Washington, June 8, 1915.

My Dear Mr. Bryan:

I accept your resignation only because you insist upon its acceptance;
and I accept it with much more than deep regret, with a feeling of
personal sorrow.

Our two years of close association have been very delightful to me.
Our judgments have accorded in practically every matter of official
duty and of public policy until now; your support of the work and
purposes of the Administration has been generous and loyal beyond
praise; your devotion to the duties of your great office and your
eagerness to take advantage of every great opportunity for service it
offered have been an example to the rest of us; you have earned our
affectionate admiration and friendship. Even now we are not separated
in the object we seek, but only in the method by which we seek it.

It is for these reasons my feeling about your retirement from the
Secretaryship of State goes so much deeper than regret. I sincerely
deplore it.

Our objects are the same and we ought to pursue them together. I yield
to your desire only because I must and wish to bid you Godspeed in the
parting. We shall continue to work for the same causes even when we do
not work in the same way.

With affectionate regard,

Sincerely yours,

WOODROW WILSON.

To Hon. William Jennings Bryan,
Secretary of State.

ROBERT LANSING, SECRETARY OF STATE AD INTERIM.

The White House, Washington, June 9, 1915.

The Hon. William Jennings Bryan having resigned the office of
Secretary of State, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States
of America, do hereby, in conformity with the provisions of Sections
177 and 179 of the Revised Statutes, and of the act of Congress
approved February 9, 1891, authorize and direct the Hon. Robert
Lansing, Counselor for the Department of State, to perform the duties
of the office of Secretary of State for a period not to exceed thirty
days, until a Secretary shall have been appointed and have qualified.

WOODROW WILSON.

[Illustration: THE HON. ROBERT J. LANSING

Who Was Called by the President to Take Charge of the State Department
after Mr. Bryan's Resignation

(_Photo from Paul Thompson_)]

PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY TO BERLIN

No. 1803.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, June 9, 1915.

American Ambassador, Berlin:

You are instructed to deliver textually the following note to the
Minister of Foreign Affairs:

In compliance with your Excellency's request I did no