Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-21
EFFORT TO INDUCE GERMANY TO
ACCEPT PEACE TREATY PLAN
AsToUNps WASHINGTON.
LOOKED UPON AS EFFORT
TO PROMOTE AMBITIONS
Some Believe Bryan Intends to Aspire
to Presidency Against Wilson-Not
Likely Senate or Wilson Would Ap.
prove Scheme to Submit Matter Of
Destruction Of Lives to Arbitration.
Especial Correspondence;

Washington, Sept. 21.-A political
closure of the fact that William j.
Bryan intends to try to get Germany
formally to accept the Bryan peace
treaty. In case Bryan goes to Europe,
as is now contemplated, he will try to
get Berlin to accept this treaty.
Mr.. Bryan's statement which he has
made public indicates this clearly. He
hopes to get Germany and Austria to
enter into such an arrangement. The
Bryan peace treaty plan contemplates
submitting any dispute between ma.
lions to a commission of investigation.
This commission is supposed to in
vestigate and thus, by consuming six
months or year, give time for public
feeling to cool off. This is Mr.. Bryan's
idea of the way to prevent war and
keep the peace.
II Mr.. Bryan should get Germany to
accept the peace treaty Of his design
Ing, it is his expectation that the sem
ate would ratify it. President Wilson
has supported ratification Of the peace
treaty proposal in the case of num-
Der of nations. If Mr.. Bryan gets Ger
many to act favorably on his treaty.
then it will be up to the president
either to back up the ratification or.
by not doing so. to expose himself to
the charge of being unwilling TO trust
Germany. Pro-Germans would seize
on failure of the president to advocate
such ratification as an evidence the
president was unfriendly TO Germany.
Does Bryan Want Presidency?
Because of the fact that politicians
see in the proposed plan Of Mr.. Bryan
an effort TO make things embarrass-
ing for the administration. no end OF
discussion about it has been aroused
here. In some quarters 1t is taken as
an indication that Mr.. Bryan Is still
seeking the presidency against Will
son.
Under present conditions. the plan
proposed by Mr. Bryan is regarded
here as most remarkable. 1t is well
known to public men here that the is
sue which has been raised between this
government and Germany by its sub
marine war methods is not considered
by this government 70 be arbitrable.
Technically. the Rryan peace plan Is
not arbitration but il is Of that ma
ture. For that matter. this govern
ment would not submit the question
of life and death of American citizens
70 ar investigative commission
Administration Astopished.
Among men close t. the admins
tration. there is astpishment at the
course proposed by Mr.. Bryan. They
see in it at once an effort to give Ger
many chance to enter into prolonged
over the question wheth-
er Americans should l,se their lives
as in the Lusitania case and
an attempt to embarrass the adminis-
tratfon. Needless to say. the love OF
administration leaders for Bryan Is
not enhanced
II Mr.. Bryan does go abroad and get
Germany to ratify his peace plan, how
ever. there is NJ reason to believe the
senate will ratify it. 1t will refuse to
tie the hands OF this government under
the conditions existing at present.
Moreover, the German foreign office
just now Is showing signs Of dealing
with America in new spirit 1t is
seriously doubted here whether the
kaiser. Chancellor Won Bethman- Holl
veg. Foreign Minister Won Jagow and
other German officials responsible for
the foreign policy OF the nation will
give Mr.. Bryan encouragement in a
plan that is obviously calculated to
give President wilson trouble