The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-06-11

WASHINGTON. June Former
Secretary OF state Bryan today do
ciarcd a would rest his case with
a statement 10 be addressed TO Ger.
Americans until a special occa.
sion arises This is understood 60
mean that bryan will wait until
Germany replies to president WI.
sons rejolnder before taking fur.
Their steps In his peace campaign
and explaining the reasons for his
resignation
II Germany should reject the de
mands made by this government. the
former secretary will then endoavor
to have arbitration substituted for
the drastic steps President Wilson
may consider necessary.
hryan last night gave out the 10.
lowing statement to the newspapers
In his campaign for his peace poll.
cies;
To the American people
You now have before YOU the
text OF the note To Germany the
note which II would have been my
official duty 90 sign had remained
secretary of state. ask YOU to sit
In Judgment upon my decision 10
resign rather than TO share respou.
sihility for II. | am sure YOU will
credit mo with honorable motives,
but that Il not enough Good I'm.
tentions could not atone for mis-.
take NJ such time. on such n sub
iect and under such circumstances
n Your verdict Is against me. | ask
no mercy. ! desire none N I have
acted unwisely. \ man IN public
life must act according 20 hts cor.
science. but however conscientious.
/ ~ he acts. he must be prepared 10
accept without complaint any con.
demnation which his own errors
may bring upon him. he must be
willing 10 hear any deserved pun.
ishment from ostraclsm TO cxccu.
tion. hut hear mo before you pass
sentence.
The president and agree In
purpose. We desire peacefui SO
luton OF tho dispute which has
arisen between the United States
and Germany. We not only desire
/ IL. but With equal feryur we pray
for II. but we differ irrcconcilabiy
ms 10 the means OF securing II. II
IL were merely a personal differ.
enee IL would be a matter OF little
moment. for all the presumptlons
are on his side-the presumptlons
that 20 with power and authority
lie IA your president. | am n pri.
waite citizen. without office or title.
but one Of the hundred million OF
Inhabitants
But the real issue IN not be.
tween persons. Il IL between Hyr.
TENS. and I rely for vindication
wholly upon the strength OF the
position taken.
Among the influences which
governments employ In dealing
with each other. there are two
which are preemlnent and antago-
nistic--force and persuasion Force
speaks with firmness and acts
thru the ultlmatum: persuasion
employs argument. courts inycstL
cation aud depends upon nsgotla.
tion
Force represents the oil sys-
tem--the system that must pass
away. persuasion repvcsaEts the
new systematic system that has
been growing. all too slowly. Z IL
true. but growing for 1900 years
In the old system. wa- - the chief
cOrnerstone--war. which NJ TIA best |
Is little better than war at its
worst: the new system oontem. |
plates universal brotherhood. "a.
tablished thru the uplifting power /
OF example.
III ! correctly interpret the note /
TO Germany. u conforms 10 the
standards OF the old system rather
than TO the rules OF the now. and
| cheerfully admit that II Is abund. 1
antly supported by presidents
precedents written in characters OF
blood upon almost every page OF
human history. Austria furnishes
the most precedent. u was Austria's
firmness that dictated the ulii-
matum against Serbia. which set
the world Mt war. Every ruler
now participating In this unparallcl
ed conflict has proclaimed his de.
sire for peace and denied responst
bility for the war. and n is only
Charitable that we should credit
all OF them with good faith.
They desire peace. but they
sought II according to the rules of
the old system. They believed that
flrmness would give the best as.
surancc OF the maintenance OF
peace. and. faithfully following prec.
edent. they went so near the fire
that they were. one after another.
sucked into the contest. Never be.
fore have the friEhtful follles Of
this fatal system been no clearly
revealed as now. The most civ
ilized and enlightened the
most Christian. OF the nations OF
Europe are graphing with each 9th.
er as II In death struggle.
They are sacrificing the best
and bravest Of their sons on the
battlefield; they are converting
their gardens into cemeteries aud
their homes into houses Of mourn.
ing. they are taxing the wealth OF
today and laying a burden OF debt
on the toll OF the future. they have
filled the air with thunderbolts more
deadly than those OF Jove and they
have multiplied the perils OF the
deep.