Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1915 — THE RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY BRYAN. [ARTICLE]

THE RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY BRYAN.

William J. Bryan, being unable to approve of President Wilson's last note to Germany, resigned as Secretary of State Tuesday afternoon; The resignation was accepted and Counselor Robert Lansing is now acting as Secretary of State in Mr. Bryan's stead. According to the letters of resignation and acceptance, the difference was not over the result sought but over the method of bringing it about. Both President Wilson and Mr. Bryan are earnest advocates of peace, and it is unfortunate indeed at this time that their policies should clash. Both are men of strong opinions, Mr. Bryan has Stayed in the cabinet longer than The Democrat anticipated he would when appointed as a member thereof. In view of the strained relations now existing between this country and Germany, it would seem that Mr. Bryan should have stuck to his post and not deserted President Wilson at this time. There is a possibility, of course, that bis action may be misinterpreted by Germany, and he could have compromised his conscience, it would seem, by keeping still and therefore not have given it the opportunity for doing so. It seems that:' Mr. Bryan's idea has been to warn Americans from taking passage’ on British ships and especially ships carrying ammunition and munitions of war, also to submit the differences that have arisen to a tribunal composed of representatives of neutral countries, and he has made public his reasons for resigning as such. The people of the United states, regardless of political affiliations, and, we might say, nationality, are almost unanimously behind President Wilson in anything that arises as a result of its controversy with Germany over the sinking of the Lusitania and other merchant ships. As the Indianapolis News well says: ' ( The country will stand with the President on the pending issue. It

has indorsed his policy in regard to the submarine campaign from the very start. Not for one moment has it failed to support the President. It will not fail to. do so now. Mr. Aryan's resignation will not make a particle of difference. Indeed, it will relieve the President of much embarrassment. There is one assumption that Mr. I P-r>‘an makes that, in our opinion, must be dissolved. .It is that he is in some special sense the friend of peace. Yet he is no stronger for peace than the President is. Mr. Taft, who has most patriotically supported the administration, is known all over the world as an earnest peace man. More than that, the American people are lovers of peace. The question now is not one o peace or war. but of doing what we can to make Germany see that ’*• f recent warfare on unarmed ships '"'•d on neutrals may lead to war. The effort is and has been to insure peace by bringing her to a better state of mind. The pause of peace is dear to the American heart. The issue relates to foreign afatrs, and it might be better to refrain from inviting further dscussion o them at this time. As we have said, Mr. Bryan was within his rights in resigning. But even more than shat his action was Wise, since unity of view in the cabinet is essential. While it is reg re table that differences should have arisen at such a time, response from all sources in support of the President will result in simplifying the President’s problem. Looked at from this point of view Mr. Bryan, by his resignation, has rendered an important public service. We shall now have a united and , harmonious government. The duty of the hour is to stand together as Americans in support of an American administration.