The Washington times., 1911-01-16
AMES' CHARGE FALSE,
E.LODGE'S ANSWER
Joins Roosevelt In Refuting
Story of Deal on
Golfers.
WHOLE TRANSACTION
OPEN AND LAWFUL
Alleged Conversation Pure Inven-
tion," Asserts Massachusetts
Statesman.

Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, in a
statement today, Joined Colonel Roose-
Welt in placing Representative Butler
Ames in the Ananias Club. He said
there never had been any conversation
between himself, President Roosevelt,
and Secretary Newberry for the pur-
pose OF unloading three naval colliers
on the Government at a higher price
than they were worth.
The Senator said the Ames charges
are false; that the alleged conversation
was an invention; and that the whole
transaction between himself and the
Navy Department for the sale of the
colliers was in the open and under
authority of law
Mr.. Lodges Statement.
The Senator said:
Il never had any conversation of any
kind with President Roosevelt as to the
golfers The conversation stated by
Mr.. Ames is a pure invention. The
whole transaction was entirely public,
and took place under the provisions of
the naval appropriation bill.
Three colliers were offered by the
New England Gas Company among
other bidders, and not two. The price
at which they were offered was only
$4,000 more than those contracted for,
which took two years to build. Such
facts as are included in the statement
Of Mr.. Ames are garbled and misrepre-
sented, and all the rest is pure inven-
tion. All the details of this matter are
included in the letter of Admiral
Bowles, which l understand has been
given to the press
Reviews Transaction.
Following this formal statement, the
Senator consented to review the whole
transaction, and gave The Times repre-
sentative an interview, in which he
said:
"At the time the American fleet
was about to sail around the world,
1t became evident that the navy
would have to depend upon hired col
age, This was brought to the at
tention of Congress and a provision
inserted in the naval appropriation
bill for the construction of three new
81 introduced this amendment.
Naval officers stationed at the Fore
River Yard suggested to Admiral
BowleS that the three new CollierS
for the gas company would just suit
the Government The admiral came
to Washington and presented the
matter to the Navy Department. The
but they were offered for $525,000
each, in view of the fact that the
gas company was not ready to use
them.
Z Worth Price sked.
when bids were offered it was found
that other colliers from Rhode Island
and New York had been rendered. 1
urged upon Mr.. Newberry the availabil-
lity of those at the Fore River Yard
&<ause their sale to the Government
4eant that three more ships to take
their place would be built in MassaChu-
sets. They were good vessels and were
worth the price asked.
However, the Secretary decided to
build his GOLFERS and when the bids |
were opened the lowest was found to |
be only $4,000 less than the price at
which the Fore River colliers were Of |
fered.
1T has turned out that during the two
years in which it required the Govern |
ment to build the vessels $4,000,000 has |
been spent hiring colliers.
Il never spoke to President ROOse- |
Welt about the coliers in my life and /
any suggestion that I did is absolutely |
false"