Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-13
Bryan's Reason for Retirement

IN a long dispatch from its Washington cor
l respondent. the New York World suggests
and seeks to prove that the note to Germany
was not the real reason Of Mr.. Bryans resig-
nation from the Cabinet. The fact is. ac-
cording 10 the World correspondent, that MIR.
Bryan resented the action Of the President
in running the State Department and taking
important matters out of the hands OF it's
titular head. and seized upon the opportunity
afforded for criticizing the form Of the Presi-
dent communication to Berlin as the occa-
sion for retiring from the administration"
The correspondent ventures the prophecy
that the correctness Of this view will be
demonstrated by Mr.. Bryan later on.
1t is not impossible Mr.. Bryans most
devoted friends in Washington and elsewhere
are trying hard to understand how he could
have signed the note of May 13 and baked
at the note of June l l. Nobody else even
tries to understand it. If one note is more
militant than the other. it is the first rather
than that of more recent date.
In the meantime, Mr.. Bryan's address to
COMMUNICATING shows signs of beated
return to balance and sanity There are
other and even more hopeful signs in his
announcement that, for the time at least, he
Will have nothing more to say. Let him
make that temporary truce permanent and
he will win back many of the friends his
conduct in the last few days has estranged
oolle Ol bryan s remarkable state
ments. by the way, suggest the query: how
far can Christianity be applied in national
affairs? Mr. Bryan denounces the use Of
force on all occasions and places Mr.. Wilson's
ultfmatum in the same class with the Aus
TRAN demand on Serbia which led to the
present war. Mr.. Bryan seeks to inaugurate
the reign of peace on earth, and he thinks
That this can be done by resolutely refusing
to go to war under any circumstances. This
is Christian idealism. The invocation OF the
God of Hosts" which has been made too
frequently in the past by Christian priests,
is anti-Christian. There can be no doubt as
TO the attitude of the Founder of Christianity
towards war, unless perhaps on the question
of defensive war waged under circumstances
of exceptional necessity.
Mr. Bryan's appeal to mankind on the
ground Of pure Christianity is a coura geous
thing, but not so novel as 1t might seem
The same problem has confronted Christians
In all ages, and especially in modern CEN
turtles. The Eeformers were harassed with
this difficulty. They did not know whether
they should make no effort to resist evil. as
Christianity seems to imply, or whether they
had the right to take arms in defense of their
lives and faith. Calvin at first was opposed
TO resistance. as Luther had once been, but
he reluctantly admitted the moral proprety
or using force in self-defense The Reform
ers armed and the Of religion which
devastated Europe followed.
The fact Is that we live in world of war
The survival of the fttest is the law of ma
ture THE Ancient Law" Christianity runs
counter to this law, and it may be that in
the end Christianity will change the mora |
basis of humanity. But at the present mo-
ment force must be met with force There
is no other way.