Life, 1915-01-14 · page 29 of 44
Life — January 14, 1915 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine article defends Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan against criticism that he was "the worst ever." The piece distinguishes between **executive inefficiency** and actual **policy failure**. The top cartoon satirizes Bryan's absence from State Department duties—he's shown lecturing while Dr. Wilson and hired staff run the office, suggesting Bryan prioritized his speaking tours over diplomatic work. The lower cartoon, "Why the Plans Were Delayed," appears to show bureaucratic obstruction or miscommunication causing administrative problems. The article's key argument: Bryan may be disorganized and inexperienced, but he hasn't made catastrophic *policy* mistakes (particularly regarding Mexico). The author suggests critics conflate poor management with poor judgment—Bryan bumbled the department's operations but didn't steer the nation into disaster, unlike a Secretary who actively pursued harmful courses while efficiently executing them.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
73 ever had. He might be the least effi- cient—probably he is—and yet not the worst, and really not so very bad, A really, seriously bad Secretary of State is one who takes a wrong course in affairs of moment and is allowed to follow it. Then the more efficient he is, the worse. But Mr. Bryan has not taken the wrong course, so far as we know, in any affair of moment. Usu- ally he hasn't bothered much with affairs of moment, but has been out on the road lecturing and has let the hired man run the office with the help of Dr. Wilson. Mr. Bryan when he came in mussed up the ¢ Department a good deal, putting out experienced hands and running in green ones, mak- ing it hard to get necessary work done, and doubtless he made plenty of bad minor appointments, which is nothing new. But who can say he got us in wrong in any matter of great moment? Persons who think we took a wrong course in Mexico will hardly lay it to Mr. Bryan, any more than people who think our course there has been almost supernaturally wise will give him credit for its wisdom. No doubt, Judge: WHAT EXCUSE HAVE YOU FOR NOT SER' ON THE JURY? though, he has been in full sympathy “YOUR HONOR, I SUFFER FROM CHRONIC DYSPEPSIA, AND JUST AT PRES with it. And if his leg was pulled in ENT I FEEL AS IF EVERY ONE IN THIS COURT-ROOM OUGHT TO HANG.” (Continued on page 83.) Mr. Bryan Probably Not the Worst Ever COPYING a piece from Lire about Mr. Daniels and Mr. Bryan, the Springfield Republican puts on it a new headline, part of which reads: “Mr. Bryan the Worst Ever.” These words induce reflection and may excuse comment. What was said about Mr. Bryan in the piece quoted (Lire, Dec. 17) was: Mr. Bryan, from the standpoint of executive efficiency, is probably the worst Sceretary of State we ever had, and was expected to be the worst. But Mr. Bryan, in his Y amounts to something nistration needed his support, and has had it, What it is now desired to disclose is that it does not necessarily follow that because Mr. Bryan is worst “from the standpoint of executive efficiency” he is the worst Secretary of State we WHY THE PLANS WERE DELAYED comichooks.celu)