Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-29
BRECKENRIDGE
TOLD NOTE INCIDENT
Senator Lodge Gives Former
Assistant War Secretary as
Postscript Authority.
INFORMED TUFTS TEACHER

By the Associated Press.
| SOMERvILLE, Mass, October IS
| The assertion that President Wilson
| at the time the second Lusttania nott
was sent to Germany, wrote and after
| ward withdrew postscript informing
the German government that the con-
tents of his previous note were, not tt
be Interpreted too seriously, was reit-
Grated by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
in a political address here tonight. The
senator added to his statement the an
nouncement that information on the
subject had come to him in letter
from DR.. Charles H. Bailey of the
tufts Medical School. in which Henry
Breckinridge. formerly assistant sec
rotary of war, was quoted as authority
.or the story of the alleged postscript.
Senator Lodge reviewed the sending OF
the Lusitania notes and the resignation
If Secretary Bryan. He continued:
There was one feature about which
there was much speculation at the time.
nd that was why Mr.. Bryan allowed his
note couched in the most extreme Ian
guage possible to diplomacy, and yet re-
igned SO that he need not afhx his sig
nature to the very mild note OF June 3,
tote which even man OF very strong
,acif1cist tendencies could not have OBJ
iected to. 1t was currently reported at
he time that the reason for this appar-
ntly inexplicable action on Mr.. Bryan's
)art was the fact that the first note as
1nally sent was not the note to which
e had appended his signature. Within
few days there has come into my pos
session direct Information upon this sub
Jet, contained in the, following letter
which was addressed to Grafton Cushing.
DR.. Charles H Bailey. professor in the
Tufts Medical School, is a gentleman OF
Ugh standing and undoubted veracity." ;
Reads DR.. Bailey's Letter.
Senator Lodge then read the letter OF
DR.. Bailey, dated October "a, as follows:
"Dear Sir: AS you requested. I am
submitting to you herewith in writing
a report of a conversation between ex-
Assistant Secretary of War Breckin-
ridge and myself. Leaving San Fran
city as far as Omaha, Neb., with Mr..
Breckenridge. During the trip asked
Mr.. Breckenridge II he would be will
ing to answer certain questions with
regard to the conduct of our national
affairs during his connection with the
present administration.
Receiving an affirmative reply. ]
asked him. among other things. as to
the truth of the published report that
following the so-called strict account
ability" note, Secretary Bryan had in
formed Ambassador Dumba that the
central powers need not take the note
too seriously. as it was written for
political effect and home consumption
only. He said that in all essential de-
tails had stated the matter correctly
which led him of his own accord to tell
me the following-this is not. Of course
verbatim report. but simply a brief
outline of the story as told me by Mr.
Breckenridge.
Repeated Postscript Verbatim.
HE stated that following the COM
pletion of the ''omit no word or no act''
note to the satisfaction of the cabinet.
Mr.. Wilson. without the knowledge OF
any member of the cabinet, except Sec
rotary Bryan himself, wrote a postcri2 t
vhich he sent with the note to the
State Department for codiflcaion. Mr..
Breckenridge stated that both Mr.. Gar
rison and he had seen this postscript.
and he told me what he claimed were
its exact words. which. how ever. can
not repeat exactly. but the substance
vas that the imperial German govern
men was not to put too serious an in
expectation on the words omit no
word or act" On the contrary, he
would be inclined. provided the German
government did not see ft to yield to
the demands of the United States, to
use his efforts toward submitting the
entire matter to an impartial interna-
only after the war. Both note and
postscript were submitted to and
signed by Secretary Bryan. This, ac-
cording to Mr.. Breckenridge. was too
good for MIR. Bryan to keep to himself
vita the result that it reached Secre-
tary Garrison's ears. who Immediately
with two or three Il do not remember
which other members of the cabinet)
called on Mr.. Wilson and demanded
that he withdraw the postscript, under
sign and make the matter public. Mr.
Wilson Immediately yielded, and Sec
rotary Garrison and the others left.
"Breckinridge. Opposed to Wilson"
Immediately after this, Pesident
Wilson summoned Secretary Bryan ia
the White House. and when the latter
left President Wilson had the assur-
ance of his resignation: whether at Mr.
Wilson's request. because Secretary
Byran had been responsible for the
matters reaching Secretary Garrison's
ears, or whether presented by Secre-
tary Bryan because there had been a
previous misunderstanding between
Wilson and Bryan that the latter would
sign the note proper only with the I'M
Outstanding that such a multiplying post.
script should be sent and the Presiden,
was now unable to fulfll the agree
ment, Mr.. Breckenridge was unable to
state.
II asked Mr.. Breckenridge If he would
be willing to bring such knowledge az
he possessed to the active support OF
Mr.. Hughes. He said that he was still
at heart a democrat. but that neither
ne nor any otne pat. IL. A...e s..
could support Wilson. Whether, how
ever. he would be willing to actively
support Hughes he said that he could
not say at that early date.
with best wishes for the success
OF your campaign. ! am,
Sincerely yours.
CHARLES HARVEY BAILEY"
This" continued Senator Lodge
simply throws an additional light OF
the shifty character Of this administra
ton IN its foreign policies. 1t is also
of interest in another way, for 1t ap
parently shows that Mr.. Bryans rea
| son for resigning was the highly cred
table one of Directing to having hi,
| signature go out appended to a docu
menr differing In an essential potn