Evening star., 1924-03-19
CHAPTER XIV.
The Famous Bryan "Poxtscript"-A
Sensational Secret Hitherto U.sx-
piained md the Tr.,e Cause Of the
Bryan Resignation.

Inc FAMOUS Bryan "POStaCript"-A
Sensational secret Hitherto U.sx-
piained md the Trae Cause Of the
Bryan Resignation.
Perhaps the. most dramatic episode
of that entire pre-war period in
America, if not, indeed, in Mr.. Will
sons first administration occurred
when the first note. was sent to Ger
many denouncing the destruction of
the Lusitania, with more than 100
American lives aboard. Mr.. Bryan
had not given up hope that moral
force could or would prevail. Presi-
dent Wilson read the note to the
cabinet 1t was strong in tone, stat
ing that the imperial German gov
ernment will not expect the govern
nent of the United States to omit any
word or action" in obtaining salts
faction of it's demands.
The cabinet approved, but in a con-
ference between the Secretary of
state, Mr.. Bryan, and the President
Afterward there was renewed discus
sion of the effect of the note. Mr..
Bryan thought the note might pro-
woke war, and could not bring him.
self to believe that he should sign a
note which would cause war, as. he
had committed himself to the pacifist
position. Mr.. Bryan reasoned with
the President that the American peo-
pie did not want war, that it was not
in keeping with Christian doctrines
for America to threaten war, and that
almost all the world was engaged in
tonhict, anyway, and some nation
should keep its head and remain
aloof. especially a nation like Amer
lea, composed of many races and able
10 understand the racial complexities
OF the European conflict.
Peace Treaties in Mind.
Mr.. Bryan had been negotiating
treaties with thirty nations whereby
mission of inquiry, during the ses-
sions of which the disputants would
agree for at least nine months not to
engage in hostihties. All the impor-
tant nations of the world, with the
exception of Germany, Japan and
Turkey had either accepted the prfn :
ciple of such treaties or had ratified
pacts of that kind with the United
States.
Mr.. Bryan pleaded with the Presi-
dent to give Germany another chance
TO accept the principle of an investi-
cation treaty. Mr.. Bryan was con-
WINGED that the Germans did not want
war with America, and that they
would look upon the suggestions as Il
d
RAISING situation. For even if they
had intended to send instructions to
torpedo the Lusitania, he could not
bring himself to believe that they
would repeat such an act when once
the effect on American opinion was
known in Berlin.
President Wilson yielded to Mr..
Bryan's persuasive arguments and
permitted him to draft an instruction
to Ambassador Gerard. to be sent
simultaneously with the Lustania
note. advising the German govern
ment of the Willingness of the United
States to submit the questions at
issue to commission of inveStIga-
tion on the principle of the Bryan
treaties.
.POstscript- Never Sent.
This instruction to Ambassador
Gerard, which has been varIously
called a postscript" or a supple
mentary note" was never sent from
Washington. 1t was under the cir
cumstances as exciting as it was sig
nificant. 1t would have made a
world wide sensation at the time, but
the swift passage of events since
those dramatic days has to some ex-
tent robbed the incident of it's true
Importance in the history of the neu-
instruction to Ambassador Gerard
reached the State Department 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 Secretary of State
Mr.. Robert Lansing was counselor
of the State Department. and it was
natural that he should learn of the
supplementary instruction. He could
not understand it and Immediately
communicated with Private Secretary
Tumulty in an effort to learn it's sig
niticance. Nj. Tumulty communicated
with his close friend. the Secretary
OF War. Mr.. Garrison. who said he
knew nothing about the supple
mcntary instruction, as it had not
Geen discussed in the cabinet meet
ing. Mr.. Lansing made it clear that
the supplementary 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 request
to reconsider. Meanwhile. the NOTE
itself was held up at the State De-
partment until the matter could be
canvassed further. Private Secretary
Tumulty made an eloquent speech to
his chief, pointing out the danger of
such step. that possible misunder-
standings might grow from it. that
Germany might geL the. impression
the United States would not fight
for her rights, and that it was essen
tial Germany be told she must re-
spect American rights without equiv
ucation.,
Sent in Original Form.
There were no direct threats Of
resignation made to Mr.. Wilson by
members of his cabinet. but the
President saw fire in the eyes Of his
advisers. He finally ordered the sup
Elementary instruction suppressed
and the note went forth to Berlin
with the strong words undiluted by
any suggestion of weakness.
Later on in the campaign of 1915
the secret leaked out in garbled
fashion and was never clearly ex-
plained. Senator Lodge of Massachu-
setts made speech in Boston read
ing from a letter sent him by Prof.
Charles H. Bailey of the Tufts Medi
cal School, repeating a conversation
vhicn Mr. Bailey had had with Henry
2. Breckinridge, who was assistant
secretary IF war under SecretaEy Car
;.ison ut the time /of the A7called
SpECTAE NOTICES.