The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-16
wilson IS SORRY
HOPED BRYAN WOULD CHANGE
UP TO LAST MINUTE
TRIED TO CONVINCE HIM

President Shows Deep Feeling Over
Determination of his Secretary
Met Him and Argued Points In
volved in Effort to Reach Common
Understanding.
President Wilson by his every
word and act Tuesday showed his
deep feeling over Secretary Bryan's
decision to resign from the cabinet.
He accepted the resignation with
greatest reluctance, and only after he
had become firmly convinced that he
and the secretary were unalterably
apart On the kind of note to be sent
to Germany.
Ever since last Friday, when he
began to feel that his views and
those of Mr.. Bryan could not be
reconciled, the president has made no
secret of his sorrow to his closest ad-
visers. Sunday he called at the home
of Secretary Tumulty to discuss the
situation. Since then he saw Secre-
tary Bryan several times and did his
utmost to win him over to his point
of view.
During conference the two had
at the White House Monday, how
ever, it became finally evident that
Mr.. Bryan would leave the cabinet.
Not wishing to be questioned about
the situation, the president directed
Secretary Tumulty to cancel his regu-
lar Tuesday conference with news
paper men but later he rescinded the
order, and saw them. At the con-
ference, he looked careworn and his
replies to questions were quick and
sharp.
Immediately after the cabinet
meeting the president went to the
White House, taking Secretary Tu-
multy with him. He talked little on
the way but several times referred to
Mr.. Bryan and his high regard for
him.
The genial smile and CHEEKY tone
with which the president usually
meets the newspaper representatives
at the White House were not in evi-
dence when he faced the inquisitorial
battery of more than two-score of re-
porters before the cabinet meeting
Tuesday morning.
The expression of his face was grim
and careworn, the lines radiating
from the mouth and eyes indicative
of deep concern. The tone in which
he addressed the pencil brigade in
answer to fusillade of questions was
unusually brusque and at times Sc
we're. He displayed natural impati-
ence at some of the absurd interroga-
tions directed at him.
Following the cabinet meeting
Monday the president sent for Mr..
Bryan and the latter came over from
the state department and remained
with his chief for an hour. Mr.
Bryan resumed his pleadings with
the president that there be incor-
porated in the note which the presi-
dent had decided should be sent to
Germany a provision for reference of
at least some phases OF the issues at
stake to an international arbitration
commission.
The president is understood to
have canvassed the matter thorough
ly with the secretary. He is repre-
sented as having expressed the belief
that these issues did not justify the
application of the principles of arbl-
tration,. but more direct treatment.
He urged Mr.. Bryan to study the
problem confronting him as presl-
dent in it's broader aspects-that of
the patriotic duty he, as president OF
the United States, owed to the people
whose rights had been outraged by a
foreign power.
Mr.. Bryan seems to have followed
the counsel of his chief and to have
spent a goodly portion of the night
in deciding which road he should
take. There is reason to believe that
before he retired he had drafted the
letter to be sent to the president ten
dering his resignation. This he dis
patched to the president so that the
latter received it a full half hour be-
fore the gathering of the other mem
bers of the cabinet and Immediately
following his conference with the
newspaper men, at which he urged
them to refrain from speculation con-
corning the contents of his note to
Germany.
1t was apparent to the members OF
the cabinet who had assembled that
the president was greatly depressed
by some occurrence. He talked ear
nestly with Secretary McAdoo before
the cabinet met, and the latter was
in the private telephone room for ten
minutes, presumably urging Mr..
Bryan to come over and withdraw
his resignation.
The presidents announcement that
the secretary of state had rendered
his resignation called for no eXplana-
ton as to the cc-uses, but there were
genuine expressions Of regret from
all Of the members because Mr..
Bryan has always been personally
popular with them.
Up to the time that Mr.. Bryan ap-
peared. which was more than an
hour, after the session had begun,
CQSTS IS ISdSOu W USIiS'O Siett IAiN
president and his advisers hoped that
when he did come he would recon
slider his action and withdraw his
RESIGNATION. He sat in his accustom-
ed pl;.ce at the right Of the presi-
dent, and repeated much that he had
said at the meeting on Friday and a
great deal more about his ideals and
hope for universal peace.
Even when the cabinet meeting
broke up. Secretary Lane, who is
gifted in the way of stroking down
persons with grievances. linked his
arm in that OF his associate and led
the way over to the hotel where they
were to lunch.
The president and the other mem
bers of the cabinet were hopeful that
Mr.. Lane could induce the secretary
of state to withdraw his resignation.
That he failed establishes a new rec
ord for the secretary Of the interior
He usually succeeds.
When Mr.. Bryan returned to the
state department, Secretary Lane re-
paired to the White House and talk
ed with the president for some time