The Washington herald., 1915-05-24
wilson C(RBS
BRYAN POLICY
Commercial Advisers Ordered
to Stop Work on Ship
ping Disputes.
WOULD BECLOUD ISSUE
Despite Commoner's Plea. President
Will Settle German Question Be-
fore lacking British Note.
WOULD BECLOUD ISSUE

That President Wilson has found It
necessary to curb the activities OF his
Secretary of State in the matter of un-
official representatives and the injection
of the personal equation into matters
of highest diplomatic Importance is tie
belief in Washington as the result of
announcement yesterday that negotia-
tions between two trade advisers of the
State Department and Sir Richard Craw-
ford, commercial adviser OF the British
Embassy, relative to the expeditinS OF
settlements in shipping disputes have
been broken off.
That these activities would becloud tic
issue between this country and Great
Britain and be accepted by the latter as
a tacit acquiescence in the orders-in-
council is generally believed to have
been the fear in President wilson's mind.
At the same time it is known tuat Mr..
Bryan did not agree with his chief In
the matter of the German note: that he
wanted the tone materially Sf1tenei,
and that he favored the dispatch i'm
mediately after of note to Great Brit
ain sharply dissenting from the admins
tration of the orders-in-council
wilson's Attitude Settled.
The correspondent of the Brooklyn
Eagle. commentinS on the situation
says. in part:
with the administration firmly de-
termined not to be drawn into any con-
troversies that may becloud the clear
cut issue with Germany over the rights
of Americans at sea. the attitude OF
high and low officials in the State De-
partment is. to say the loast not helping
to smooth its path. Not only Is 1t
hat Rryan faV-
ored modifica ations In the tone Of the
note sent to Germany. but 1t seems equal
" we'll established that Mr.. Bryan fav-
ored the dispatching of a note to Great
Britain protesting against delays in the
settlement of shipping disputes. To both
of these plans the administration turned
a deaf ear. The President is COM
pletely settled in his attitude toward
Germany. and he does not propose to
have any counter issues raised with some
otho- European belligerent until the Ger
man case Is cleared up.
Following the differences of opinion
between the Secretary of State and the
administration has come a mix up be-
tween a very subordinate branch of Mr..
Bryan's department and the British
authorities, which, while not at all seri-
Gus, has caused considerable astonish-
ment in its revelation Of the fact that
a highly delicate diplomatic case. grow
ing out of the war. was permitted to be
dealt with. even in an unofficial way. by
two minor office holders who are in no
way classed as diplomats.
May Resume Conference.
while it is not for a moment believed
that Secretary Bryan meant that his trade
advisers should really touch upon mat
ters of big diplomacy. the wonder In
Washington is that they were allowed to
take a hand in the affair at all. That the
British Embassy officials originally mis-
understood the functions Of the trade ad-
yisers is easily believed here, knowing
that they were salaried officials attached
to the State Department, and probably
not presuming that they also had an "un-
Official capacity.
1T is freely predicted that the con-
ference SO abruptly terminated will no.
be resumed, and that the dispute Of the
two countries over cotton and other car
goes will ultimately be Jeettled by diplo-
mats of recognized rank on both sides.
The further prediction Is being made that
there will be no additional note OF protest
to Great Britain until the German situa-
ton has been cleared up-one way or
another. Meantime. the lack Of harmony
between the administration and Secretary
Bryan on the several negotiations grow
ing out of the war;, Is a subject Of in
creasing comment. with even some spec
uIation as to the ultimate result Of it,
Coa7d Mollify German Anger.
The New York Herald yesterday car
ried the following dispatch from its
washington correspondent. In part:
For several days altar the forwards