Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-31
DENIALS FLYING
THICK AND FAST
Former Assistant Secretary of
War Says Never Spoke
About Postscript Matter.
DIR. BAILEY INSISTS HE DID


night the following telegram sent by
Henry c. Breckenridge, former as
sistant secretary OF war, to the Phila-
delphia Ledger in reply to statements
made in a speech by Senator Lodge
quoting him in reference to the alleged
elimination of a postscript from the
second Lusitania note.
Mr.. Breckenridge's telegram, filed
at San Mateo, Cal, as given out by
the committee, follows;
Anyone who quoted me to Senator
Lodge as represented in your tele-
gram as quoted is seoundrel. No
member of President Wilson's cabinet
ever threatened him on any subject.
The malice that would seek for par
tisan advantage to emasculate the po-
tency of ones government IN vital
international affair by the peddling OF
backstairs gossip is beneath con-
tempt"
Houston Sends Denial.
Another denial of Senator Lodges
assertion was contained in message
received at democratic headquarters
from David F. Houston, secretary OF
agriculture, who sand:
II have received a telegram from
the Philadelphia Public Ledger, re-
porting Senator Lodge as having said
at Brockton that after the second
Lusitania note had been read the pres
ident added postscript informing the
German government that the words
strict accountability and other strong
phrases were not to be taken seriously
and that | threatened to resign if the
postscript was added. OF course, this
is fabrication pure and simple. The
president would have been incapable
OF conceiving such a crooked course.
Never Heard of It.
II never heard of such postscript
and did not threaten, and have at no
other time, threatened to resign.
Il would have been astounded at
the reported statement if | had not
noted other irresponsible, unpatriotic
and dsloyal utterances of republican
leaders, especially those raising and
dealing with sectionalism. Surely the
republican leaders are very desperate
and in sad need of issues when they
lend themselves to such things"
Wilson Is Silent,
Long Branch, N. J., Oct. 29.-Re-
newal OF assertions by Senator Lodge
OF Massachusetts, that President Will
son had eliminated weakening post
script from the "strict accountability"
note in connection with the sinking of
the Lusitania brought forth no state
ment from President Wilson tonight,
officials here taking the position that
denials by cabinet members were suf-
ficient. @
The president was informed that
former Assistant Secretary of War
Breckenridge had denied the truth OF
an interview with him, which Senator
Lodge gave as the authority for his
charge. lreiga-~ .s>r'-~ #nN "r'r5 i'ar 't
Garrison Also Mum. H..
Washington, Oct 80 r. Former
Secretary Garrison declined tonight to
comment on Senator Lodges speech
or the telegram of Mr.. Breckenridge,
his former assistant secretary.
Mr.. Garrison asked whether Mr.,
Breckenridge had denied the state
ment attributed to him, but, declined
to discuss the matter further.
Il am not being interviewed on
any subject" he said. u have no
statement of any kind to make"
~ Bailey Stands Pat
Boston, Mass, Oct, 30,-A re,
affirmation of the truth of his state
ment that Henry Breckenridge
former assistant secretary of war, had
told him that President Wilson had
eliminated postscript from the sec.
ond Lusitania note after several mem
bers of his cabinet threatened to re.
sign If it were included, was made
today by DR.. Charles H. Bailey, pro,
lessor at the Tufts Medical school,
DR.. Bailey was quoted last night IL
letter read at political meeting ir
Somerville by Senator Lodge as hav,
ing had conversation with Mr.
Breckenridge on train from Sar
Francisco, last July, in which the
former assistant. secretary of wal
made the alleged assertion regarding
the postscript.
According to statement ISSUED
by the republican state committee
DR.. Bailey replied tonight to an in
CURRY he has received from the Phila
delphia Public Ledger that his letter
as read by Senator Lodge was q
fair and not at all exaggerated" re
port of his conversation with Breck
inridge.
Part Not Denied.
The committees statement added:
"Dr. Bailey said in his reply tina
he expected there would be denial.
all around, but that he affirmed tn,
truth of his letter, and called attention
to the fact that Breckenridge hae
made no denial of the most import
ant feature of the letter which sale
that President Wilson without tn,
knowledge of any member of hi
Ala AR1 uHH sN a \