The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-09

attach an addendum to the note which
would have had the effect OF making
il certain that the Issues would be
confined to discussion and investiga-
tton. IT Ia the understanding in
Washington that the note. with this
addendum, had almost reached the
telegraph wire before the President
changed his mind and decided to stand
by the original draft of the note.
Even at that time President Will
son apparently foFesaw the crisis to-
ward which his relations with Mr..
Bryan were rapidly drifting. Never
thAless. MIR. Wilson decided that ne
had a dnty to perform TO the Ameri-
can people, and. regardless of politi-
cal expediency or the welfare OF his
party. he must follow the course as
he saw Il.
The interval between the sending Of
the Presidents first note and the re-
ceipt Of Ule German reply WAS used
by Mr.. Bryan IN an endeavor 10 pre-
pare the Presidents mind for A
change of front. The climax began.
OF course, with the receipt of Ger"
manys reply.
The German foreign office in that
reply had cleveriy appropriated the
ideas embodied by Mr.. Bryan in his
peace treaties and called for a dis
cussion Of facts before there should
be any attempt TO settle the vital
principles involved. There has been
30 doubt in Washington that Count
Won Bernstorff. the German ambas-
sador, urged upon the German for
eign office the ACCESSIBILITY of such
course that he had been counting
upon the nbarrassment which MIR.
Bryan would face in refusing the Ger
man request
Caused German Optimism.
Thls situation has. In fact, account
ed In part for the extreme optimism
Of the German en- hassy In Washing
ton. Tonight there seemed to be
corresponding depression over me
sudden and significant retirement of
Mr. Bryan from the cabinet.
i Soon after the arrival OF the Ger
/ man note Secretary Bryan made
known his determined views TO the
President. There were many long. Sc
rious conferences between them in an
effort to reach A common ground, but
these had tailed when the cabinet Was
called together last Friday to consider
+ the draft of the note prepared by the
President.
There was no backward step by the
President in this note. 1t restated
with hrmness the position OF the
! United States; il reiterated the de-
mandse upon Germany and called for
a prompt statement by Germany On
the vital principles involved. There
was a fiat denial of the alleged facts
cited hy Germany, hut no concession
in the way of an invitation to discuss
thase facts.
{ Mr.. Bryan at the btnet meeting
! on Friday made It apparent that ne
Z would oppose the sending of the note
to the limit of tnis ability. He urged
a pacific course, one which would not
make it possible for the United States
to become involved in war with Ger
many
! Finds Himself Alone.
MIR. Bryan again found himself
! practically alone. The note was de-
I cided on at that cabinet meeting and
could have gone forward at any time
after that gathering. When IL came
TO signing the note as secretary OF
State Mr.. Bryan, however, informed
the President that he could not CON
Scfentiousiy do it; This was the sole
cause of the delay from Friday in the
dispatch OF the note TO Berlin. IT was
not until Sunday that members OF the
cabinet learned that Mr.. Bryan
I threatened to resign rather than affix
his name to Tife' German nofe. :" From
the beginning. however, it was mat
ter solely between the PRESIDENT ana
Mr. Bryan. and none of the cabinet
+ members attempted to act as media
/ tors until today's meeting of the Presi-
dent advisers.
When the cabinet came together to-
/ day the air was full Of rumors, but
these met with a prompt official de-
NAL The suspicious gathered force,
however. when Mr.. Bryan failed TO
put in his appearance at the cabinet
room II was explained that he had
notified the President that he had inn
portant business and would be detain-
cd At this meeting the President
spoke to all his advisers the details
of his disagreement with Secretary
Bryan. Mr.. Wilson showed deep feet
+ ing over the failure of MIR. Bryan to
appear in his seat at the cabinet table,
and he instructed Secretary Tumulty
+ to call him on the telephone. Mr.,
Tumulty got Mr.. Bryan on the tele-
| phone and besought him in behalf of