The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-14
AEk[ STORY TOLD OF
DRIAn-DUnBA INCIDENT
Erom IL Berlin Got Idea That While
We Used Fighting Talk. Was
For Home Consumption.
cERARD's END OF GAME
When Told Mt Berlin That Uncle sam
Was Merely 5lunng, He Used MAN.
sized Language In Talking 60 Wash
ington.

Washington. Iuiy i3---What really
happened between William j. Bryan,
then Secretary Of state and the Aus
TRAN ambassador IN the conversation
which later confused the c0nsdera-
ton of the submarine issue in Berlin
was told TO your correspondent today
by one who knows all lhe facts.
That Mr.. Bryan did give the Aus
trian AMBASSADOR 10 understand that
friendly answer was all that was re-
CURED OF Germany in response 10 the
.Ensitania note Of Mag 3 was the pos
tive assertion Of your informant
From this arose all the trouble
After the Lusiiania note Of May ] ;.
when feeling was running high in this
country and the newspapers were
printing articles suggestive OF war or
the severance Of diplomatic relations
with Germany, Amhassa doris Bern
storf and Dumba were doing every
thing possible TO relieve the situation
here.
Dumha Calls on Bryan.
AS Am aasssdor Dumha was not d.
rectly involved In the submarine issue,
IL was decided that he should call
on Mr. Bryan and endeavor to learn
J from him Just what was the attitude
of the administration. il was thought
that possibly the am6a ssador might
learn something Of great value in adj
vising the Berlin government how to
meet the demands of tho United
States
Ambassador Dumba accordingly
called at the state Department, and
after some considerable effort. got
Mr.. Bryan to discuss TIE question
Tnat in this conversation Mr.. Bryan
distinctly gave the ambassador to un-
derstand that all the United states
really required Of Germany was a
friendly answer is the statement made
by this informant. 1t is declared that
Mr.. Bryan said that while the United
States had used strong language in
the note of May &. that note did not
mean that this country was going to
break off with Germany II Berlin did
I not meet the Presidents demands.
"A friendly note" 1t is stated. is
what Mr.. Bryan said was wanted from
Germany in reply. Mr.. Bryan re-
ferred. IL Is stated, 10 the pressure of
\ PLANTATION of the language Of the note
sent TO Berlin
Felt Relieved After Talk.
That Amba ssador Dumba came
away from the State Department
much relieved In mind. with the con-
I vicfion that the situation was not at
all dangerous Is certain. He wrote a
dispatch to his government reporting
the conversation and the impressions
he had gained from it as to the serf-
business of the American governments
Intentions. This message WAS shown
ito Ambassador Bernstorff. with whom
the Austrian am assador was In daily
conference at that time
The effects of the i'm preston gained
by the ambassador In his talk with
4 Mr.. Bryan came a few days later
Ambassador Gerard was at the Berlin
foreign office. using vigorous language
about the American position on the
q submarine issue. The official with
whom he was speaking suddenly in
ferrupted with a smile and told him.
In effect that he knew Mr.. Gerard
was biuffing and that there was no
need OF such strong language He
told Mr., Gerard that the Berlin gov
ornament had been Informed that the
American note was merely for home
ccusumption and that all the United
States wanted from Germany wHE-1
soft answer, which would make
break between the two governments
unnecessary.
Gerard Indignant.
Mr.. Gerard was naturally indignant,
and at once reported To Washington
what had been said TO him His mes
sage waa like stick of dynamite IN
the State Department. II was this
dispatch that Mr.. Bryan had in mind
when, in his recent statement on this
subject, he spoke OF having learned
that his conversation with Mr.. Dumba
s.lhad been mlsinterpreted In Berlin"
Ambassador Dumba was sent for
ny Mr.. Bryan and told OF what had
happened. He explained as best he
could. Ambassador Bernstorff was
nlso called in And, according to Mr..
Bryan, he showed q report of his
original conversation with the am bas-
nador 10 the President who approved.
Apologies were made all around, even
the Berlin foreign office sending a
message expressing its regret that
ruixundersta nding had occurred