The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-08

ence Of the note?"
81 do not know"
"The mere mechanics Of preparing
the note might make it possible for it
to get out" he said.
Have you any information as to
how the leak occurred% Mr.. Campbell
asked.
II have not" Mr.. Tumulty replied.
ANY opinion I might have would be
speculative and would involve reputa-
tions. ] am very careful about max
ing statements in such circumstances"
Mr.. Tumulty said he did not know
whether Alfred H. Curtis of New York,
former president OF the National Bank
Of North America. was in fact the "A.
Curtis" who wrote the letter to Repre-
sentative Wood. Mr.. Tumulty said he
did not think the leak" could have oc-
CURED on the note through any en-
ploye of the executive office. He then
read letter from L. T. Russell, editor
of The Newark Morning Ledger, who
wrote:
IT have received telephone calls from
New York from a man calling himself
Mr.. Curtis and alleging himself to be
a banker or broker.
I'm each case he undertook to give
me tips OF various sorts of what was
happening not only in the financial and
industrial world, but on one occasion
called me up on the telephone to tell
me that he had good reason to believe
that Dorothy Arnold was at an Orange.
n. j., hotel"
Tumulty if he knew that Mr.. Wood
had asked for an executive session in
which to make his statement bringing
in Mr.. Tumuty's name last week.
81 wish you wouldn't ask me any
thing about Mr.. Wood replied Mr..
Tumulty heatedlp. Twould be ashamed
to be party to anything that would
blemish the reputation OF a public man
on a mere letter written bp a man
named Curtis. If I were guilty of such
a thing, ] would not be fit to hold the
smallest public Office"
Secretary Tumulty said that Presi-
dent Wilson sent the peace note to
Secretary Lansing in a sealed envelope
by private messenger.
Mr.. Tumulty said he knew Barney
Baruch and had seen him last at the
''Gridiron" banquet, but had no private
conversation with him. He said he
did not know ]. B. Reagan, proprietor
Of the Knickerbocker hotel, New York,
and said he had once been in the ONCE
Of w. B. Hibbs & Company, Washing
ton brokers. ,.-... T., T..
Before Ambassador Gerard return
ed to Germany recently" said
Tumulty, "he wanted to buy some
bonds and introduced him to Mr..
Hibbs."
Lansing's Story. &c.,.
Secretary Of State Lansing was call
ed next. t..s-...' r.. ..
Possibly 1 had better start" said
Secretary Lansing, by stating that I
assume that confidential communica-
tons between the president and my
self are not a part Of the inquiry. I
can give you a physical history OF the
note. The draft was received by me
at o'clock Monday afternoon. / dis
cussed it with Mr.. Polk, counsellor for
the department, and Mr.. Woolsey, law
adviser attached to my office, and the
three forms in which it had to be pre-
pared to be send forth. then handed
1t to Mr.. Woolsey. enjoining him to
the strictest secrecy, that he might
take it to the three confidential
stenographers. there to be prepared
and delivered to Mr.. Salmon. chief of
the index bureau.
The index clerk said that it would
take so long to cipher the three notes
that he would have to have an assist
ant. ] directed that he engage his
most confidential man for the work.
He did so, was given the copies and
the two men locked themselves in the
room. They were given the copies at
o'clock and at $3.50 o'clock Tuesday
morning, (Dec. 19), the notes were en-
ciphered, delivered to, the telegraph
room and sent.
On Tuesday afternoon discussed
with the president the time when the
note was to be made public. The rea-
son for secrecy was courtesy due the
nations who were to receive the note,
that 1t was not to be published here
before they received it. We decided it
would take at least two days for it to-
reach Austria and Rumania and we
decided it should be made public on
Thursday morning.
Tuesday evening about o'clock a
copy OF the note was handed to Mr..
James, chief of the information bureau.
He at once took it up with the print.
ing office.
ut was read by one man and then
sent to the printing office..
II received the newspaper CORE
spondents and told them would have
at 5 o'clock to be released the next
told them 1t did not con-
Germ any proposal Of peace nor OFFER
Of mediation"
Mr.. Lansing said that he had made
inquiries around his department for a
leak" but failed to locate one.
Mr.. Lansing said during his confer
ence with newspaper men three other
men were present waiting to see him
but that he did not know they were
in the room until after he had talked
with the newspaper men.
who were these menu" asked Rep
resentative Lenroot.
"A. e. Snowden of New York. e. r.
Gayler, a civil engineer of the navy
and DIR. N. 7. Mclean of the navy"
said Mr.. Lansing. The two naval Of
hcers were about to proceed to Haiti
for the government"
1T is not likely that they would say
anything about your statement?" sug-
gested Representative Bennett.
Very improbable"
Secretary Lansing said he gave no
Thought to the effect his statement
might have on the stock market.
WAS Mr. Snowden connected with
the National Manufacturers associa-
tion ?''
II think .so?'
with Snowden practically stran-
ger TO you. did It not occur to YOU
that he might make use Of the infor-
mation?"
II didn't know he was there"
Representative Chipperfield asked
Secretary Lansing about his two
statements explaining the note after
It had been made public.