The Washington times., 1917-01-08


at the State Department that objection
was made by several members of the
committee and sustained by Chairman
Henry.
Never Had Note
CONGRESSMAN Campbell first asked
how long had Counselor Pope and Mr..
Woolsey had the note before 1t was
Transcribed by the photographers.
Secretary Lansing replied that they
never had the note, but that he read
II to them and discussed the three
forms into which 1t should be tran
scribed.
Asked for the name of the three
confidential employees of the State
Department who had charge OF the
transcribing, Secretary Lansing said
they were r. c. Sweet, his own con-
fidential clerk; F. E. Vestal, Nj.
Pope's confidential clerk. and II. w.
Howell, Mr.. Woolsey's confidential
clerk.
He said these three men had the
note from $3.50 o'clock on the night Of
Monday, December IS. and 1t then
went to the enciphering officer. There
it remained from $40 o'clock Mon
day night to 2:30. o'clock Tuesday
morning.
Has An Assistant.
Asked if the enciphering officer had
an assistant Secretary Lansing re-
piled that he hid have.
He added that the assistants name
was ]. H. Dean.
In reply to questions by Congress
man Campbell, Secretary Lansing
said the first intimation he had that
there had been a disclosure of the
note prior to the release time set by
the President and himself was re-
ceived from the newspapers.
Has Made Inquiries.
"Since you learned of the disclosure
have you made any Investigations to
ascertain the probable souce Of the
leak?" asked Congressman Campbell.
az have made several inquiries
among those who handled the note"
replied Secretary Lansing. Some of
the inquiries were made personally
by me and the others through the
chiefs of the bureau infwhich the
note was handled"
did any one through whose hands
the note passed admit any knowledge
of the leak?" asked Congressman
Admission BY None.
mot at ALL" replied the Secretary.
"How long was the note at the
Printing officer" inquir-
ed the Kansas Congressman.
81 do not know" replied Secretary
Lansing, "but the galley proof of 1t
was back at the State Department at
IL o'clock on the morning of We'd
nesday, the goth. At 2:45 o'clock
that afternoon il was delivered at the
State Department in sealed packages,
and an hour and a half later it was
given to the press"
Taken There Personally.
Questioned as to whether or not the
note was sent to the Government
Printing Office in a sealed package,
the Secretary Of State said 1t was
taken there personally by John H.
James, chief of the Information Blu
reau of the Department of State.
Congressman Campbell inquired as
to whether or not excerpts from the
note were sent to foreign govern
ments in advance of the complete
document. Secretary Lansing replied
Ia the negative.
Never Broke Confidence.
at has been suggested here" said
Campbell. :'that two of
the newspaper men to whom you gave
the first information about the forth
coming note might have been re-
sponsible for the disclosure. Do you
know anything about that?
"Only what ! have read" replied
Secretary Lansing, but doubt this.
as the newspaper men have never
broken their confidence"
CONGRESSMAN Chiperfield then IN
Iuired how many newspaper men
we're present Secretary Lansing
,aid he did not recall the exact num- |
,er but at the conferences he held with |
he correspondents twice a day there |
we're sometimes fifteen and other |
lines about forty-five.
No Rules for Conferences.
what are the rules for attendances
If these conferences with the news
:, lanes Ho;el-Dancing Tues. & Sat night.