Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-09-10
bRYAN'S HARD TASK
Warning Nations Seem Bent on
Involving United States.
Secretary Of State Visited Daily BY
Envoys With Complaints or Pro.
posals, but Must Preserve
Our Neutrality.
By EDWARD 3. CLARK.


Washngton.-If anybody thinks that
the state department Is not earning its
salary these days, haste should be
made to get another thought. The
work and the worry of Mr.. Bryan and
his lieutenants have not been and are
not in the tenth part the result of diff
ficulties in getting Americans out OF
Europe The real work and the worry
come from the steadfast efforts OF
the United States government to re-
main neutral In the war now waging.
1t Is perhaps unkind to say that ev-
cry enc Of the warning nations wishes
that the United States would become
involved in the conflict, and, becoming
involved. would take up arms on its
side. The unkindness does not consist
in saying that the hope of belligerent
Is that If the United States does get
into it. it will fight for the cause repre-
sented by the hopeful ones, but per-
haps 1t does consist in saying that any
nation wishes US the Ill luck that has
befallen the countries now losing men
and fortunes in the field.
Whether 1t is unkind or not to say 1t,
there seems to be ample evidence In
Washington that certain of the war.
ring countries would like nothing bet.
ter than to see us mix In. The state
depal tment daily has to withstand all
sorts of subtle attempts to get 1t to
commit itself, which means the COM
mitting of this country to some propo-
sition which would cause trouble for
the American people. The state de-
partment officials do not simply have
to walk chalk line, but they have to
walk a swaying tight rope, and they
for all the virtue there Is in 1t, to
keep them steady on the line.
Every day there go to the state de-
partment. one after the other, the am.
bassadors or the ministers of the dif.
ferent powers at war Each one has
complaint or proposition to make to
the secretary of state.
The envoy extraordinary and minis.
ter plenipotentiary to the United
States from Belgium Is e. Havenith.
Mr. Havenith always writes his name
as It Is here set down, and very proba.
bly, there Is no one in Washington
who knows what Mr.. Haveniths first
name is. 1t seems to be a sort of a
state secret. The Belgium envoy in.
sistently protested to the state depart.
ment against the dropping Of bombs
ou Antwerp from a German dirigible
II Mr.. Bryan, after consultation with
President Wilson, had protested to
the German government he would
have been compelled to do 1t "in the
name OF humanity" for 1t was on
humane basis that the plea OF Mr.
Havenith was made. A protest Of this
kind is serious thing, and 1t might.
perhaps would, lead ultimately to war,
for 1t would be tantamount to the say.
ing by the United States governmer
that the Germans were conducting
barbarous warfare.
There could be no such protest
made, at least until the facts In the
case absolutely were assured and the
people of this country were aroused to
the point Of demanding action, and
after long and careful deliberation
on the subject by President Wilson's
cabinet. or course Mr.. Havenlth
wanted immediate action. He had to
be met with suavity, with promise
to take the matter into consideration
and with the usual diplomatic assur.
ance of good will and high esteem"
While the Belgian envoy was thus
insistent, the representative Of Ger.
many In this country, acting in the
temporary absence in New York Of
Ambassador Won Bernstorff, was tell.
ing his side Of the story.
Representatives of other countries
in one hour were urging upon Mr..
Bryan the necessity of taking notice
of the bomb dropping, while in anoth.
er hour. the representatives Of still
other countries were telling him to
pay no attention to the pleas for
protest
There are scores of things every day
which come before the state depart.
ment In the form Of representations.
requests or protests, any one Of which
II acted upon Immediately might in
volve this country In war. The CEN
sorship Of the cables and Of the Ger
man owned wireless stations was and
still is one Of the delicate subjects
which the state department must han.
die Moreover, there are the constant
representations that this ship or that
ship is taking out coal and provisions
from American ports ostensibly in
tended for the supply Of neutral coun-
tries and which as the protesters put
It, are really intended to fill the bunk
ers of warships lowering of the coast.
1t is pretty we'll assured here that
the officials OF the state department
finally are convinced that 1t Is a very
much harder job to keep out Of war
than 1t is to get into war. II the T1ni-
ted States government acted In every.
thing as 1t has been requested to act
by the representatives Of foreign gov.
ernments, we would be at war today
with pretty nearly every country on
earth.