Bryan Denounces Agitators Of War.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 19, 1913:
Says a "Subsidized Patriotism" Seeks to Create It Because of Armor Profits.
SCORES MISLEADING PRESS
Money Spent in One Country to Stir Feeling In Another, He Charges at Peace Meeting.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, May 18.— Secretary Bryan charged that war scares were mainly fanned by a "subsidized patriotism which seeks to create war because of the profits in armorplate and battleships" and by the "sensational and mercenary newspapers which prefer big scare headlines to the truth" in a long speech delivered this evening at a mass meeting held in the First Congregational Church under the auspices of the Washington Peace Society to celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of The Hague Peace Conference.
    Mr. Bryan also alleged that money had been spent in one country to stir up war feeling in another, and he denounced this as the basest use to which money could be put. Its purpose was to coin the war feeling, he said, into larger dividends and more business.
    "War is in the interest of a few people, not of all," Mr. Bryan said. "The profits are garnered by a few, while the masses pay the taxes. A few men gain glory, while the mothers of the nation furnish the sons who make food for battlefields. War rests upon feeling, not upon necessity.
    "As people increase in intelligence, they not only take an increasing pride in deciding questions upon the basis of intelligence, but with increasing information they learn the awful cost of war, as well as its uselessness. Intelligence leads us to understand the causes that lead up to war. We understand as we grow in intelligence what subsidized patriotism means; what it means for people to hide behind the plea of patriotism as they attempt to advance their own pecuniary interests.

Assails Armor Interests.
    "The world is learning that back of much of the furor for war, back of much of the stirring of the passions of the people, is the interest in armor-plate and in battleships on the part of corporations whose business it is to build these battleships and make this armorplate.
    "Is there any baser use of money than that used to stir up feeling against one's own country in order to coin that feeling into larger dividends and more business?
    "Not only that, but I believe that with a larger intelligence the people will begin to discriminate between patriotic newspapers and newspapers which are more interested in big headlines and sensational news than in the spread of truth.
    "I was glad to read this morning in the paper an interview given out by the Secretary of the Navy. I was glad to see him denounce in language that was measured the contempt of people who misrepresent a situation and distort facts, and who give unfair construction to the acts of officials.
    "I believe we have not reached the limit of intelligence in this country, and that as we increase in intelligence we will be able to discriminate even more clearly between the papers that attempt to deal with public questions in a patriotic way, and papers that sink to the level of mercenary motives in the handling of affairs that affect, not only our own people, but the people of other countries.
    "I believe, too, that another force back of this movement is the growing disposition of the world to bring their governments nearer to the people. I know that some think that an inflamed public opinion may reflect itself in a popular government more quickly than it would in a government less representative. But I want to remind you that we are moving gradually but surely away from the time when wars were made to gratify the ambitions of individuals and to conquer lands in order that new territory might be brought under the reign and rule of the children of Kings and Emperors.

Investigation, the Remedy.
    "If there is a danger that popular feeling may communicate itself to the representatives in a popular Government there is a remedy, and the President of the United States has recently presented to the representatives of all the nations a plan that goes a long way toward eliminating any of the dangers which may come from the sudden exciting of passion. The plan which he has presented to the representatives of thirty-six nations, whose representatives are in Washington, contemplates a period of investigation and deliberation. I may say to you that the assurances that I have already received make it certain that some of the nations have already expressed a desire to enter into such an agreement with our country.
    "I have no doubt that in the course of time agreements or treaties similar to those which the President has proposed will unite us with the other nations of the earth, when by agreement there can be no war until there is investigation, when by agreement there can be no beginning of hostilities until there is time to separate the questions of fact from the questions of national honor. When these agreements are made it will be almost impossible to bring this Nation into armed conflict with any other contracting nation.
    "One of the great forces that makes for peace is the growth of the feeling of brotherhood. War does not rest upon logic, it does not rest upon necessity; it rests upon feeling, and it is the purpose of meetings like this, of societies such as this, to cultivate a feeling that will prevent war. While sensational newspapers are trying to cultivate a feeling that will produce war, it is the business of the right-thinking people of this country to create a feeling that will not tolerate the idea of war.
    "So among these who feel it their duty to prepare themselves and be ready for war, if war comes, there will come the spirit that is now moving over the world, and instead of desiring that war shall come. Instead of hungering and thirsting for the excitement of the battlefield, or the clash upon the sea, they will be like those prepared for a service but not anxious that a calamity may come that will make a demand for their services."
    Dr. Philander P. Claxton, United States Commissioner of Education, presided at the meeting. The audience, which filled the church, was very enthusiastic.