Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-06-09
BRYAN REFUSES TO SIGN
FIRM NOTE TO GERMANY
Note on Way to Germany Reaffirms
U. 5. Demand for Rights Of
Humanity.
LANSING ACTING SECRETARY.
Secretaries Garrison and Lane Take
the Lead in Fighting BRYAN.


William Jennings Bryan has resign
ed as Secretary Of State and his restg-
nation has been accepted by President
Wilson to take effect Immediately.
Mr.. Bryan retires from the Wilson
administration because he is not able
eonscientiously to sign the note which
the President is about to despatch to
Germany To attach his signature to
this communication would. in the opin-
ion of Mr.. Bryan. be unfair TO the cause
nearest his heart, namely the preven-
tion of war"
AT the direction of the President.
Robert Lansing, acting Secretary of
State, has signed the note. It has
been rushed into the hands of State
Department experts to be coded and
will be on its way toBerlin by the time
the American public is reading the
startling details of MIR. Bryan's re-
fusal to lend his name to it as Sec
rotary of State
The note TO which Mr. Bryan was un-
able 70 subscribe firmly restates the
position of the United States reiterates
President Wilson'S previous demands
and calls upon Germany for prompt
expression whether or not she intends
to abide by the principles of lnterna-
tional law and humanity
-Four developments stand out I'M
pressiyely among those which Wash
ington believes viii come from yes
terday's remarkable occurrence:
h,
on the question of President Wilson'S
policy toward Germany.
?. That there Will be real awaken
ing inGermany to the determination OF
the President and the seriousness Of
the situation confronting them as re-
suit of this Governments demands.
3. That there will be a split in the
Democratic party,with Mr. Bryan event
ually appearing as a leader in opposi-
ton to many of President Wilson'S
policies and probably in opposition TO
Mr.. Wilson's denomination.
.. Tha' 'fa0. ..lll be a change in the
Admins; general foreion noI-
icy-the substitution of a vigorous as
sertion ofAmerica's rights for the tenn
porizing policy OF the last two years.
Many officials In Washington also
expect to see clean cut issue between
President Wilson and Mr.. Bryan on the
the question of the national defences.
with the probable retirement of Jose
phus Daniels, Mr. Bryans friend. from
the Cabinet, as Secretary Of Navy.
Startling as was the withdrawal OF
Mr.. Bryan from the Administration. II
was the effect of his action upon the
immediate crisis between the United
States and Germany over which Wash
ington officials were chiefly concerned
last night
One sentence in Mr.. Bryan's letter Of
resignation TO the President was puz-
zling. This sentence reads:
"Obedient to your sense Of duty and
actuated by the highest motives. you
have prepared for transmission to the
German Government a note in which 7
cannot join without violating what I
deem to be an obligation to my couD-
try, and the issue involved Is of such
moment that to remain a member Of
the Cabinet would be as unfair to vou
as it would be to the cause which is
nearest to my heart, namely, the pre-
vention Of war"
In some quarters this sentence was
construed as a plain intimation that
Mr Bryan feared that one Of the posi-
bilities OF the note which President
Wilson was ordering forwarded to Ger
many was war.
The other. construction was that Mr..
Bryan feared that his acquaintance in
the Presidents refusal to discuss the
Lusitania facts with the Berlin Gov
ernment would be a death blow to the
principles for which Mr. Bryan has
contended and which he has embod-
led in twenty peace treaties with for
eign governments.