Evening star., 1915-06-08
BRYAN'S attitude
ON GERMAN NOTE
Reports of Tension in the Ad-
ministration Are Cir
CuIated.
PRESIDENTS POSITION
is TO BE MAINTAINED
Political Influences Reputed to Be at
Work-Secretary Bryan May
Issue Statement.

Undercurrent comment of suppressed
intensity in official and political circles
here today centered upon a situation of
profound interest, which. 1t Is reported,
exists between the President and at
least one member of his cabinet over
the reply to the German note. The sub
ject was handled very Gelicately. owing
to its Importance and to the lack of
details of absolute verification, but the
discussion was general and wide
spread.
The presence in Washington in the
past few days of a number of con-
gressional supporters of Secretary of
State Bryan and the persistent rumors
that Mr. Bryan has been seeking to
modify President Wilson's policy in
the Lusitania affair raised the question
whether Mr.. Bryan is seeking to back
his reputed attitude with political
support.
Political Influences,
Chairman-p prospective Flood Of the
House committee on foreign affairs and
Chairman Stone of the Senate committee
OIL foreign relations both warm support
ers of Mr.. Bryan, are the two most con-
spicuous in the list. and the assumption
is that their views in accordance with
Mr.. Bryan's have been submitted to the
President
Representative Buchanan Of Illinois is
In town professedly to begin a crusade in
labor circles against any policy which
might lead to war, and to consult with
La DOT leaders upon the advisab bility of or
ganizing labor against a militant policy
fnY~ To- -
Bryan man. and Prospective Chairman
webb of the House judiciary committee
are also here.
Senator James. however, who is
fresh from a trip to the Pacific coast
says that the people out there are
nrmly back of the President II be-
ifeve he Is the most popular President
We have had in years." said Senator
James. and he would carry California
hands down if the election were held
today"
Representative Webb said TODAY that
the, people Of North Carolina are with
the President. but that they do not
want war. He declared that the peo-
pie believe the President is for peace
and they are giving him their support
heartily.
President Says Cabinet Is in Accord.
President Wilson, in talking with
in accord on the terms of the reply to
Germany and denied positively that
the note had been held up or unneces-
sarily delayed. The President depre-
Gated some of the newspaper specuIa-
tioD which, he feared, had given an i'm
preston abroad which might be per
manent.
This remark was construed bv some
OF his hearers to mean that reports Of
a n nm ivp I'M 1t
delay in the answer might have given
the Germans the impression that the
United States government was weaken
ing on its original position. Every bit
of information which has been obtained
in the past week has confOrmed to the
idea that the contrary is the case and
that the President will not recede from
the ground taken in his two notes to
Germany.
United Support Expected.
1t was prophesied in official circles
today that even If IL should turn out
to be true that Secretary Bryan had
sought political reinforcement of his
views. he will In the end conform to
the Presidents version of the reply to
Germany and that united cabinet sup
port wiz be given to the note as final
ly drafted.
Ever official and politician in
Washington is keenly alive to the ne
cessity of unanimous support of the
President in the position as finally
taken, and realizes that Germany
would be encouraged to more defiant t
attitude II the idea prevails there tha /
the administration is not united.
1t is thought possible that Mr.. Bryan
may find II advisable to make a state
ment dissipating the rumors and re-
ports which have been gaining increas-
ing currency of his alleged attitude of
being not in full and hearty accord
with the President