Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-09
GARRISON OR LANSING
PROBABLE SUCCESSOR
tContinued from Eirst pc

continued from First PaEe.)
ment that to remain a member Of the
Cabinet would be as unfair TO YOU as
II would be to the cause which is near
est TO my heart. namely, the preven-
ton OF war"
NOTE DECIDED on
MAY LEAD To WAR
The construction placed upon this
declaration OF Secretary Bryan was
that the note which President Wilson
and the majority of the Cabinet had
,, decided TO send to Germany. in the
Judgment of Mr.. Bryan. probably will
lead TO war.
1t is that consideration which is
causing n very tense feeling in Wash
inGton tonight. In all the public
places groups arc discussing with the
utmost gravity the situation which
has arisen.
Mr.. Bryan in his letter gave as a
speclhc reason for his decision TO retire
from the Cabinet the irreconcila bl e
diherence between him and the Presi-
dent as TO the best methods 10 be en-
pioEea TO reach peaceful solution Of
the problems arising out OF the use Of
submarines against merchantmen.
This is point upon which Mr. Bryan
-
cally from the start. The President in
his note to Germany under date OF
May l3. substantially declared that it
was impossible for Germany to use
submarines against merchantmen with
out disregarding those rules OF fair
ness, reason. justice and humanity
which all modern opinion regards as
imperative.
This declaration OF the President has
been generally construed as a practical
warning to Germany that her subma
rine warfare against merchantmen
must cease, as IL was impossible for
her. in the Presidents view, to carry
II on under the rules and regulations
Of internatio law
STATE OPINION FREELY
AT CABINET MEETING
Mr.. Bryan from the first has been of
the opinion. and has voiced his opinion
determinedly at Cabinet meetings, that
this declaration of the Presidents was
too sweeping.
He has contended that Germany
hardiy could be expected TO permit the
United States to control the character
of her submarine warfare against the
powers with which she Is now at war.
right to ask, and the most GERMANY
could be expected to grant. Mr.. Bryan
has held, would be that Germany carry
cording to international law. so far as
that warfare affected the citizens and
the interests of the United States.
When the President and the ma
jority OF his Cabinet decided that the
United States, in the new note to Ger
many. would stand firmly for the broad
humanitarian principles upon which
President Wilson's first note was based,
Mr.. Bryan decided he could not con-
scientiously give his approval to such
course.
AS 1t is necessary that any note of
the Importance Of the German note
should bear the signature of Secretary
OF State. Mr.. Bryan had to decide
whether or not he would affx his sig
nature to declaration absolutely op-
posite to his conscientious views He
decided that he could not do It, and
his resignation became inevitable
When the Cabinet met this morning
at II o'clock to consider the German
note for the second time, 1t had before
II two drafts of the note. One was the
draft made by President Wilson last
week. the other was the draft made by
Mr.. Bryan at President Wilson's sue-
gestion yesterday.
BRYAN NOT PRESENT
WHEN CABINET MEETS
When the Cabinet assembled Mr..
Bryan was not present. His absence
was generally regarded by the waiting
correspondents as at least partial con-
firmation of the report that crisis in
the Cabinet had been reached. Rumors
began to fly thick and fast. Mr.. Bryan
was besieged and pressed for his rea-
sons for remaining away. He gave
as an excuse that he had important
business which demanded his immedi-