The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-13
Gerard Informs Lansing That U. s. Note Has Been Delivered to the German Foreign Office
BRYAN SAYS NOTE WAS REVISED AFTER
 HIS RESIGNATION
Revision, However, Not Suf- ficient to Make Him
 Change His Determina- tion to Quit, He Declares

Washington. June 12.-Officiai nn- American note to Germany reiteratinK insistence that submarine warfare con- form to rules of humanity and inter- national law wns received today from Anbassndor Gerard nt Berlin.
 The message came nt the close of n dnymarkcd by n moro optim tic feel ing in official quarters that th~ Ger mnn answer would forestaII my pos sibiiity of war between the two mn tlons and also avoid n breach of dipIo- mntic relations.
 Apparently there was general relaxa- ton of the tension of the international sit- uation. President Wilson spent part of the day at golf and let 1t be known that later in the month he planned to take a short vacation at Cornish. No answer to the American rejoinder Is expected for 16 days at least
 Former Secretary Bryan who resigned rather than sign the second note to Ger many, issued another statement today, declaring that the note was materially re- vised following the presentation of his resignation. The revision, Mr. Bryan averred, softened the note but was not sufficient to justify him in withdrawing his resignation.
 Tt is true,~ said Mir. Bryan, that I saw the final draft of the note just before my resignation took effect. but it con- tained an important change. I had no knowledge of this change at the time my resignation was rendered and accepted Change Not Sufficient This change, while very much softening the note, was not however, sufficient, in my judgment to justify me in asking per mission to withdraw my resignation. As Germany had suggested arbitration, felt that we could not do less than reply to this offer hy expressing willingness tn apply the principle of the peace treaties to the case'
 What was the change in the noter' Mir Bryan was asked
 ''1 cannot discuss that" he replied
 It was suggested that the clause added to the note was that saying tho United States would entertain any evidence Ger many might have that American officials had not thoroughly performed their duty in examining the Lustanla before her de- parture to see that she was not armed for offensive action. MT Bryan only smiled at the suggestion.
 Secretary Lansing also declined to dis cuss changes made in the note.
 The clause referred to follows
 If the imperial German government should deem itself to be in possession of convincing evidence that the officials of the government of the United States did ont perform these duties with thor 3ugh- ness. the government of the United states sincerely hopes that 1t will submit that evidence for consideration"
 Irrespective of whether that clause was inserted or not Mir. Bryan was asked, does 1t not open the way for further negotiation with Germanys'
 q can only reterate what 1 have said, that the note was softened." Mir l;ryan replied, but not sufficiently to justify me in asking permission to withdraw my resignation.
 In his statement tonight MT. Bryan replied to published charges of ln- consistency because he signed the first note after the Lusitania disaster and refused to sign the second.
 "The notes" he said. "must he con- sidered in connection with the con ditions under which they were sent. The first note presented the case of this government upon such evidence as we had then. It was like the piain- tiff's statement in case. his claim be
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