The Washington times., 1915-06-09
MR.. BRYAN'S RETIREMENT

CTlSlS WHICH COSJS Jne AuITlHlSITd-
tion it's premier at the moment when
a strained international situation
has brought the country. within
measurable distance of the gravest
eventualities that can confront
nation. Mr.. Bryan resigns with the
frank statement that he could not
conscientiously give his approval to
the Administration note to Ger
many on the Lusitania incident.
Meanwhile, the contents of that
note are unknown to the world;
they must be guessed from what is
known Of Mr.. Bryan's long record
as a devoted advocate of peace, even
of peace at any price, and from
what he intimated in his letter Of
resignation. Manifestly, Mr.. Bryan
believed that the newest letter to
Germany, now definitely adopted as
this country's policy, goes farther
toward the possibility of American
entry into theswar, than he is will
ing to 60. with it.
The correspondence between, the
President and his chief of state is
entitled to be accepted at its face
value. The premier did an honor
able and a courageous thing in re-
firing under circumstances that
would have made it a day-by-day,
living lie for him to remain. He
did, moreover, exactly what ,cabi-
net ministers in other countries do
without the thought that they will
be blamed for it. The right, even
the duty, to resign when a public
man finds himself in high place and
unable to conform to the policies Of
his chief, is quite matter Of course
in countries with cabinet" admins
tration. There has been too little Of
that self-respecting attitude among
American public men. 1t is quite
desirable that they learn the lesson
of how rightly to lay down Office, as
we'll as how to take it up.
1t is to be regretted that, when
the first oLusitania note was sent,
and before the international situa-
ton was so grave as now, consider
alton should not have been projected
far enough into the future to make
certain that the disagreement must
come, and to admonish Mr.. Bryan
that then was the appropriate time
for him to retire. 1t ought to have
been realized then that the course
planned by the President must, in
certain very possible contingencies,
make Mr.. Bryan's continuance in Of
flee impossible. For the sake Of
minimizing the embarrassments to
the Administration, the resignation
should have been rendered and &C.
cepted then.
But afterthought is better than
forethought. Mr.. Bryan still hoped
that developments would make it
possible for him to avoid thus en-
barrassing the Administration; and
he erred. When the time came to
adopt irrevocably a course in which
he could not acquiesce, ne did exact
ly the right thing in retiring.
There are those among Mr.. Bry.
ans numerous critics who now rush
forward to denounce him fer what
ever they have not approved in the
foreign policies Of the Administra-
tion heretofore. But these are the
same critics who a few days ago
were proclaiming that Mr.. Bryan
was a mere figurehead, having no
real influence in foreign policies,
Plainly, if Mr.. Bryan had no in
fiuence at all, he is not now to be
blamed for what was done or left
undone. He is entitled to fair treat
ment, at least.
1t is not altogether easy to agree
with commentators who urge that
the retirement of Mr.. Bryan in this
moment of crisis will rlislead the
German government into the pellet
that there is hopeless factional and
political division in America and
that therefore this country NAV
safely be fiouted. Rather, we should
think, Berlin will read the newest
note and consider that to write il
thus cost an American President q
break in his ministry. Will not that
serve to convince Berlin of the un,
shakable purpose of the Administra,
tion? The mere wording of the note
becomes unimportant, in the light Of
Mr.. Bryan's obvious understanding
of the spirit back of it. Mr.. Bryan
is an irrevocable advocate of peace
of composition of whatever differ
ences may arise. He was in posi-
ton to know what the President haC
left unsaid, and what it meant; anc
he knew that peace at any price wa
incompatible with the tenor CT tha
note and the reserved purposes O.