Evening star., 1915-06-09
Political Consequences of Mr..
Bryan's Resignation Depend
on His Future Attitude.
MAY SEEK PRESIDENCY
ON A PEACE PLATFORM
Immediate Concern at This Hour,
However. Is Its Effect on For
eign Situation.

Political consequences of Mr.. Bryan's
resisnat tiou and their effect upon the
democratic party depend altogether
upon whether Mr. Bryan a2gressiNelE
assails the Wilson administration or
maintains an attitude of passive non
compliance with its policies. is the
concensus Of opinion of politicians in
NaShington W
.Nt his hour the politicians ana OIL
firials are more concerned over the I'M
mediate effect of his resi- gnation upon
The acute foreign situation. It is
feared by some that in rcsignine at a
crucial moment he has kindled a back
fire against his own country and the
administration Of his own party by
encoura ging Germany to believe that
the United states is not standing back
of the President ana fomenting Ger
American sentiment in this coun-
Try il opposition 10 the President
II such turns out to be the case
il is The opinion of politicians that
Mr. Bryan will find a storm of resent
nIent whlstlins about his ears that
viii make them ring. This considera-
ton must also be taken into account
in emplatins the future political
effect OF his move
that at first blush the prevailing be
lief among politicians is that Mr..
Bryan MAY later be presented with the
temptation to enter presidential poll
tics on his own account with new
platform OF universal peace and conn-
wide prohibition. He has tried
sereraI-frec silver. public ownership
Of railroads. initiative and referendum:
and guarantee Of ational bank deposits.
Has he now found one that seems more
1iCin all 70 a
asked
There is one contingency he may
have TO face. the politicians think. and
that is The probability that President
Wilson's policy may not result in war.
but may bring peace with honor and
added prestige to the United States.
May Mean Unpleasant Situation.
In such an outcome. altogether
within the proba bilities. where would
Mf. Bryan find himself: is asked by
the politicians. They say he would
chew the bitter cud of reflection that
he had turned upon his own admins
tration in the hour Of stress, endan-
gering its foreign policy. That record,
the politicians think, would not ap-
peal strongly to the American spirit
In what is considered the remote
event of war. Mr.. Bryan would find an
if he chose to embrace II.
the politicians say, to forward per-
sonal presidential ambitions. but to
the almost certain destruction OF his
party similar to the disaster that be-
fell the republicans through their di-
vision in 1912.
1t is assumed that he could head
whatever sentiment existed in this
country in dissent to the war: the pro-
posed propaganda to enlist organized
labor against a war. to rally the peace
at-any- price people. to assemble what
ever part or the German American
population. # there be any, which
favors the fatherland against the
adopted la nd and all the discontented
elements.
However. endless speculation could
be INDUCED in, the politicians say. upon
the political effect of his resigninR.
bu, they think it is largely useless
until he has developed his own position
by his utterances vet to be made. If
he withholds criticism Of the admins
tratiou the only effect to be now con-
sidered is upon German sentiment in
the way Of possible stifening OF de-
fance to the United States.
Right here il might be said that IN
some quarters the opinion is held that
there MAY he more behind his reslsna-
ton than the difference over the Ger
man note MANY men in official. con-
and political life know that
Mr. BRYAN has been unhappy in his as
SocIatIon with the administration for
some time Some Of h1S close friends
have heeu hitter il their feeling t!iat.
whether well founded not. spirit
existed wIthlr administration circles
IrIrniCal I" tIrr.
ii has been prophesied over and over
AGAIN that lc would not remain the
wear out II tho "a biuet. and these fore
cast were made prIor 10 The arising
of the Gtti.r rene. Of opinion over the
German situation Some Of his friends
have charged that an element in the