Evening star., 1915-06-11
SEE GOOD EFFECT
OF FBRYAN'S ACTION
Friends Declare His Note, Is
sued Today, Indicates jim
goes Have Been Halted.
BELIEVE HIS RESIGNATION
HAS SHOWN WAR PERIL
Deprecates Talk Of New Party"
Confident World Will Credit
Him With Good Intentions.

Friends of William Jennings Bryan
today see in a small statement issued
by him early this afternoon the possl-
bility that his withdrawal as Secre-
tary of State and his published reasons
therefor may have halted some of the
newspapers of the country on the brink
of urging strong action by President
Wilson against Germany at moment
when jingoistic publications might have
an alarming effect upon public opinion
in the United States
No opinion is expressed that the note
to Germany. made public this morning
is milder in tone than 1t would have
been had not Mr.. Bryan resigned and
published at once his reasons therefor
but friends of Mr.. Bryan do believe
that his momentous action has caused
the people of the United States tc
come suddenly face to face with the
real possibility of war with Germany
and all that that would mean.
Gratified at Change in Tone Of Press
Mr.. Bryan said today:
"I am glad to note the change in tho
tone Of the press in regard to the note
to Germany From the time the papers
began to publish forecasts, down to yes
terday, the jingo editors have been pre-
dieting that the matter would be dealt
with with great firmness, that Germany
would be told that there must be no
more delay in the acceptance of this
countrys demands. etc Instead of wait
ing until the note was issued. they put
their own construction upon 1t In advance
and colored 1t to suit their own purposes.
emphasizing the friendly tone OF the
note and pointing out that 1t does
not necessarily mean war. Something
has been gained II the warrior jour
does not want war, but that, on tho
contrary. It will support the President
in his efforts to find peaceful solu-
ton Of the difficult problem raised by
the use of the submarines against mer-
chantmen."
This statement was made today by
Mr.. Bryan, following the publication
in the morning papers OF an address by
him ITO the American people," coinci-
dent with the publication of the text
of President Wilson's note to Germany,
which Mr.. Bryan resigned rather than
sign, in which Mr.. Bryan asked the
public to hear him before sentence Is
passed upon his laying down the port
folio of the Secretary of State In the
midst of international stress. Mr..
Bryan's address to the public is pub
lished elsewhere in The Star today,
and 1t will be followed tonight. for
publication tomorrow morning, by an
address he Is writing to German-Amer-
leans
Appears in Best Of Humor.
Asked today at his home at Calumet
Place, where he is spending the second
day Of his retirement to private life,
what the address to German -Ameri-
cans could contain that is not already
contained In the statements he has SO
far made, Mr.. Bryan told a story of
bill collector who was informed that
he could come around Saturday and
he would be told when he could call
again"
In the best of humor. Mr. Bryan today
talked with a representative OF The Star
upon the various questions that have come
up in connection with his retirement at
this juncture in international affairs. A
word picture of this great world figure
who has thus voluntarily placed himself
III retirement, as a matter of principle,
that he may better fight the possibility Of
the war idea which he combats, and en-
gage in coming great struggle with the
President of the United States, as his
statements show that he intends to do,
would not reveal him as lonely, dispirited
or anxious of the result that is to come
from his personally assuming such an out
standing figure In the drama of interna-
tlonal politics.
On the contrary, Mr.. Bryan has re-
ceived between 1000 and $500 tele-
grams from senators, representatives
in Congress, labor organizations. so
cieties and individuals of prominence.
whose names he refuses to divulge. in
dorsing the stand he has taken and
assuring him of support.
Deeply conscious of the fact that his
actions of the past few days and of
the days to come may sway the fate of
nations, should the response of Ger
many to the United States note, pub
ltshed this morning, draw the admins
tration deeper into the results of the
controversy now raging. Mr.. Bryan was
today pleased with the outlook. epi-
grammatic and cheerful.
An adroit fencer in the use of words,
as he has always been with his inter-
ciewers, he today made cryptic allu-
sion to the possibility of the announce
ment tomorrow of scne plan as to his
own actions in the immediate future
which he has in mind. He gave his in
reviewers the impression today that
he will be. for while at least. "a
Roosevelt for news" as one veteran
newspaper man expressed 1t.
Deprecates "New Party" Stories.
Mr. Bryan was asked If he had read
stories in the morning papers which
allude to the possibility that he will
be at the head of a new political party
in the United States. composed of the
advocates of peace. the prohibitionists
and the woman suffragists. He an
swered:
"Oh. I have only been reading the
important news"
1t was suggested to the former Sec
retary that many Of his friends are
trying to select places for him. one
OF them being the seat of Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska
mot a word as to that" he said.
Again. 1t was suggested that II the
present international complications
lead the country closer to the idea of
war. Mr.. Bryan might again be known
as colonel" remembering the regi-
ment he headed during the Spanish
American war He answered:
The public need not be worried
about what ! or any other American
might do. While / do not care to talk
about war. my record is known. AL
though opposed to war In 1898, I vol
unfeered for service the day before