The Washington times., 1915-06-29
THE BRYAN-DUMBA INCIDENT

1t is reasonably apparent that il
Mr.. Bryan were today Secretary of
State, the controversy about what
he said or didn't say to Austrian
Ambassador Dumba would require
very complete and instant clearing
up. A more satisfactory explains
tion of what passed between the
two, when they talked about the
first Lusitania note, would be abso-
lutely necessary. If it were not sat
isfactory, either Mr.. Bryan would
have to retire as Secretary or Am
bassador Dumba as his govern
ment's envoy.
The ambassador discussed the
note with Mr.. Bryan and informed
his country that Mr.. Bryan private
ly assured him that the document
was for domestic consumption in
the United States, not to be taken
too seriously in Germany. This
amazing discounting Of The solemn
declaration was communicated to
Germany, and its effects on foreign
office opinion there may be imag-
ined. The President, learning of it,
was much embarrassed. Mr.. Bryan
assured him that he (Bryan) had
said nothing warranting such u con-
struction; and the ambassador made
statement certifying the accuracy
Of the report which Mr.. Bryan had
made Of the matter to the Presi-
dent.
If Mr.. Bryan did not justify the
impression that the ambassador
conveyed to Vienna and Berlin, then
the Austrian ambassador was guilty,
however unintentionally, of a mis-
apprehension whose consequences,
in the delicate situation existing,
might have been most grave. If so
serious an error was made, it points
to the unavailability of the ambas-
sador for the service intrusted to
him here; that sort of misunder-
standing is dangerous alike to .his
own country and to this.
But it must be said that the pre-
sumption is decidedly in favor Of
the ambassador. He is trained
diplomat, who understands the nice
values Of words and the significances
of foreign office conversation. There
has been a good deal of evidence
that Mr.. Bryan, on the latter point
especially, was quite innocent. His
attitude toward the Lusitaria CORE
spondence, as developed when he
resigned, shows clearly enough that
he, at least, did not want the first
note to mean all it seemed to mean.
For him to intimate that much to
the Austrian ambassador would not
have been one whit more amazing
than for him to take the attitude he
did when he resigned and when sub
sequently he issued his various
statements touching his disagree
ments with the Administration pol.
icy. No man more than Mr.. Bryan
is liable to fall victim to the seduc-
tions of unlimited conversational
coinage; and everybody is liable tc
say things that they would not write
down and sign.
There ought to be clearing up OF
this whole incident by the publica,
ton Of all versions Of the converse.
tion. Embassies keep records ir
which the substance of such discus
sions is very carefully preserved
the State Department presumably
does, though it has been alleged
that Mr.. Bryan's diplomatic meth
DDS were so delightfully."- informa
that this was not always considered
necessary. 1t seems to be up to al
the parties to let the public know
the whole story; but on the other
hand it ought not to be done reck.
lessly and without consideration fol-
the wishes of President Wilson
Secretary Lansing, and the foreign
offices of Germany and Austria.
All the circumstances fit together
to suggest that Mr.. Bryan's resig,
nation was a confession that the in,
discretion was his own. 1t was moi
at all clear why he should have
bslked at signing the second note
after he had signed the first one
Mystery has surrounded the whole
performance of his withdrawal from
the service in the manner it was
done. Without further enlighten
ment of the circumstances, it will
be reasonable to presume that the
Dumba incident made it impossible
co.. b;,,o N rop, q in Oh tho S+o+o n