Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-11
BRYAN, IN APPEAL
TO PEOPLE, RESTS
CASE WITH THEM
Pleads for United States to
Lead World Out of Black
Night of War.
IF VERDICT AGAINST HIM,
WILL ASK FOR NO MERCY
American Note to Germany Con-
forms to Old Standards
of Force.
HE CHAMPIONS PERSUASION
HE CHAMPIONS PERSUASION
In Another Statement To-Day, For
mer Secretary VIII Address
Gernan-Americans.

WASHINGTON, June 1o-William
jennings Bryan, in an appeal addressed
ito the American people" tonight
asks them 70 hear him before they
pass sentence on his laying down the
portfolio OF Secretary OF State in the
midst Of international stress.
Confident that the public will credit
him with honorable intentions. Mr..
Bryan frankly says that good inten-
lions arc not enough. and that If the
public verdict is agains, him ne asks
no mercy: also asserting that men IN
public He must be willing to bear
any deserved punishment from ostrac-
ism TO execution"
Interpreting the American note TO
Germany on submarine warfare, which
he refused to sign as conforming 20
the old system OF diplomatic stand
ards, precedents Tor which are writ
ten in characters of blood upon almos;
every page OF human history" and
character!zins himself as champion OF
the new system--pcrsuasion instead Of
force-ard as IAN humble follower Of
the Prince OF Peace" the former
Secretary Of State pleads for the
United States TO lead the world "out
of the black night of war into the light
o! that DAY when swords shall be
beaten into plowshares.
Tomorrow Mr. Bryan will issue an
other statement. an appeal. he says. TO
German Americans. The nature OF
this appeal ne would not discuss. but
with the issuance of the third state
ment since his resignation. the former
secretary says nc will be ready TO rest
his case.
"Of course. shall always be ready
to talk when the occasion arises. and
think II necessary" Mr. Rryan de-
clared
STATEMENT ENTITLED
"rIIE real. ISSUE"
The statement tonight. entitled by
the former secretary as The Real
Issue" is as follows
ITO the American People:
You now have before you the text
of the note 10 Germnny-the note
which II would have been my official
duty to sign had remained Secretary
OF State. ! ask you 10 sit in judg-
ment upon my decision TO resign rather
than 10 share responsibility for it,
am sure YOU will credit me with hon
F. orable motives, but that is not enough
Good intentions could not atone for
mistake at such a time, on such a
subject, and under such circumstances
II your verdict is against me- ask no
mercy; ! desire none II | have acted
unwisely. A man in public life must
act according TO his conscience, but
however conscientiously he acts he
must be prepared to accept without
complaint any condemnation which his
own errors may bring upon him: he
must be willing to bear any deserved
49, F,1,
ton But hear me before you pass
sentence.
The President and l am agreed in
purpose: we desire a peaceful solution
OF the dispute which has arisen be-
tween the United States and GERMANY
We not only desire It, but with equal
fervor we pray for it. but we differ
irreconcilably as to the means OF secur-
ing it. II It were merely a personal
difference, IT would be a matter of
little moment, for ali the presumptions
are on his side--the presumptions that
20 with power and authority. He is
your President; I am private citizen,
without office or title-but one Of the
hundred million of inhabitants
REAL ISSUE DECLARED
TO BE BETWEEN SYSTEMS
But the real issue Is not between
persons; it is between systems: and
rely for vindication wholly upon the
strength of the position taken.
Among the influences which gov
ernments employ in dealing with each
other. there are two which are pre-
eminent and antagonstic-force and
persuasion. Force speaks with firm
ness and acts through the ultImatum;
persuasion employs argument, courts
Investigation and depends upon nego-
tiation. Force represents the old sys-
tem-the system that must pass away;
persuasion represents the new system
the system that has been growing all
too slowly. II Is true. but growing for
nineteen hundred years. In the old
system war is the chief corner stone
war which at It's best is little better
than war at Its worst: the new system
contemplates a universal brotherhood,
established through the uplifting
= mower OF example
IF I correctly interpret the note to
Germany, II conforms to the standards