New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-09

r,nra than anv other man had con-
tributed to luling the British nation
TO sleep regarding war, renamed; wen
would IL have been for the British gov
eminent if he had resigned, as Mr..
Rrvan has done, at the outset. Presi.
dent Wilson is fortunate in getting ria
of his Haldane before the decks are
even cleared for action, but he did not
get rid of him quickly enough.
THE Press"
an forcing Mr.. Bryan out of the
administration as Secretary of State
and by the correspondence in the case
il ia patiently nothing less than mat
ter of compulsion the President VIII
have the approval of the American
people. They will unqualifiedlv indorse
| Mr.. Wilson's action. because IN any
! event the Nebraskan was sorry mis-
! fit in our government. =.
when we have reached the stage
where the German issue must be met
fairly and squarely, Mr.. Bryans au-
thoritv in the State Department could
only excite the Berlin Foreign Office
to fresh defiance of our position and
annihilate the waning confidence OF
+, our people in the purpose OF TINS gov
eminent to maintain 1t. :.
at would be idle to deny and foolish
to ignore the grave possibilities OF TINS
event-grave because the Bryan policy,
now rejected. has been permitted to go
as far as it has gone. While 1T can
mean nothing less-as stated by Mr.
BRYAN himself than that, led too far
by his Secretary of State along
course of hesitation and vaclllaton'
Mr.. Wilson finally has resolved to re.
spond to the demand of the nation and
move straight ahead to firm settle
ment of our differences with Berlin, II
may not be so easy now to convince
the Won Jagow ministry that we are IN
earnest. 1t would have been far less
difficult before Berlin had been allowed
TO play fast and loose with us re-
peatedly and recklessly.
"Mr. Bryan would not take the risk
of a firm policy pregnant with such
possibilities. Mr. Wilson would. and
so they had to part. If it is credit
to Mr.. Bryans conscience. as voiced
in his letter of farewell, that he would
rather expose his country TO further
afrront and subject his countrymen to
| further crime than to face the chance
of war, nothing could more strikngy
prove his unftness for the office which
| he has now left. .,
and by the same token, Mr. VIII
son. forcing the issue with Mr. Bryan
as he sends his answer TO Berlin. be.
gins to redeem, in its international
aspect. his foreign policy and his ad-
ministration before determined,
united and loyal American people.
"The Times"
"Mr BRYAN has done well in resign
ing II is perhaps the wisest act OF his
political career.
at was out of the question that ne
should continue to be Secretary or
State. But the difference over the note
TO Germany, after all. is hardly more
than the occasion of his retirement.
! The act has many causes. For
many months Mr. Bryan has been made
TO feel that he was an unconsidered
parsonage in the administration.
"A growing irritability OF manner
/ has made it evident that he was aware
| of this loss of standing. His inability
to assent to the form of the note to
/ Germany put him in an untenable po-
/ sition from which there was no refuge
save by resigning.
at was characteristic of Mr.. Bryan
/ that he should insist upon the refer.
ence to some commission or tribunal OF
1 tnc OlUeTenCeS AHdl nave WIN
+ Germany. The President is not
of that opinion, and the country gives
! him its solid support in holding that
! fragrant offences against law and hu-
manity are not arbitrable, and that our
! honor and our safety alike demand
| that we should call upon Germany to
/ declare whether she iniends to persist
! in using methods 81 warfare so re-
pugnant and shocking to the sense of
! right and justice entertained by all
! civilized nations"
The American.
"Mr. Bryan, in his letter Of resigna-
ton. fatty names as its cause the tone
of the note to Germany.
"He declares himself TO be animated
above all things by a desire for peace
and even his detractors will not
question the sincerity of his devotion.
/ He ascribes TO the President like
| devotion, but questions his method OF
attaining the end and refuses to be
a party to that method.
"He has taken the only course open
to him, and is to be commended for
| his strict adherence TO duty and the
public welfare. as he sees them.
perhaps in thus following his con-
science Mr.. Bryan has done his coun
/ try a real service by emphasizing the
: far divergence of the administration.
( Of which he now ceases TO be mem
/ Der. from that strict and impartial
/ neutrality which should characterize
/ this nation, and by the observance OF
which alone il can escape entangle-'
ment in the world war.
THE administration jealousy guards
4 the text of the note now about TO be
dispatched TO Germany But there is
enough evidence to justify the belief
I that il is no less extreme In its de-
mands and even more uncompromising
in its tone than the first note.
"Mr. Bryan's resignation is sufficient
to prove this, as he signed the first
note. while he says of the second that
he could not join in il without violat-
ing what deem TO be an obligation TO
my country.
THE nation may we'll hope that the
breakup of the Wilson Cabinet may
be the only serious result OF the stub
born determination Of the President TO
force upon Germany unreasonable and
impossible conditions of warfare. But
If the note approved by the Cabinet
Yesterday is indeed of such a character
as to Justify Mr. Bryan's revolt it is 10
be feared that the United States is
opening a new and undesirable chapter
In It's history"