The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-16
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BRYAN DEFENDS PRESIDENT TO
GERMAN=AMERICANS
issues Third STATEMENT
Former Secretary Praises Neutrality
Policy Of PresideE.. E..-Tllinks Ger
many Should Give in to Requests
and Asks German-Americans to
Trust President in His Dealings.

and Asks German-Americans tt
Trust President in His Dealings.
William ]. Bryan Friday night is
sued an appeal addressed to "the
German-Americans' urging them tc
aid in maintaining peace between the
United States and the fatherland by
exerting their influence with the Ger
man government to persuade it not tc
take any steps that would lead IN the
| direction of war.
With this statement Mr.. Bryan eX-
poets to end for the present his ef'
forts to lay before the public the sit
uation which caused him to resign
the portfolio of secretary Of state
| On Wednesday he gave out an expla'
nation of why he left the cabinet
rather than sign the last American
note to Germany regarding subma-
rine warfare: Thursday he issued an
appeal to 1.-The American people to
stand for persuasion rather than for
force in asserting right under inter
national law, and Friday he made a
brief statement expressing gratlhca-
ton at what he termed change OF
ton on the part of lingo editors
regarding the note to Germany.
Mr.. Bryan's statement follows:
June II, 1915.
t'To the German-Americans: Per
nit me to address word to you as
j one American citizen speaking to fell
low American citizens in whose pa
triotism he has entire confidence. 1t
| is natural that in contest between
YOUR fatherland and other European
nations your sympathies should be
with the country of your birth.
'It is no cause for censure that
this is true; it would be a reflection
upon you if it were not true. Do not
the sons of Great Britain sympathlze
with their mother country? Do not
the sons of France sympathize with
theirs? Is not the same true of Rus
sia and of Italy? Why should it not
be true of those who are born in Ger
many or Austria? The trouble is
that the extremists on both sides
| have mistaken a natural attachment
felt for birthplace for disloyalty to
| this country.
..The president has been uniustly
| criticised by the partisans of both
sides-the very best evidence of his
| neutrality. If he had so conducted
the government as to wholly please
either side it would excite not only
establishment but misgivings, for par
tisans can not give an unbiased judg-
! ment; they will Of necessity look at
the question from their own point OF
view, giving praise or blame accord
ing as the fact, regardless Of its real
character, helps or hurts the slde
with which they have aligned them
| selves.
Both Have Equal Rights.
"The fact that the administration
has received more criticism from Ger
! man-Americans than from those in
sympathy with the allies is due to
| the fact that while both sides are at
liberty under international law, to
| purchase ammunition in the United
States. the allies. because of their
| control of the seas, have the advan-
tage of being able to export 1t.
sIt is unfortunate that partisan sup
porters of. Germany should have over
looked the legal requirements of the
situation and have thus misunder-
stood the position of the adm1nistra'
! ton. The administrators position
has not only been perfectly neutral,
but it could not have been otherwise
without a palpable and intentional
violation Of the rules governing neu-
trality.
This government is not at liberty
| to materially change the rules OF In
ternational law during the war, be-
cause every change suggested is dis
cussed, not upon its merits as an aD-
stract proposition, but according TO
the effect it will have upon the con-
; test. Those who wanted to lay an
embargo upon the shipments OF arms
defended their position on the Srouno
that it would hasten peace, but IL IS
strange that they could have over
looked the fact that the only way IN
which such action on our part could
hasten peace would have been by
heIping one side to overcome the
other.
Same Rule Applied.
"Wh:le the attacks made upon the
president by the extremists OF Doth
sides were very unjust, it was equally
unjust to subject the patriotism OF
those who took sides. / feel well
enough acquainted with the Euro
pean-born American to believe that
in a war between this country and
any European power the naturallzeo
citizens from that country would oe
as ouick to enlist as native-born cltl-
zens.
"As I am now speaking to Ger
man-Americans I am glad to repeal
in public what l have often SAID II
private, and would have said in pub
lie before but for the fact that i
would not have been proper for one
in nv official position to do So
namely, that in case of war bet"eer
the United States and Germany
so improbable suppositlon cal
he considered - German-Amerlcan:
would be cs prompt to enlist and a:
faithful to the flag as any other por
ton of our people. What nave sale
in regard to German-Amerlcans is al
! introduction to an appeal Whlcn
!. feel it my duty to make to them.
! First. If any Of them have eve
: in a moment CT passion or eXcitemen
suspected the president of lack O
neutrality or lack of friendship 10
ward the German government and th'
German people, let that thought bt
forgotten, never again to be recalled
| have. since my resignation. recelv
: ed numerous kilograms from Ger
man-Americans and German-Amerl
can societies commencing my action
, think the senders Of these tele
grams understand my position, Du
that no one may mistake it let me re
state it.