Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-25
Reported Breach in
Cabinet Is Denied

Washington, April 25. - To-day
White House officials pointed to the
general denial issued few days ago
of the story that Secretary Bryan
would resign, saying that statement
was sufficient to cover all rumors of
cabinet dissension current this morn
ing. They said they did not regard ii
as necessary to repeat the denial with
each published report.
Outside of the White House, there
has been considerable discussion OF
the individual views known to be held
! by members of the cabinet on the
present situation. None of these is
said to be serious or approaching any
breach in the Presidents official fam
| lily, but there have been natural diff
ferences of opinion as to what aggres-
sive measures should be pursued. The
President himself, it is said, has invit-
ed the widest range of suggestions
from his advisers and has steered a
middle course between those who IA
vor a quickly aggressive policy and
those who believe war can be best
averted by patient observation and
carefully 'deliberated action.
No Serious Division
Persons close to the administration
council described the divergence of
views as the product of natural diff
ferences among those charged with
responsibility for executive action. Of
ficials point out, for instance that the
War Department is naturally anxious
to take every reasonable precaution
with it's military forces, and the navy
is bending it's. energies likewise to
perfecting its preparations for actual
warfare. They say also that the State
Department., which is directly respon-
sible for relations with other foreign
governments and which Is trying
through diplomacy to prevent aggres-
sive movements which might aggra-
vate action by the constitutionalists,
and the Mexican people as d whole. is
busily occupied in friendly repression
of the war spirit of its allied depart
ments.
All the cabinet secretaries them-
selves denied that there is any serious
division and point to their close and
frequent conferences as evidence of
their cooperation.
1t is stated on authority that in
no case has Secretary Bryan declared
that he would resign his office in case
it became necessary for the United
States to engage in war, and he has
let it be known to his personal friends
that he could be relied upon to do
his full duty to the administration and
to remain at his post under present
conditions, and any others that he
thought could possibly arise.
Ascrtbed to Sentiments
The rumors of Mr.. Bryans intention
to retire from the cabinet in various
contingencies are ascribed by his
friends to sentiments uttered by the
Secretary in the early days of his in1
cumbency. He has spoken often of
the subject of universal peace and has
expressed altruistic sentiments and
|aomng other things, has declared in
a speech delivered in the West that
there would be no war while he was
Secretary of State. The Secretary's
purpose, it is explained, was to en-
phasize his general conviction that the
growing feeling of disapproval of war;
fare could be relied upon to prevent
the country from drifting into a war
under any set of conditions that could
be conceived of by those to whom he
addressed himself.
1t is further stated on the authority
of members of the cabinet that moth
ing has occurred in any cabinet meet
ing to develop any dissatisfaction
whatever on the part of any indivi-
dual.
Secretary Daniels. discussing news
paper reports of cabinet fraction,
said:
There isn't now and hasn't been
the least scintilla of fraction in the
cabinet. AT time like this, my pri-
vate judgment as a newspaper man is
that the press owes 1t as a patriotic
duty not to spread such reports"