Evening star., 1916-03-03
GORE SPEECH SETS
TONGUES WAGG|NG
Effect on Foreign Affairs and
National Politics Talk
at Capitol.
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
IN EUROPE MAY FOLLOW
Should Voters Attach Belief to Story
President Would Lose Strength,
Is Belief.

The probable effect Of the speech of
Senator Gore Of Oklahoma in the Sem
ate yesterday asserting that he had
been informed the President had said
the entrance of tho United States into
the war would not be an unmixed evil,
and that II the United States did get
into the war 1t might have the effect
Of bringing the conflict to an end by
midsummer, was the subject of wide
discussion at the Capitol today from
the standpoint of foreign relations and
of national politics.
Despite the fact that the truth of the
story told by Senator Gore was de-
MED by Senator Stone. chairman of the
foreign relations committee, who was
one of the persons to whom the Presi-
dent was reported to have made this
assertion, and that denial was sent
out by the White House. there existed
a belief in some quarters that the in
cident would have its effect. Before
Senator Gore made his sensational
statement on the floor of the Senate
yesterday similar reports had spreaa
through the Capitol corridors and
committee rooms. Administration lead
ers were bitterly incensed because Sen
ator Gore should have made such
statement.
Probable Effect Abroad.
II the belief should gain ground at all
in Europe that the President held such
views as were attributed to him in the
report, it was said today, there could
be no doubt that serious consequences
would follow On the other hand, if the
voters of this country in any consid-
cradle number attached belief to the re-
port, much of the strength upon which
the democrati tic leaders now rely would
fall away at the polls next November
The report as related to the Senate by
Stone and by the White House. is con-
tanned in the following excerpt from the
Gore speech:
81 introduced my warning resolution
because / was apprehensive that we were
speeding headlong upon war
Basis for His Action.
Perhaps 1 ought to go further. and
say what have hitherto avoided saying.
that my action was based on a report
which seemed to come from the highest
and most responsible authority, that GER
tain senators and certain members of
the House. in conference with the
President of the United States. received
from the President the information, if
not the declara ton, that if Germany in
sisted upon her position the United
States would insist upon her position.
ALSO that it would result probably in
a breach of diplomatic relations, and
that a breach of diplomatic relations
would probably be followed by a state
of war, and that a state of war might
not be of itself and of necessity an evil
to this republic, but that the United
States by entering upon war now Elight
be able to bring it to conclusion by
midsummer and thus render a great
service to civilization.
Denial by the White House.
The denial by the White House, issued
shortly after Senator Cores speech was
delivered, was as follows:
When the attention of the White
House was called to certain statements
in Senator Cores speech this afternoon
the President authorized an unqualified
denial of any utterance to which any
such meaning could be attached
Senator James of Kentucky, an ardent
supporter of the President, took Sen
ator Gore to task for relating such a
rumor to the Senate without first max
ing every attempt to learn its truth. He
said:
Declined White House Invitation.
Why didn't the senator from Okla
homa go to the President and ask If it
were true? The senator from Okla
homa is on perfectly good terms with
the President, is he not?"
/ received an invitation to 60 to the
White House with Senators Stone and
Kern. but 1 did not CO." said Gore.
THE senator from Oklahoma is one
OF the Presidents closest friends" Sem
ator James continued. why did he not
60 to him and ascertain just what he
said? l am sure the President would
have been glad to tell him."
In the first place l had no evidence
that I might be taken into the Presi-
dents confidence or that I might re-
ceive his Impressions in the matter"
Senator Gore answered II acted on
what seemed to me to be the facts:
have only undertaken to tell Of the re-
port as IT came to me. II 1t be un.
true, everybody must be gratined."