firm grip on that state
ment and then try to assimilate this one:
"Tho present administration, during 1U three
years of life, has been guilty of shortcomings
moro signal than those of any administration
sinco tho days of Buchanan."
Ono more quotation, please:
"The platform put forth in 1912 was much
the most important public document promul
gated in this country since tho death', of. Abra
ham. Lincoln." , . (.
We leave Mr. Roosevelt's supporters, the com
plex task of disentangling him from himself." It
requires an expert hand. St. Louis Republic.
