The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-11
Commoner Asks Hearing of the People Before They Pass Judgment On His Resignation
URGES AMERICA TO TAKE THE LEAD IN
 REQUESTING WAR
Precedents for Presidents Position Written In Characters of Blood" Says Former Secretary

Washington, June l0.-William Jennings Bryan, in an appeal ad- dressed "To the American People, tonight asks them to hear him before they pass sentence on his laying down the portfolio of Secretary of State in the midst of international stress.
 Confident that the public will credit him with honorable intentions, Mir. Bryan says that good intentions are not enough; and that if the public verdict is against him he asks no mercy. asserting that men in public life must be willing to bear any de- served punishment from ostracism to execution"
 Interpreting the American note to Ger man on submarine warfare, Nhen he re. fused to sign, as conforming to the "old system" of diplomatic standards. prece- dents for which 'are written in charac ters of blood upon almost every page of human history" and characterizing him self as champion of the new system persua sion instead of force-and as "an humble follower of the Prince of Peace the former Secretary of State pleads for the United States to lead the world "out of the black night of war into the light l of that day when swords shall be beaten into plowshares .
 To Issue Another Statement | Tomorrow MT. Bryan will issue another statement, an appeal. he says, to Ger man. Americans" The nature of this ap- peal he would not discuss. But with the
 issuance of the third statement since his resignation the former secretary says he will be ready 10 rest his case.
 "Of course I shall always be ready to. talk when the occasion arises. and think it necessary" Mir Bryan declared. When Mir. Bryan met newspaper men at his home to give out his statement he was clad q military iifiiiitt5tisst !eeking khaki | riding suit, having just returned from horseback ride In the country. ''I rode out in the woods today. he said, and chopped down tree Chop ping is my chief exercise lately Asked how big the tree was, he said 1t was IS inches thick and that he thought wood choppng the finest exercise in the world.
 The statement tonight entitled by the | former secretary the real Issue" Is as 1 follows:
 "To the American People: You now | have before you the text Of the note to Germany-the note which il would have been my official duty to sign had re- mained Secretary of State. ask you i to sit in judgment upon my decision to resign rather than to share responsibility 1 for it. am sure you will credit me with l honorable motives, but that is not enough. 1 In mistake at such time on such a sub l ject and under such circumstances. If your verdict is against me, ask no mercy: l desire none If I have acted un- wisely. A man In public ire must act according to his conscience, but how ever conscientiously he acts he must be prepared to accept without complaint any condemnation which his own errors may | bring upon him: he must be willing to bear any deserved punishment from ostra- cisn to execution. But near me before 1 you pass sentence.
 Agree in Purpose
 "'rhe President and agree in purpose,
 we desire peaceful solution of the dis rute which has arisen between the United 1 States and Germany. We not only desire lit but with equal fervor we pray for 1t.
 but we differ irreconcilably as to the
 means of securing it, If it were merely l a personal difference 1t would be mat ter of little moment, Tor all the presunp- tons are on his side--the presumptons that go with power and authority. He Is your President; l am a private citizen
 without office or title--but one of the hundred million of inhabitants.
 But the real issue Is not between per sons: fl is between systems: and 1 rely for vindication wholly upon the strength of the position taken.
 "AmonP the influences which govern
 ments employ in dealing with each
 other there are two of which are pre- ! tCOntinued on Page Twelve)