The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-06-15
MUCH LESS TENSION
FELT IN WASHINGTON
General Relaxation of Strain Over
United States Relations With
Germany.

United states RelauOnS WIN
Germany.
Washington, June 12-Ohcial an
nouncement of the delivery Of the
American note to Germany, reiterat-
ing insistence that submarine war
fare conform to rules Of humanity
and international law, was received
today from Ambassador Gerard at
Berlin.
The message came at the close of a
Gay marked by a more optimistic feel
ing in official quarters that the Ger
man answer would forestall any pos
sibility of war between the two ma
tions and also avoid a breach of dip
Iomatic relations.
Apparently there was general re-
Taxation of tension in the internation-
al situation. President Wilson spent
part of the day at golf and let it be
known that later in the month he
planned to take short vacation at
Cornish. No answer to the American
rejoinder is expected for ten days at
least.
Former Secretary Bryan, wt2o re-
signed rather than sign the second
note to Germany, issued another state
ment today declaring that the note
was materially changed after the pre-
sentation of his resignation. The re-
vision, Mr.. Bryan aTerred, softened
the note, but was not sufficient to JUS
tify him in Withdrawing his resigna-
ton.
Changed at Last.
at is true" said Mr.. Bryan, "that
I saw tie final draft of the note just
before my resignation took effect, but
it contained an important change. I
mad no knowledge of this change at
the time my resignation was rendered
and accepted.
"The change, while very much
softening the note, was not, however,
sufficient, in my judgment, to justify
me in asking permission to withdraw
my resignation. AS Germany has
suggested arbitration, l felt that we
could not do less than reply to this
offer by expressing a willingness to
apply the principle of the peace
treaties to the case"
"Wnat was the change in the note?'
Mr.. Bryan was asked.
q can not discuss that" he re-
piled.
The Possible Addition.
1t was suggested that the clause
added to the note was that saying the
United States would entertain any
evidence Germany might Lave that
American officials had not thoroughly
performed their duty in examining the
Lusitania before ner departure to see
that she was not armed for offensive
action. Mr.. Bryan only smiled at the
suggestion.
Secretary Lansing also declined to
discuss changes made in the note.
the clause referred to follows:
eff the imperial German govern
ment should deem itself to be in pos
session of convincing evidence that
tie officials of the government of the
United States did not perform the
duties with thoroug1ness, the govern
ment of the United States sincerely
hopes that it will submit that evil
dence for consideration
"In respect of whether that clause
was inserted or not" Mr.. Bryan was
asked, docs it not open the way for
further negotiations with Germany?''
81 can only reiterate what I have
said, that the note was softened, Mr..
Bryan replied, "but not sufficiently to
justify me in asking permission to
withdraw my resignation
Why He Resigned.
In his statement tonight Mr.. Bryan
replied to published charges of in
nm cic+a,ocy bocouco hn cion c5 tho
first note after the Lusitania disaster
and refused to sign the second.
"The note," he said, must be con-
sidered in connection with the condi-
tions under which they were sent. The
first note presented the case of this
government upon such evidence as We
then had. 1t was like the PLAINTIFF s
10 III 1oIJ