The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-08
ASSOCIATED PreSs)

Washington. Jan. 8.-With the open.
ing today of the hearing on Represen'
tative Woods resolution for an investi.
cation of reports of a leak" Of Presi.
dent Wilson's peace note, Joseph Tu.
multy, secretary to the President. was
called and read the following state.
ment, in which he said:
II appear before this committee 70
resent unjust intimations that I gavo
information to Mr.. b. NJ Baruch tn
regard to the so-called peaco nOt0
sent to European belligerents last
month by the secretary Of state. r
General Denial
II wish to deny generally and spect.
fically that ! gave advance informa'
ton to Mr.. Baruch or any one in 70.
gard to the peace nUte. DID not
know Of the existence Of this note or
that the government c0ntemplated
the dispatch of such a note, until tho
printed copies we're given the press.
l was not consulted on the preparation
of the note by the President, or any
body else. The conferences and com,
munications relating to the drafting
of the note and its dispatch were con.
fidential between the President and
the secretary of state. I knew tnoths'
ing whatever of them nor did any
other person employed in the execu-
tive office. .,.s. = !,
No Correspondence .. 81
Il have had no correspondence
written, or telegraph, with Mr.. Baruch
or anybody representing him. I have
had no telephone talks with Mr.. Ba.
ruch or anybody representing him re-
garding this matter. have never
talked with him or anybody represent"
ihe him, or anyone else, private Of
publicly ON this matter. ." n,
II have never discussed any peace
or other notes either when In pros.
pect afterwards with Mr.. Baruch or
any person engaged in the sale Of Sc 5
curities of any kind on the stock mar.
ket. To- Il, II 54,,,
"The insinuations which have been
made whether conceived in political
malice or merely through mtsinforma-
tion were wholly false and without
even the flimsiest basis. am still
waiting for Mr.. Woods apology.
T am authorized by the president
to quote him as follows: I wish u
Justice to Mr.. Tumulty to say that ho
has stated the exact facts. He had
no knowledge of the note whatever.
until it was given out for publicae
tiOn.'" ri !
Representative Campbell question.
ed Mr.. Tumulty:
do you know who aided in tho
of this note?"
1.-THE president prepared or wrote
the note himself" said Mr.. Tumulty.
Expert Typewriter. b
'tHe is an expert typewriter In ad'
dition to his other achievements.
"Did any stenographer or clerk II
the executive Offices know of the e1'
lstence of the note?"
II 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.. Camp
bell asked.
81 have not" Mr.. Tumulty replied
Would De Speculative.
ANY opinion might have w0eA
be speculative and would involve rep.
ltation. l am very careful sboat max.
ing statements in such circun.
stances" 4...r. Is Al s4 3
Mr.. Tumulty said he did mot knew ,
whether Alfred H. Curtis Of New
York. former president OF the Nattoa.
IL Bank of North America. was In
TACT the CA Curtis who wrote the
etter to Representative Wood 2f.
Tumulty said he did not think -
leak" could have occurred On tAe
note through any employe Of The 61-
scutive office. He then read = lsteoe
rom L. T. Russell, editor OF the New.
lrk Morning Ledger, who wrote:
Mysterious curtiA
II have received tesephcne. c11lo
rom New York from = man ealllnG
himself Mr.. Curtis and Allexfng -.
,elf to be banker or broker. u
zach case he undertook I, 4ivo -
lips Of various sorts OF what ~ - 5
,ening, not only in the nnaneial -
Industrial world, bat nn 90 occ0a1a
,alled me up q Tie te1eooeno -
old ~ y ~ suo1 roasa - N11o1o
toe1tnn0a . 1loe'l