Norwich bulletin., 1916-11-01
Lodge Hammers on Weak Postscript
PLACES BLAME FOR STATEMENT
 ON BRECKENRIDGE
ANOTHER NOTE TINTED
Proposition to Arbitrate the Loss oi Life on the Lusitania Was to be En- bodied in Note to Gerard and Not to be Postscript.

North Adams, Mass, Oct. 31 - The alleged weakening postscript to the "strict accountability" was again re- ferred to by Senator Lodge at a po- ntlcal meeting here tonight.
 The president of the United States mas denied that there was any post script to the Lusitania note and we are all bound of course to accept the presidents denial just as he makes it." said Senator Lodge.
 Would Not Bring Unfounded Charge.
 T need hardly say" he added, that would not willingly bring an un- founded charge against anyone high or low and if misled into doing so I should be quick to retract it. The president makes one mistake The statement which he characterizes as untrue, that there was such a post script, was not mine. but was made by MT. Breckinridge, a former assist ant secretary Of war, according to the evidence of two independent witnesses, both gentlemen of high character, re- sponsibility and veracity, and Mr. Breckinridge was in a position to know if. as he is reported to have said, he had seen the postscript. BeaNng in mind the public and hitherto uncon- troverted fact that MT. Bryan had in. formed the Austro- Hungarian ambas- | sador that the strict accountability" 1 note Of May 18th meant nothing, which
  l basador to Berlin. it seemed to me that MT. Breckinridge's statement as testi- l fled to by two independent witnesses | ought properly to be laid before the | public
 Arbitration Was Suggested.
 "The president. it will also be ob- | served, says that the clause proposing | arbitration was suggested and after | consideration he rejected it. This l suggestion rejected by the president | covered the exact proposition said by MT. Breckindidge to have been em- l bodied in the postscript and may have been what MT. Rreckindirge had in \ mind when talking to Dr. Bailey and | MT. Jeffries about the postscript which | was rejected without having been re- l ferred to the cabinet, and it may alsc have been the reason for MT. Bryan's ambassador that the note meant noth- | ing
 Statement By Charles Warren. | T would also call your attention to | a statement by MT. Charles Warren a republican presidential elector of l New Jersey, who states that he was ! told by a member of President Will sons official family that the proposi- i tion to arbitrate the loss of life on the 1 Lus1tanla was to be embodied in note to Ambassador Gerard and was | not to be a postscript to the strict ac
 
 what MT. Tunulty did to prevent such action, and Mir. Tumulty, when MT. | Warren's- statement was brought to his attention, said that he appraised the president that there was a proposition for arbitration from a member of the cabinet. I mention this only because l the president and MT. TulmuIty both agree that there was a proposition for arbitrating the loss of American lives on the Lusitania to accompany the | strict accountability note which was suggested by some one, considered by the president and by him rejected.
 Refers to Sinking of Marina.
 "As I have previously pointed out, the suggestion for proposition of ar bitration to accompany the strict ac- countability' note. whether as a post script or as a separate note, and the methods of its suggestion, considera- tion and rejection are only of interest as throwing lights on the manner in i which our foreign relations have been dealt with by this administration. This question of the arbitration proposition does not in the least alter the essen tial fact that the strict accountabili- ty' note meant nothing as MT. Bryan declared to the Austro- Hungarian am- bassador and as events since that time have painfully demonstrated. The ut ter emptiness of the note of May 18th with its threat of strict accountabili- i ty' and omit no word o ract' has been strikingly shown once more within 48 hours, if press reports are to be be- lieved, by the destruction of the livas , of Americans rightfully on board tlse steamship Marina, which was blown | hxy 1y~i,,