Evening journal., 1915-09-20
'DUNBA' s LETTER
ANCERS THE Capital
Officials View Envoy'S Pro-
test Against Recall as At
tack on President
REGARDED ATTEMPT
TO FAN ILL-FEELING

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20.-Unless
Secretary Lansing, who Is absent from
Washington. advises to the contrary,
the administration is not likely to
take any action on account of the
publication this morning OF the let
ter addressed by Dr. Constantin T..
Dumba, the Ambassador Of Austria
Hungary, 10 the Secretary OF State, in
which Doctor Dumba defends himself
from charges that led to the request
of the United States Government that
he be recalled from this country.
The attitude OF the administration
does not mean, however. that there is
no resentment of Doctor Dumba's 8
contentious in his communication and
the fact that II became public prop
erty before its publication was au-
thorized by the State Department On
the contrary, there Is a deep feeling
of provocation, and If the adminlstra-
tion were not disposed 10 treat Doctor
Dumba with the greatest considera-
tion IL would be inclined TO hand him
his passports forthwith.
Throughout administration circles
the belief is prevalent that, the letter
was given out by Doctor Dumba. It
Is based largely. perhaps entirely. on
the fact that one Of the local news
papers said that Doctor Dumba made
public his. letter in New York last
night.
The original Of the letter, addressed
to Secretary Lansing. was received at
the State Department yesterday, when
Mr.. Lansing was In New York. Frank
l.. Polk. acting Secretary of State. told
President Wilson about il when he
called at the White House late yes
terday afternoon to discuss other let
ters.
Officially the administration is not
willing 10 admit that the letter has come
into its possession. With the letter was
translation of the pro-memoria, or
memorandum, containing the detailed
plan for tying up munitions plants in
this country, which Doctor Dumba sent
20 his government through the medium
of James f. ]. Archibald, and which was
taken from archibald by the British all
thoritics.
The state Department does not care
TO make public the text of the PRONE
moria at this time.
According to the view generally pre-.
vailing in official circles the Dumba let
ter was not prepared as a defense of the
ambassador to this government. but a
defense TO the American people That
was why it was made public, according
to the official opinion.
Officials are evidently of the belief
that the contentious of Doctor Dumba in
making out case for him self are de-
signed TO give a wrong impression of tho
matters which led to the request for his
recall. To that extent he has beer
guilty. it is suggested, Of endeavoring {,
create prejudice against the President
! and the Secretary of State and particu
larly TO increase the feeling among pro
German sympathizers that the admins
tration is mneutral in the European
var
The Dumba letter. it is claimed. II
characterized by lack of franknes,
that may serve To- create wrong i'm
preston in the minds OF those who hav,
not followed the Dumha case closely
This alleged lack of frankncss is mark
ed particularly, il is pointed ont. by m,
failure of Doctor Dumha to mention IN,
real reason for the request for his re
call