Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-24
Dramatic Episode in Wilson
Administration Described,
Connn1oner Quit Cabinet in
Effort to Avert War
By DAVID LAWRENCE

Copyright, 1924, by the George r. Dorar
company in the United States Canada, South
America World publication rights reserved
by Current News Features Incorporated,)
CHAPTER XIV
D1RHAPs the most dramatic cpl
sode of that entire pre-War pc
riod in America, if not indeed
in Mr.. Wilson's first administration,
occurred when the first note was
sent to Germany denouncing the
destruction of the Lusitania With
more than 100 American lives
aboard. Mr.. Bryan had not given
up hore that moral force could or
would prevail. President Wilson
read the note to the cabinet. 1t was
strong i'll tone stating that the
imperial German government will
not expect the government of the
United States to omit any word or
action in obtaining satisfaction
of it's demands.
The cabinet approved, but IN
conference between the secretary of
state, Mr.. Bryan and the president
afterwards, there was renewed dis
Mr.. Bryan thought the note might
provoke war and could not bring
himself to believe that he should
sign a note which would cause war
as he haG committed himself to the
pacifist position. Mr. Bryan reason
ed with the president that the Amer
lean people did not want war; That
it was not in keeping with Chris
tan doctrines for America to threat
en- war, and that almost all the
world was engaged in conflict any
way and some nation should keep
it's head and remain aloof, especially
q nation like America, composed of
many races and able to understand
the racial complexities Of the E1ll o.
pean conflict.
Mr.. Bryan had been negotiating
treaties with thirty nations whereby
disputes would be resolved by COM
mission of inquiry during the SEES
sions Of which the C.Sputes would
agree for at least nine months not
to engage in hostilities All the inn
portant nations of the world with
the exception of Germany, Japan
and Turkey had either accepted thc
principle of such treaties or had
ratified pacts of that kind with the
United States.
Bryan Note Suppressed
Mr.. Bryan pleaded with the preSl-
dent to give Germany another
chance to accept the principle OF an
investigation treaty. Mr., Bryan was
convinced that the Germans did not
want war with America and that
they would look uron the sug2es-
tons as a .-ophole and a W. " out
of an embarrassing situation. For
even if they had intended to send
instructions to torpedo the Lusitanla
he could not bring himself to be
lieve that they would repeat such
an act when once the effect on
American opinion was known in Der
lin.
President Wilson yielded to Mr..
Brvan's persuasive aruments and
permitted him to draft an instruc-
ton to Ambassador Gerard, to be
sent simultaneously with the Lus1-
tania note, advising the German gov
eminent of the willingness of the
United States to submit the ques-
ton at issue to a commission of in
cestigatiOn on the principle of the
Bryan treaties.
This instruction. to Ambassador
Gerard. which has been Variously
called a postscript" or a supple
mentary note" was never sent from
Washington. i was under the cir
cumstances as exciting as 1t was
significant 1t would have made a
worldwide sensation at the time,
but the swift passage Of events since
those dramatic days has to some eX'
tent robbed the incident of its true
importance in the history of the
neutrality period. The supplement
tary instruction to Ambassador
| Gerard reached the state depart
/ ment from the White House and
! was about to be put into code and
| cabled TO Berlin No one knew about
| it except the president and the sec
rotary Of state. Mr. Robert Lansing
! was counsellor Of the state depart
! ment, and It was natural that ne
! should learn of the supplementary
/ instruction. He could not under
! stand it and Immediately commune
/ Gated with Private Secretary Tu-
! multv in an effort to learn its sig
! nificance Mr.. Tumulty commune
/ Gated with his close friend, the sec
/ rotary of war, Mr.. Garrison, who
! said he knew nothing about the sup
! Elementary instruction as it had not
/ been discussed i'm the cabinet meet.
| ing Mr.. Lansing made it clear
I that the Upplementary instruction
/ was a recession in his judgment
! from the strong words contained in
! the note itself Word was passed
! to other members of the cabinet and
/ soon Mr.. Wilson was besieged with
] a request TO reconsider.
/ Meanwhile, the note itself was
/ held up at the state department I'm,
! I'll the matter could be canvassed
| further. Private Secretary Tumulty
/ made an eloquent speech to his CHIEF
pointing out the danger of such a
/ step. that possible misunderstood
/ iugs might grow from it, that Ger
, many might get the impression the
/ United States would not fight Tor
. her rights and that it was essen
/ tial Germany be told she must re-
spect American rights without
! eQuiVOCatiOn.
( There were no direct threats OF
/ resignation made to Mn Wilson BY
/ members OF his cabinet. but the
president saw fire in the eyes Of
/ his advisers. He finally ordered the
| supplementary instruction suppress
! ed and the note went forth to Ber-
/ lin with the strong words undlluted