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The Commoner
VOL; 17, NO. 3
&
The Commoner
ISSUED MONTHLY
r '
Entorcd nt tho PoBtofllco at Lincoln, Nebraska,
rh Bocond-clasn matter.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, CHARLES W. BRYAN
Editor and Proprietor Assoclato Ed. and Publisher
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THE COM. II ON EH, LINCOLN, NED.
. Colonel Roosevelt declares that what this
country must do Is to go to war with Germany
at once, and when it strikes to strike hard. If
wo do not, go to war with Germany the Colonel
could gain tho unstinted admiration of the allies
if ho will slip thcikiithe tip whore to strike.
..Tho scared easterners who havo conjured up
a fleet of submarines battering at their harbors'
mouths might lessen the nervous strain by ban
ishing from their homes all clocks -that strike.
In this way they would not be so often remind
ed that another hour has passed and we are not
yet fully prepared for anything that may happen.
, Hundreds of- labor organizations in the coun
try have passed resolutions insisting that a ref
erendum on the question of war, when this na
tion makes the first move towards hostilities,
is desirable. The labormen have tho curious
delusion that the persons who are to do the
fighting and pay the costs in blood and money
should have the final word as to whether there
should bo war.
When Mr. Bryan arrived in Washington on
tho morning of February 28th, he announced
in an interview that ho would leave on the
night train on tho evening of March first, after
tho Nebraska dinner celebrating the fiftieth an
niversary of its admission to the Union. But
this fact did not keep tho jingo press from
charging that he left Washington because of
. tho publication of the Zimmerman note. It is
another illustration of the desperation of the
papers that are trying to force this country into
.war.
-Vj
The attempt to fasten compulsory train
ing upon the youth of tho country by disguising
it under the smoother-sounding namo of uni
versal training will never gain popular approval,
A democracy and conscription in time of peace
are contradictions. Thoreau said: "What is it
to be born free and not to live free? What is
the value of any political freedom but as a
eans to moral- freedom?" If the individual
wills of tho people are subjected to govern
mental control, then $e are no longer a democracy.
he sham character of tho contention that it
itpi question of honor with us that we shall go
t(l war with the nation that in its effort to win,
torpedoes a merchantman that happens to have
an American member of its crew is shown by the
George Washington incident. Just as the
jingoes were loudest in their demand that it
was our solemn duty to avenge the death, of a
seaman of that namo, tho British government
came forward with a statement that ho was a
Canadian. If the man had been born juet south
of tho line instead of just north of it, national
honor would have demanded, as tho jingo views
it, that we avenge his death by offering thou
sands of others on the altar of death, but as he
was born on the other side we have no 'concern
whatever. ,
The Gospel of Mars
One of the modern exponents of thegdspel of
Mars thus sets forth tho creed of his cult;
"Man deteriorates in peace. Idle rest is the
tomb of courage. Law is the friend of the
weak, it aims at leveling all; it would reduce
the world to a level. Wai brings out strength."
The war argument can not be stated more
strongly; it leaves nothing more to be said, on
that side, but the fallacy of the argument is ap
parent' to any one who understands the teach
ings of Christ. The militant regards man as
an animal, and as an animal only. To him,
physical courage is the supreme virtue cour
age to kill and meet death upon the Afield. Ho
lives in the lore of battles nothing is heroic
to him unless it is bloody.
Even so great a soldier as Napoleon recog
nized that this was the OLD system the system
that must pass away. He said: "War is becom
ing an anchronism. There are two systems,
the past and the future. The present Is only
a painful transition. Which must triumph?
Tho future, will it not? Yes, indeed, the fu
ture! That is Intelligence, industry and 'peace.
The past was brute force, privilege, and ignor
ance. Victories will be won, one of
these days, without cannon, and' without bay
onets." Napoleon knew what war was, and he had
caught a glimpse of the new system which
Christ' came to establish a system which puts
love above force, which substitutes 'forgiveness
for retaliation, and measures greatness by ser
vice. The courage to endure suffering is
greater than the courage to strike in anger, as
forgiving is higher than hating. There are but
two standards of honor, one invites us to seek'
glory in war the other dff proclaimed by the
Prince of Peace. Again, Christ stands before
Pilate.
TAXING THEIR CUSTOMERS
The New York Sun in a"irecent issue carries
a very interesting story of a plan of the brewers
which wjll bo found on another page.
The plan is to collect a tax from all with
whom they do business. Hops and malt are
among the things upon which they have th
ready levied tribute,, but they have not exhaust
ed their list. If they are going to appeal to all
whom they aid, they will soon be trying to col
lect a tax from the undertakers, because of the
number of corpses they furnish them. The un
dertakers, however, may be able to defend them
selves against the tax on the ground that the
persons buried could have afforded to buy much
better cofllns, but for the money wasted in the
saloons. But it adds gayety to the contest to
see how busy the liquor dealers are trying to
raise money to fight the growing sentiment
against intoxicants.
MAKING BOOTLEGGERS ADVERrrieu
The senate' 7763 bill introduced by w
Curtis of Kansas strikes a death blo7t 52
the annoying evils, connected with the i
For a great many years the opponents of tho
saloon have pointed out the fact that thn n
eral government virtually goes into partner
with the bootleggers by permitting tKm M
in dry territory. Ben
At first it was proposed to remedy this hv m
fusing license, but several constitutional nUeT
tlons were raised against such a measure aSd
these, objections have served a useful nurnZ
in preventing legislative action. Several vlT
ago The Commoner suggested a way aroumi
this difficulty, namely, the requiring of "ouS
to the public through the newspapers in ad
Vance of the taking out of. government license"
This does not embarrass tho saloon keeper who
has a local license, but it handicaps the boot
leggers, because a man who is planning to vlo
late the law can not advertise his purpose and"
give the location where he expects to conduct
his illegal business.
Senator Curtis of Kansas has embodied this
remedy in a bill (copy of which will be found
on -another page), and The Commoner gladly
commends the bill to the attention of those who
are trying to exterminate the saloon.
The anti-shipping provision contained in the
post-office appropriation bill will be a tremend
ous aid towards enforcing the law against the
sale of intoxicating liquor; Senator Curtis's
bill will add the finishing stroke. When tho
federal forces join with the state officials in
prosecuting the bootlegger his days will be
numbered. w. J. BRYAN.
THE POSTAL VOTE
Why should a man's right to vote depend up
on his being at a particular place on a particu
lar day in the year? Why penalize traveling
and reward those whose business enables them
4 to stay at home? Is it not reward enough that
one can enjoy the delights of home'1 Without
giving him a political advantage over his less
fortunate neighbors?
The traveling man is a necessary factor in
the commercial world. Why' should he be com
pelled to pay a poll tax for that is what it
amounts to equal to the cost of traveling to
his honiGand back for the privilege of voting.
The railroad man is also at a great disadvantage
without the postal vote, not to speak of those
who are called away from home on business, or
because of sickness. The student, too, would
find the postal vote very convenient. And in
time of war it is imperativety-Trcelled by the
soldiers.
It will not be difficult to so safeguard it as
to prevent fraud. Let us have the postal vote
everywhere. W. J. BRYAN.
GUARANTY OF BANK DEPOSITS
' On another page will be, found my speech on
the guaranty of bank deposits, delivered in the
campaign of 1908. The democratic platform
of that year said:
"We pledge ourselves to legislation under
which the national banks shall be required to
establish a guaranty fundfor the prompt pay
ment of the depositors of any insolvent national
bank, under an equitable system which should
be available to all state banking institutions
wishing to use it."
This platform demand was made just after
the panic of 1907 in fact, before the Country
had recovered from it. With the return to
normal times the pressure was lifted and the
reform has not yet been secured.
Fivo states, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas,
Texas and Mississippi, have adopted systems
applicable to state banks, but depositors in na
tional banks are stiH unprotected.
The new currency law has greatly lessened
the danger of panic, but an occasional bank
failure still gives evidence of the need of a svs
tem which will furnish absolute protection to
depositors. A certificate of deposit ought to be
as- good as a government bond;' then a bank
failure would cause no loss to depositors and
no disturbance of the business community.
W. J. BRYAN.
A JINGO COLLEGE PRESIDENT
,.The New York Times contained the following
news item on February 26, 1917:
"John Grier Hibben, who became president
of Princeton university when President Wood
row Wilson first entered politics, demanded be
fore an audience of 1,500 persons in a Brooklyn
church last night that America should enter the
war on the righteous side of the Allies, and not
wait until she was driven in solely for the pro
tection of her commerce. President Hibben'fl
declaration, made near the close of an address
in which he scored the United States for lack
of an international, conscience, was received in
earnest silence by the congregation of the La
fayette Avenue Presbyterian church, which was
prevented by the conventions of religious service
from rendering applause."
This is the same Dr. Hibben who lias been
shouting for "preparedness," the same Dr. Hib
ben who joined in the recent warning a6a'nJl
a "premature peace" and ihe same Dr. Hib
ben who opposed President Wilson when, as
president of Princeton, he tried to introduce
democracy into that institution.
PERSUASION VS. FORCE
Napoleon thus compares persuasion and
force: "Force is never anything but force, en
thusiasm never anything but enthusiasm. J
persuasiveness endures ad imprints itseii v
on the heart." . ,
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