Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-24
FAMOUS BRYAN POSTSCRIPT
ON HOT NOTE TO GERMANY
REVEALED FOR FIRST TIME

planned. Senator Lodge, of Massa- |
chusetts made a speech in Boston !
reading from letter sent him by
Prof. Charles II. Bailey, Of the Tufts !
medical school, repeating a, CONVEX
sation which Mr.. Bailey had had
with Henry G. Breckenridge, who
was assistant secretary of war UNI
der Secretary Garrison at the time
of the so-called postscript" episode.
The Massachusetts senator was en-
deavorinG to prove that Mr.. Will |
sons strong words were tempered
with hints that they were not meant
seriously and that Germany was
destroying American 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 Walter Lippman,
then one Of the editors Of the New
Republic" Mr.. Wilson said:
I'm reply to the telegram, let me
say that the statement made by
Senator Lodge is untrue. No post
script or amendment of the Lusi-
tania note was ever written or con-
templated by me, except such
changes that l myself inserted
which strengthened and emphasized
the protest. 1t was suggested after
the note was ready for transmission
that an intimatiOn be conveyed to
the German government that a pro-
pOsal for arbitration would be ac-
ceptable, and one member of the
cabinet spoke to me about it, but
it was never discussed in cabinet
meeting and no threat of any resig-
nation was ever made, for the very
good reason that | rejected the sug.
gestion after giving it such consider
alton as [ thought every proposal de-
served 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 government"
The foregoing statement is one Of
the most remarkable pieces Of adriot
fencing which came from Mr.. Will
sons pen. He had a theory that a
diplomatic denial was absolutely es-
sential in many cases because the
end justified the means. In this
case every line of Mr.. Wilson'S state
ment is true-lterally taken.
CleverIy Answered
In the first place Mr.. Wilson was
right in saying that there was no
postscript to the Lusitania note it.
self nor was there any amendment
of the note. Mr.. Wilson was right
when he said that he never wrote or
contemplated writing any postscript
or amendment. Mr.. Bryan composed
the supplementary instruction for
Ambassador Gerard and it was not
part OF the original note but
separate communication. Mr.. viii.
son also revealed that lit was sug.
gested after the note was ready for
transmission that an intimate be
conveyed to the German government
that proposal for arbitration will
be acceptable" He uses the word
lntimation" 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 president stated
that the suggestion was "fnconsis-
tent with the purpose of the note"
ne reveals the conclusion he reached
at the time. To his mind the post.
script, amendment or supplement
tary instruction did not exist Off.
clal!y because it was never sent to
Germany, and he spoke the real
truth when he said "the public is
IN possession Of everything that was
Sdld the German government "
senator Lodge, did, however, have
IN ms possession during that cam
palSn the elements of one of the
biggest secrets of the administration
and II he had Worded his accusation
In slightly different fashion it
would have been impossible to DENY
the existence of supplementary in
stfuctlon. On the other HAND sinLs
the instruction was not sent to the
German government Mr., Wilson re.
Sarded the affair as Of no impor
lance externally. 1t was Of vital i'm.
portance internally, however, be.
cause it was the basic cause a monta
later of the resignation of Mr.
Bryan as secretary of state.
Why Bryan Resigned
What interested Mr.. Bryan was
not the strong language used in the
diplomatic notes to Germany but
the actual intention of the Ameri.
can government. When he dis.
covered that MIR. Wilson was pre-.
pared to develop. the correspondence
with Germany to a climax which
might result in war, Mr. Bryan de
clined 70 be a party to it. The gen.
eral public wondered when Mr..
Bryan resigned why he declined to
sign IT, second Lusitania note to
Germany which in tone was certain
ly not as threatening as its predeces-
sOr. The truth is Secretary BRYAN
learned of President Wilson ,eadi.
ness to 90 to war If Germany per.
sisted in her violations Of American
rights. Mr.. Bryan was sincerely con
WINGED that war would be unpopU
lar and he left the cabinet with the
hope Of per8uading Mr.. Wilson
through public opinion that a war
Dloicy was ihadvisable
Some Of the best speeches made
in defense of Mr.. Wilson's admins
tration were those of William Jen
ninSs Bryan during the campaign
Of 1915. He Travelled from one end
Of the west TO the other. His plea
was for peace. 1t was he who en-
phasized that Woodrow Wilson mad
kept Us out of war. In his heart was
q hope thar the speeches of tho cam
paiEn would constitute 4 commit |
ment and that Mr.. Wilson would
listen no longer TO the clamcr foi
war.
When war did come William Jen-
nings Bryan was a loyal supporter
Of the government. His record |
against q policy of involvement thai
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 Democratic lead /
ers was indissoluble. The momen.
physical force was conJem plated bv