New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-11
Not One of His Cabinet
Advisers Taken Into
His Confidence.
EVEN BRYAN NOT
CONSULTED WITH
Suggestion Heard That Diplo"
matte Relations with the
Kaiser Be Broken Off.
[Fron Tic Trlhunc Bnteaul


dent Wilson departed for Philadelphia
this afternoon he carried with him the
secret which has been tantalizing the
country and taxing the guessing powers
Of official Washington for the last three
days. What is the administration 60
ing TO DO in the way OF demanding
reparation for the murder by German
armed forces of 1877 American citizens,
many of them women and children :?
What Is this government going to DO
to put an end to German atrocities on
the high seas, so far as its own ma
tionals are concerned?
The answer to these questions Is still
TO be sought in Mr.. Wilson's inner con-
seriousness. Tomorrow the Cabinet
will meet. So far its members have
been kept in the dark, just as the coun-
try has been kept in the dark. 1t is
freely admitted at the White House
that since Friday last Mr.. Wilson has
not had even telephone conversation
with Secretary Bryan. In the biggest
crisis in foreign affairs which has
arisen since the Spanish warm
crisis in which much more may be at
stake than was involved in our rupture
with Spain-the President has kept the
chief of his Cabinet at chilling, even
humiliating, distance. 1t is situa-
tion unique in the history of the per-
sonal relations of Presidents and theii
Secretaries of State.
Bryan Out of 1t.
Mr.. Bryan's counsel may not be of
very great value to anybody in this
crisis. 1t is even heaTtlessly suggested
that the President has deliberately
avoided consultation with him with a
view TO emphasizing his own absolute
control of the administration foreign
policy and convincing the country that
the Secretary of State peace-at-any-
price theories arc not TO be applied in
settling the American score with Ger
many. However this may be, neither
the State Department nor the Cabinet
has figured so far in the shaping Of
programme. The President will not
ask the advice of Mr.. Bryan or any
other Cabinet adviser until he is entire
ly ready to show his hand.
There is difference Of opinion in
Official circles here as to the length to
which the United States will 90 in
formulating the American note to Ger
many. That the President will de-
nounce the act of the German subma-
rine in very definite terms is conceded.
That he Will inform Germany that a
repetition of the offence will be intol-
cradle is also expected. The idea that
he will suggest or take the first step
toward the severance of diplomatic re-
lations between the United States and
Germany is preached, but finds nothing
to confirm it.
1t was suggested to-day that the
President might throw precedent TO
the winds and frankly address Kaiser
Wilhelm, and request from him. after
stating the sentiment of the United
States, a statement Of Germany's de-
termination as to her permanent
policy.
May Break Relations.
II is felt here that if the demand
for a denunciation Of the attack on the
Lusitania, recompense for the loss of
life and the promise that similar at
tacks will not characterize Germany's
future course results in a defiant an
swer from the German government the
United States may then break OFT
diplomatic relations with the German
Empire.
There arc many persons. however,
who point to the experience of the
United States in Mexico as showing the
futilty of instituting a moral boycott
against the Kaiser by simply breaking
off diplomatic relations with Germany.
They argue that the cause of friction
between the two governments would
not be removed by merely refusing to
exchange correspondence about it
through conventional diplomatic chan
nels.
1t is held that tho views and in
tcrests of Germany and the United
States in regard to the lawlessness Of
the submarine campaign are in ir-
reconcilable conflict and that ore side
must yield if the present status o.
friendlness is to continue. II is ar
gued that the duty of the United States
is to present its case and TO stand on
il, and then the issue will be clear and
unacceptable.
The President is receiving large
numbers of kilograms from all quarters
of the United States. Scattered through
the lot are few crank kilograms,
meaningless and sometimes threaten
ing. The great majority Of the mes
sages are offers Of support from per
sons of prominence and assurances
/ that the writers are willing to trust TO
/ the President TO do the right thing and
I the best thing for the whole people at
| this time.
DDECINEMT &c