Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-02
OFFICIALS DENY RECEIPT
OF NOTES. ON SHIP BILL
brFah anu Underwood Answer In
sistent Statements Made by
Republicans.
REPORTED TO BE FROM GREY
secretary Of State Assumes That Au-
thor1ty Conferred Upon President
VIII he Exercised Properly and
With Regard to Nations Welfare.

| WASHINGTON, February Insist
eh' statements to-day by Representa-
| i've Mann and other Republicans in
the House that the State Department
am reEarding the pending ship pur-
! chase bill brought forth denials from
noth Majority Leader Underwood and
Secretary Bryan. The note was al
legged to have been from Sir Edward
Grey, declaring the proposed purchase
Oh herman or Austrian ships an un-
| neutral act.
! During the day Secretary Bryan made
a formal statement:
NO nation has protested against the
massage OF the shipping hill. and it is
would. since the bill does not ncces-
sarlly raise any diplomatic questions.
IL Is not proper for the State De-
partment at this time to discuss the
manner In which the authority con-
lerreo by the bill Will. or should be. ex-
erclsed. We assume that the authority
conferred upon the President. and those
VINO VIII be associated with him in
the matter. Will be exercised properly
and with due regard to the nations
welfare"
When Representative Underwood de-
hied the existence OF note, Repre-
sentative Mann said he had no doubt.
OF the majority leaders sincerity. but
was afraid the State Department had
not been entirely FRANK with him.
Information has come to me" soid
NIT. Mann, lin q way which think
makes 1t reliable. that the State De-
partment not only has had commune
cation on the subject. hut that tina
department has had n letter on the
subject from an official OF the British
government"
MT. Underwood repeated his denial
when Mr.. Mann suggested that the
] A ( nrN f.at ip,,--
thoughi mot In writing"
1t might have been n Thousand
thinSs. replied the Democratic leader
Inc Dill pending In the Senate has NOT
one line in it that compels the pur
chase OF German ship or informed shin
OF the allies. 1t leaves II discretionary
with the board to he appointed,
Representative Lenroot. OF Wiscon
SIN. suggested that Mr.. Underwood
make another inquiry of the depart
mcnt. when Representative Cullop in
formed the House of the formal denial
, Garner, of Texas, ask cd Mr. Underw ood
whether the British ambaSsador in dis
cusstng the subject did So on instr,,c
ton from his government. Mr. I'm
dcrwood said he did not think II neces-
sary to answer fYrther questions.
In conference with newspaper men
late to-day Secretary Bryan was asked
numerous questions about the alleged
note. He was asked IL he had discussed
the subjects. involved in the shipping
bill with any representative OF any
foreign government"
II am not willing" replied the sec
rotary, ITO discuss with any foreign
government the manner in which the
power, If conferred, Will be exercised"
The secretary was asked if any Of
the foreign governments had presented
F., their views regarding the transfer OF
ships He said lie did not care TO dis
cuss questions that were not Con
nected with this particular proposition"
and intimated that published reports
had associated notes reccived;|som
time ago on various phnscs Of the
ship registry question with an appli-
cation to tho pending bill.
while you were away" the score
tary was told. the statement was made
that the British ambassador had said
! to you that the British government
would look upon the transfer Of any
vessels now interned in American ports
-Gcrman and Austrian vessels-as an
unreutral act"
Go to the person who gave you that
statement and let him confirm it." sue-
Sested Mr.. Bryan.
AT the British embassy. Sir Cecil
SprinE-Rice refused to see newspaper
men or discuss the published REPORTS.