Evening star., 1924-03-19
1.-The True Story of
i Woodrow Wilson
! By DAVID LAWRENCE
By DAVID LAWRENCE.


chusetts senator was endeavoring to
prove that Mr.. WIhRs strong words
were tempered w4k ipts that they
were not meant sSfJ6nsly. and that
rights because she knew or believed
the United States would not under
the Wilson administration defend
those rights.
President Wilson issued from his
headquarters at Long Branch, N. j.,
a statement in reply to an inQuiring
telegram from Waiter Lippman, then
one of the editors of the New Re-
public. Mr.. Wilson said:
Denial by Mr.. Wilson.
I'm reply to the telegram, let me
say that the statement made by Sem
ator Lodge is untrue. No postscript
or amendment of the Lusitania note
was ever written or contemplated by
me, except such changes that 1 myself
inserted which strengthened and en-
phasized the protest, 1t was sug
gested after the note was ready for
transmission that an intimation be
conveyed to the German government
that proposal Tor arbitration would
be acceptable, and one member of
the cabinet spoke to me about it, but
1t was never discussed in cabinet
meeting and no threat of any resig
nation was ever made. for the very
good reason that l rejected the sug-
gestion after giving it such con-
sideration as I thought every pro-
posal deserved which touched so
grave matter. 1t was inconsistent
with the purpose of the note. The
public is in possession of everything
that was said to the German govern
ment."
The foregoing statement is one of
the most remarkable pieces of adroit
fencing which came from Mr.. Wilson's
pen. He had a theory that diplo-
matte denial was absolutely essential
in many cases because the end JUS
tilted the means. In this case every
line of Mr.. Wilson's statement is true
literally taken.
Within Limit of Facts.
In the first place, Mr.. Wilson was
right in saying that there was no
postscript to the Lusitania note itself
nor was there any amendment of the
note. Mr.. Wilson was right when he
said that he never wrote or contem-
plated writing any postscript or
amendment. Mr.. Bryan composed the
supplementary instruction for Ambas-
sador Gerard, and it was not a part
of the original note, but a separate
communication. Mr.. Wilson also re-
vealed that sit was suggested after
the note was. ready for transmission
that an intimation be conveyed to the
German government that a proposal
for arbitration will be acceptable"
He uses the word "intimation to
cover the instruction which was to be
sent to Ambassador Gerard. 1t was
true that only one. member, of the
cabinet spoke to Mr.. Wilson about it:
that was Mr.. Bryan. When the Presi
dent stated that the suggestion was
inconsistent with the purpose of the
note" he reveals the conclusion he
reached at the time. To his mind the
postscript, amendment or supple
mentary instruction did not exist Of
ficially because it was never sent to
Germany, and he spoke the real truth
when he said the public is in pos
session of everything that was said
to the German government.
Senator Lodge did. however, have
in his possession during that cam
paign the elements of one of the big
gest secrets of the administration, and
if he had worded his accusation in
slightly different fashion it would
have been impossible to deny the ex-
istence of supplementary instruc-
ton. On the other hand, since the
instruction was not sent to the Ger
man government, Mr.. Wilson regarded
the affair as of no Importance exter-
nally. 1t was of vital Importance in
ternally, however, because it was the
ignation of Mr.. Bryan as Secretary
of State.
Why Bryan Got Out.
What interested Mr.. Bryan was not
the strong language used in the dip
lomatic notes to Germany, but the
actual intention of the American gov
eminent. When he discovered that
Mr.. Wilson was prepared to develop
the correspondence with Germany to
climax which might result in war,
Mr.. Bryan declined to be a party to it.
The general public wondered when
Mr. Bryan resigned why he declined
to sign the second. Lusitania note to
Germany, which in tone was certainly
not as threatening as its predecessor.
The truth is Secretary Bryan learned
of President Wilson's readiness to go
to war if Germany persisted in her
violations of American rights. Mr..
Bryan was sincerely convinced that
war would be unpopular, and he left
the cabinet with the hope of persuad-
ing Mr. Wilson, through public opin-
ion, that a war policy was inadvisa ble
Some of the best speeches made in
defense Of Mr.. Wilson's administra- =
ton were CnOSS Oh w lila III Jennings u
Bryan during the campaign of 1916.
He travelled from one end of the west
to the other. His plea was for peace.
1t was he who emphasized that Wood
row Wilson had kept us out of war.
In his heart was a hope that the
speeches of the campaign would con-
stitute commitment and that Mr.
Wilson would listen no longer to the
clamor for war. When war did come,
William Jennings Bryan was a loyal
supporter of the government. His
record against a policy of involve
ment that would lead to war is clear
His was the theory of moral force
SO long as Mr.. Wilson agreed with
him the union of these two demo-
cratic leaders was indissoluble; the
moment physical force was contem-
plated by Mr.. Wilson, the two men
separated. 1t was a conflict of prin-
ciple, not of personality, and the part
ing of the two statesmen was truly
an affecting one. Each stood by his
conviction.
Copyright, 1924, by the George b. Doran Com
pany in the United States, Canada, South
America. World publication rights reserved
by Current News Features, Inc.)
(TomOrrovv's chapter tells OF the
marriage Of President Wilson to Mrs.
Edith Galt.D