The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-07

Wn10N TRANsAnTs NOTE FROM
nANmN0 CONCERNING GER.
7 NAN DOCUMENT.
- Ooeno fnto Possession Of state
pspastnssnt IN Last Week, Secretary
oaUA bne Docafnes 70 Say How
WnDun Complies with senate's Re.
y 0no.o ~ Information.

n ,Gnsn ~ Information.
!. Whshington. March 1.-President
Wl1.pn tonight. In response to the sem
a1etb CALL laid before that body oiii-
e1a1 a1lnGprmation that the United States
uoVosumsnt - In possession Of EVIL
ecpes which sstabiishes the authen.
s>o1o1 e ths sensational document
W11oA disclosed how Germany In
o1guoa 20 sliy Mexico and japan with
~ - war on this country.
n rusponse 70 the resolution the
psoG1Aent srsnsmittsd q report from
; yooarutasy Lansing stating that the evI-
oonoo haA come into the possession Of
~ united States within the last
wesh ana that the authenticity of
voroAgn Minister zimmermann's in
oovoo1son % German Minister Won
Donhardt In Mexico City II establish
4 o1 - rsvsaled BY the Associated
~ prssldsnts reply to the senate
1ooooutiou ana Secretary Lansing's re-
&ne 'ass - follows:
S1r0. .ths Senate:
IN response 10 the resolution
4 o&GD1od BY the senate on March
4 1o17. requiring the president to
tcRDAaA ths senate. II not incor,-
:, nr101o. Win ne public interest.
s V1osevsr information he has concern
- ths note ppbiished in the press Of
e. dAts purporting to have been
80 January -. lsi7, by the German
soRetary for foreign affairs to the
German minister TO Mexico. trans
~ herewith . report by the secre-
~ Of state which has my approval.
(mgned) Woodrow Wilson"
Sxhs white House. Washington,
" Iarch 4. 1917.
~1o H. Proadsnt: K
Hhe resolution adopted by the
uo(ted States senate on March
H. 1917. requesting that that
oe1y b Furnished II not inocmpati-
- Win the public interest, whatever
f4efnA&ion you have concerning the
nste published In the press OF this
lett purporting to have been sent
January 10. 1917. by the German Sec
setasy for foreign affairs to the Ger
nan minister TO Mexico. I have the
honor 60 state that the government Is
n poDession Of evidence which sstab-
tlshss the fact that the note referred
to v authentic and that It Is In pos.
s>lsaon Of the government Of the
United States and that the evidence
was procured by this government dur.
ing the present week: but that 1t 4,
IN my opinion incompatible with the
Pablo Interest TO send the senate at
the present time any further informa.
tton In possession OF the governmen,
of the United States relative to ths
note mentioned In the resolution OF
the senate mentioned.
Nff "Rsspsctfully submitted,
(0gnsd) Robert Lansing"
Department Of State. Washington
March I. 1917" NJ
rhs senate without comment or.
dared the report and letter printed
, and referred to the foreign relation.
conmittss.
Adoption Of the resolution asking
Tor the information came at the close
a day Of solemn debate which
reached climax with Republican
senators joining Democrats In con-
demnine the attitude Of Senator
Stons. chairman Of the foreign rela-
tious committe. who declared the
skory OF tho plot was given out by
the government to affect public opin-
Ion and insisted upon asking the pres
ideut whether the information was
rscsived from the representative OF
( any bslligsrent nation.
Senator Fall. Republican. said he
did not wonder that the president
decided 20 reach public opinion
through the press In view Of the at
titSde Of members of the senate who
ooght TO be his advisers. The sub
1sct came up soon after the senate
assmbled and engrossed attention
nearly al day In spite OF the mass
90 asgislation awaiting action. sena-
,sers on both sides of the chamber
suppressed amusement at the story
ana declared II II were true the SEN
ats. should be informed.
Senator Swanson. the fourth Demo-
sesatic member f~the foreign rela-
Hons committee, announced that he
haA been authorized by the president
70 nay that the note from German