New Britain herald., 1915-04-02
A[[[GfD INTERVIEW
 DENIED BY WILSON
President Refutcs Statements lu
 "PaiS Temps" by Applaud.

Washington, April 2.-PreSldent Wilson last night authorized the state- ment that he had given no interview and had given no expression of opin- ion about current affairs to Gabriel Alphaud, who cabled to the Paris Temps" what purported to be an ln- terview with the President on Euro- pean and Mexican affairs.
 The president let it be known that MT. Alphaud, who was presented at the White House Wednesday by the French ambassador, came merely to pay his respects and that, although he was secretaire-general of the Paris Temps" it was distinctly understood in advance with the am- Eassador present, that there was to be no interview.
 The statement also was authorized at the White House that President Wilson had sent no letter recently to President Poincare. as suggested by M. Alphaud, but that the letter to which reference was made was sent several months ago by Mir. Wilson, as a member of the American Acaderly of Arts and Letters, in reply to one from President Poincare of the French Academy, brought to fhis country in person by Emile Bri,ux. the French playwright. The letter was made public at the time, Wh:-e House officials recalled, and contained only felicitations of a general chayac- ter.
 The Alleged Interview. Paris, April 2.-Gabricl Aiphaud, secretarire-general of the 'Temps" who was introduced to President Will son at the White House Wednesday by the French ambassador in Wash 1 ington, has sent to the Temps an | interview which he says he had with the president.
 1T am glad to see on American soil" President Wilson is quoted as ! having said, 'Frenchmen who come to l satisfy themselves as to the state of l opinion in the United States You will l not receive an impression I am sure, that will give you case reasonably to complain of that opinion.
 ! Definite questions are at times 1 considered by France or others of the | belligerent countries as proof that the 1 American government favors some l times one and sometimes the others | of the combatants. The two groups of belligerent nations complain of the attitude of the American government ! in equally vigorous terms. Each time 1 one of these cases arises is it not 1 proof that the government of tho ! United States is conscientiously ob- serving the rules of neutrality? | U. S. Exacting.
 "The Germans or the allies may at | times find that we are exacting-that
 the American government sticks too
 closely to these rules. The war will
 not last forever. When it is finished such or such nation will perhaps be
 glad that we have maintained the rules against which she protests to- day.
 France will avoid the error of be-
 lieving what individuals of the peo-
 pies in the conflict often think-that is. that he who is not actively for them | is against them. As to my own sen :
 timents regarding France, I addressed a letter to the president of the French
 republic that expresses them clearly
 Be sure that I do not think anything
 less than what that letter says
 M. Alphaud said he asked President
 Wilson if, the contemplated increase
 in the American army and navy had
 any precise object and that the presi
 dent replied:-
 Augmentation Retarded
 "No,-. augmentation has been re
 tarded rather than hurried by cur
 rent events. We desire to avoid false , interpretations.'
 Asked if an early end of the Mexi can trouble could be hoped for, Presi
 dent Wilson is reported to have said
 "It is indeed difficult to reply.
 favorable symptom appears, however
 in the last indications received here
 They show a better disposition on tn part of the principal Mexican chief to understand why they have to re spect the lives and interests of for efgners. Nothing shall be neglecte, ! by the American government to ac , oentuate these tendencies ! The letter referred to by M 2 Alphaud, it is understood, was de - livered three weeks ago to Presiden
 Poincare by. Colonel Edward M :. House, who is in Europe, observin [ conditions. The letter, it is said, wa