Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-10
What Bryan Lacked

NGR BRYAN'S statement, simplifying the
1F1 reasons for his resignation that he gave
in his letter to the President. reveals those
traits of character and mind that despite his
high abilities. untitled him to discharge the
duties of Secretary OF State and made him a
failure in that office.
To put it bluntly, his fatal deficiency is an
inability TO appreciate or even to understand
some of life's retnemcnts Admitting we are
grievously wronged oy Germany he
no impropriety loss Of dignity in accom-
panyng our demand for redress with an offer
to bludgeon Great Britain into acQuescence
with the German view of international law.
The Presidents inability to sympahize with
this viewpoint is not touched on in the state
ment given out yesterday by the retiring
Secretary OF State. but this is we'll known to
have been one OF the principal points at issue.
What the statement does stress is the mat
ter of arbitration. Not only does Mr.. Bryan
favor this method of settling our controversy
with Germany. but he thinks the proposal
should come from this country. So far as
his words suggest he would not require; as
a preliminary TO submission. the abandon
ment' OF the German submarine warfare.
which has resulted already in the destruction
OF American property and of many Ameri-
can lives. If what he says is to be taken at
its face value, il means that, while some
tribunal of arbitration is endeavOring TO as
sess the value Of the life of an American citi-
zen, Germany might be piling up innumer-
able other injuries. While the court de-
liberated, the submarines would keep on
with their deadly work.
Adoption by this people of a plan of this
sort is unthinka BILE, save by. Mr.. BRYAN and
his immediate following. We have said on
another occasion that if Germany ceased sub
marine attacks on neutral shipping and so
modified her warfare against enemy mer-
chantmen as TO provide for the safety of non
combatants. this country might be willing TO
arbitrate even the grievous wrongs that have
BEEN inflicted but to talk OF arbitration while
the wrongful course is still pursued is child
ish. In any case, it is not for the United
States TO propose resort to that method of
preserving peace-an obvious consideration
that MIR. Bryan fatty negatives.
He is not more logical or satisfac Glory in
his description OF his second point of differ
with the President. In some manner
not quite clear and by the application OF some
law known only TO himself. he would forbid
bellgerent vessels within what Germany has
marked or as war zone" ii the presi-
dent had followed Mr.. Bryans advice, he
would have been in the attitude OF insisting
that neutrals have q right 70 make such
voyages, but OF yielding at the same time TO
a foreign mandate by which the right is
sought TO ne ahrogated BY the refusal of
passports and in every way proper our ma
tionals have been discouraged from travelling
10 Europe, save when the travel was justified
by duty or business emergency. To go far
Their was not within the Presidents power,
and would seriously have complicated and
weakened our demands for PREPARATION.
Ii is for the best, on the whole, that Mr..
Bryan has resigned his portfolio. He does
not possess The qualities that should distin-
guish the Secretary OF State OF this great
country. The nation will feel safer in the
hands OF Woodrow Wilson when those hands
irmness is not relaxed by the Presidents al
fectionate gratitude TO a man who in other
relations OF life has served him well