The Washington herald., 1916-11-05
The Lusitania Notes and Postscript. y

Vi "dIidIS, ana QeCldIcQ IL iluSt
hold the imperial German government ito strict
accountability"
This important State paper, bearing Mr.. Bryan's
signature as Secretary of State declared in con-
| cluson
The imperial German government will not ex-
pect the government of the United States to omit
any word or any act necessary to the performance
OF its sacred duty Of maintaining the rights of the
United States and its citizens and of safeguarding
their free exercise and enjoyment.
In regard to this memorable and historic note,
Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts,, made public a
letter written by DR.. Charles H. Bailey to the
Massachusetts, chairman of the Hughes National
College League in the course of which, giving
detailed account of long conversation he had
had on railway journey with Mr.. Henry Breck-
inridge, formerly Assistant Secretary of War, Dr.
Bailey said:
That following the completion of the "omit no
word or no act note" (supra) to the satisfaction
OF the Cabinet, Mr.. Wilson, without the knowledge
Bryan, himself wrote postscript which he sent
with the note to the State Department for codih-
cation. Mr.. breckenridge stated that both Mr..
Garrison and he had seen this postscript, and he
told me what he claimed were its exact words
which, however, cannot repeat exactly, but the
substance was that the imperial German govern
ment was not to put too serious an Interpretation
on the words omit no word or act." On the con-
trary, he would be inclined, provided the German
government did not fit to yield to the demands
OF the United States to use his efforts toward sub
mitting the entire matter to an impartial nterna-
tional tribunal the decision be made only after
the war. Both note and postscript were submitted
to and signed by Secretary Bryan.
Before quoting further from Mr. Baey's let
ter his statements should be restated and carefully
observed: () the President himself wrote post
script to the note in question, after it had been
completed to the satisfaction of the Cabinet; (2)
he did this without the knowledge of any member
of the Cabinet except Mr.. Bryan; 60 the Presi-
dent sent the postscript" the State Department
for codfcation; ca this postscript was seen both
by Mr.. Breckenridge and Mr.. Garrison; 50 Mr.
Breckenridge told what he claimed were its exact
words to DR.. Bailey; (6) their substance was what
has just been quoted hereinbefore from Dr. Baey's
letter; and % both note and postscript were sub
mitted to and signed by Secretary Bryan.
Only the excitement of the closing days of
national election could have prevented SO able and
experienced a statesman as Senator Lodge from
seeing that any such change or modification of
State paper of the momentous Importance of the
note of May 49, 1915, would never have been made
by postscript" The note would have been
written carefully not to show its face,
even to suggest to the German government, that
it had ever been anything else than what it in
its final form. How otherwise could it have the
desired effect? But DR.. Bailey ntimated Gin Civ
ing the substance of Mr.. Breckinridge's alleged
revelations) that the postscript was to speak for
itself and induces the imperial German government
mot to put too serious Interpretation the
words omit word act, and to suggest an
inclination to submit the whole matter to an I'M
partial international tribunal the decision to be
made only after the war"
Returning to DR. Baey's letter, VIC find him
saying:
This (postscrpt), according to Mr.. Breckin-
ridge, was too good for Mr.. Bryan to keep to him
SELF with the result that it reached Secretary Gar
rlson's ears, who Immediately. with two or three
q do not remember which, other members Of the
Cabinet, called on Mr.. Wilson and demanded that
he withdraw the postscri ipt under the threat that
otherwise they would resign and make the matter
eaS M Ms06 s05 bs obst yielded and Sec
Now, what says Mr. Bryan? AS reported from
Omaha, October 80:
William J. Bryan, former Secretary of State
denied here tonight that there any truth in the
story that postscript had been written to the
Lusitania note advising the German government
that the strong language of the note should not
be taken seriously and that later the postscript
was withdrawn. 81 take it for granted" Mr.. Bryan
said that the President will deal with the matter
as he deems wise, if indeed any attention be paid
to it after Mr. Breckinridge's denial"
Mr.. Breckenridge had stated, for publication
that any who quoted him ito Senator Lodge
as reported is scoundrel," and afterwards tee-
graphed to Dr. Bailey as follows:
Your letter to Grafton Gushing (Massachu-
setts chairman of the Hughes National College
League) is a tumble of false statements, and you
unconscionable wretch for utterng it."
Here is what the President himself has said in
a telegram to the editor of the New Republic ap-
parently the theory that by indorsing Dr.
Baiey's letter. Senator Lodge made it his OWL:
In reply to your telegram let say that the
statement made by Senator Lodge is untrue. No
postscript or amendment of the Lusitania note
w ten cnnter MI at ed hV
such changes as l myself inserted, which strength
ened and emphasized the protest
1t was suggested after the note ready for
transmission that proposal for arbitration. would
be acceptable, and one member of the Cabinet
spoke to me about it. but it wasnever discussed in
Cabinet meeting and no threat of any resignation
was ever made for the very good reason that l
rejected the suggestion after giving it such
sideraton as l thought every proposal deserved
which touched grave a matter. 1t was incon-
sistent with the purpose of the note. The public
is in possession of everything that said to the
German government
1t will be observed that although DR.. Bailey's