Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-03
WILSON DENIES
The SENSATIONAL
CHARGE Q 0E:sS IRE
49, olNeE
White ,ooe ISSUES Statement in
Reply to Intimations President
Not Opposed to War
with Kaiser.
oKLAHoMANs WORDS sTARTLE
Stone and James Take Up Cudgels
in Behalf of Leaders Of
Their Party.
EXCITING TIME ON THE FLOOR

WASHINGTON, March 2.-The
following statement was issued to-
day at the White House:
when the attention of the White
House was called to certain state
ments in Senator Cores speech this
afternoon the president authorized
an unqualified denial OF any utter
ance TO which any such a meaning
could be attached"
President Wilson at conferences
with congress leaders today is un-
derstood to have said that following
out the notes of the United States
government diplomatic relations
might be broken off with a nation
causing the death of an American in
disregard of international law, and
that he had been informed breaking
off Of diplomatic relations might pre-
cipitate war.
Gore Puts Question squarely.
Senator Gore in his speech declared that
| at the proper time he would put sduarelS
| before the senate whether the sinking
! Of an armed merchant vessel by n sub
| marine would be considered sufficient
| cause for war.
"I introduced my resolution because
was apprehensive we were heading TO-
ward war; he said. My act was based
| on report which seemed 20 me to CONF
from the highest authority that certain
| senators and members of the house IL
conference with the president received
from him the intimation, II not th'
declaration, that IL Germany insisted or
it's position the United States would In
! sist upon its, and that this would re
| suit probably In a breach OF diplomsti'
| relations and breach of diplomatic re
lations would probably be followed by {
state of war, and that state OF wal
might not be an evil. might not be un
grateful, might end the war by midsum-
mer, and thus might render a great ser
vice to civilization. cannot certify u
J the truth of the report. tell the tai
as II was told TO me. There was sueli
external and Internal marks o. trut
/ that feared that It might be the truth
''If the senator from Missouri. the chair
man OF the foreign relations committee
will deny it. that will satisfy me. !
the senator from Indiana says 1t Is no
true. I will accept that
II do not know why the senator quote
. me-" replied Senator Stone.
II did not quote the senator" responde
, Senator Gore.
Disclaimer ny stone.
''wer, In fairness to the president
said Senator Stone, IT think l shoul
state that the president never stated t
me nor stated in my hearing that h
believed or in any way entertained tn
thought that war between the Unite
: States and the central powers would b
desirable or would result in any good
or would not be ungrsteful."
1T Is well known that the presiden
has a passion for peace" interjected Sen
ator Kern In tone that indicated fla
denial of Senator Cores charge.
II have no passion for peace" Senate
Gore responded. II do not believe a
: peace Is honorable or that all war
dishonorable. but repeat that what
heard Of the reported conversation be
, tween the president and the senator froT
Missouri was believed TO be founded o
fact because OF the source from whic
IL cano to me. l was convinced that ther
must be some basis for the report tha
the president suggested to the senate
from Missouri that the United State
CONTINUED on Page Two, Column Four.