y our commerce, and we could not but suffer when the merchantmen
of one side were driven from the sea and a part of the merchant fleet
of the other side was withdrawn for Government use.

The neutral nations are put to a great expense to preserve neutrality
and are constantly in danger of being embroiled in the war without
intention or fault on their part.

The rules of international law seem to have been made for the nations
at war rather than for the nations at peace. It is almost impossible
to alter these rules during the war, because any material change,
affecting as it would the interests of belligerents, would be a
seeming violation of neutrality. As soon as peace returns there will
be a demand for an international conference on the subject. The
presumption should then be given to peace, for peace, not war, is the
normal condition. If nations are determined to fight they should, as
far as possible, bear their burden themselves and not be permitted to
transfer it to the nations which avoid war by resorting to reason
instead of force.

Under the stress and strain of the titanic struggle in which they are
engaged, each side has felt itself justified in encroaching upon the
rights of neutrals. The ocean highways, the common property of all,
have been to some extent appropriated for war purposes, and delicate
diplomatic questions are forced upon the neutral nations. Just at this
time, when these questions are most acute, the belligerent Governments
are least able to deal with them with the calmness and poise which
their great importance demands.

No wonder every neutral nation is increasingly anxious for the war to
end; but of all the neutral nations ours has the most reason for the
return of peace--most reason to set its face resolutely against
participation in this war. This nation, the head of the neutral group
and the sincere friend of all the belligerents, is in duty bound to
set an example in patience and self-restraint.

In all history no such opportunity has ever come to any other nation
as that which is destined to come to the United States. In all history
no other peacemaker has ever been in a position to claim so rich a
blessing as that which will be pronounced upon our President when the
time for mediation comes--as come it must.

W.J. BRYAN.

"PREPAREDNESS" AND WAR.

_That military preparedness provokes war is the conclusion drawn by
Mr. Bryan in the second utterance in his series of three conc