Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-09-25
BRYAN's HARD TASK
Warning Nations Seem Bent on
Involving United States.
Secretary Of State Visited Daily by
ENJOYS With Complaints or Pro-
FosaIs, but Must Preserve
Our Neutrality.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

the state department Is not earning its
salefy these days. haste should be
made 10 get another thought The
work and the worry of Mr. Bryan and
his lieutcnants have not been and are
not In the tenth part the result OF DIFF.
hculiies 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
II Is perhaps unkind 10 say that ev-
cry enc of the warning nations wishes
I 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 a belllgerent
Is that If the United States does get
INTO II, 1t VIII fight for the cause repre-
scented by the hopeful ones, but per-
haps IL does consist in saying that any
nation wishes us the in luck that has
befallcn the countries now losing men
and fortunes In the field.
Whether It Is unklnd or not to say Il.
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 /
department daily has to withstand all |
sorts or subtle attempts to get it to
commit itself which means the COM
hitting Of this country to some propo-
sition which would cause trouble for
the American people. The state de-
partmont officials do not simply have
to walk chalk line, but they have to
walk a swayng tight rope. and they
are compe He'd to use a balancing poIe
for all the virtue there is in it. 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 diff
ferent powers at war Each one has a
complaint or proposition to make to
the secretary of state =
The envoy extraordinary and minis
ter plenipotentiary to the United
States from Belgium is f. Havenith.
MIR. Hayenith always writes his name
rs II Is here set down, and very proba-
bly, there Is no one in Washington
who knows what Mr. Haveniths first S
lame Is. II seems to be a sort of a C
tate secret. The Belgium envoy in g
istently protested to the state depart Il
nent against the dropping Of bombs
IA Antwerp from a German dlrigible.
II Mr. Bryan. after consultation with .
resident Wilson had protested to J
he German government he would
ave been compelled TO DO IL lin the
anne of humanity" for It wes on a
umanc basis that the Plea of Mr..
lavenith wac moGc. A protest of this
ind is serious taing oad it might.
erhaDs would lead ultimately 10 war.
~ K would be tantuuount TO the say
lg by the United States government
yet The Germans we're con .uctiag i
'rbarous warfare. i
There could be no such protest
2de. at least until the facts in tho W
'se absolutely were assured and tho +
'oole of this country were aroused to III
e point Of demanding action and e,
ter long and careful deliberation 10
the subject by President Wilson's Il"
binet. OF course AR. Hayonith J.,
lnted immediate action He haa 70
met with suayity. with a promise ~.
take the matter into consideration #
ID with the usual diplomatic assur. W
ce OF good will and high esteem" fe
While the Belgian envoy was thus sir
iistent, the representative of Ger. e
my in this country, acting in the an
nporary absence in New York OF
AMBASSADOR Won Bernstorff. was tell.
: his side of the story. -
of other countries IN
one hour were urging upon Mr.. g., g.,
van the necessity of taking notice ms
the bomb dropping. while In anoth. rul
hour. the representatives of still re,
er countries were telling him to v'r
no attention 10 the pleas for a
test
here are scores Of things every day
lch come before the state depart.
ut In the form OF representations.
uests or protests. any one OF which
acted upon Immediately might in
'e this country in war The cen.
ship OF the cables and Of the Ger.
! owned wireless ST ions was and
Is enc OF the delicate subjects
ch the state department must han
Moreover. there are the constant
'esentations that this ship or that
is taking out coal ard provisions
a American ports ostensibly I'm.
led for the supply OF neutral coun.
; and which as the protesters put
~ really Intended to MI the bunk. Il
of warships towering of the coast
is pretty well assured here that
officials OF the state department n
" are convinced that n is very
harder Job 10 keep out OF war g
n rs 10 get into war II the UNI D
States government acted In every +
! as II has been requested TO act X
,e representatives OF foreign gov. y
'ents, We would be at war today {
pretty nearly every country on \