Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-09
TumuIty's Statement

Tun,ulty's Statement
Backed with an endorsement bv
President Wilson, Secretary Tumulty
today made the following statement to
the House rules committee:
Il appear before this committee to
resent the unjust intimation that I
gave information to Mr.. Il. NJ. Baruch
in regard to the so-called peace note
! sent to the European belligerents last
month by the Secretary of State. This
lntimation was contained in a state
ment made to this committee by Rep
resentatve Wood of Indiana, a man
whom | do not know To the best of
my knowledge l have never met Mr..
Wood. Certainly he made no effort TO
find out the truth from me before
dragging my name into this affair.
Il wish to deny generally and spe-
cifically that | gave advance informa-
ton to Mr.. Raruch or TO anybody else
in regard to the peace note. did not
! know OF the existence of this note or
that this government contemplated the
dispatch of suclr~ a note until after
printed copies of the note had been
given to representatives of the press
by the State Department. l was not
consulted in the preparation of the
note by the President or by anybody
else. The conferences and communica-
tions relating to the drafting of the
note and it's dispatch were confiden-
tial between the President and Secre-
tary of State. l knew nothing of them
whatever. nor did any other person
employed in the executive office
Il have no correspondence, written
or Geographic, with Mr.. Baruch or
anybody representing him regarding
| this matter. l have had no telephone
talks with Mr.. Baruch or anybody rep
resenting him, regarding this matter.
l have never talked with him or any
body representing him, or with any
one else publicly or privately, with
regard to this matter
Apparently the only insnuations made
against me are that / lunched with or
| met Mr.. Baruch at the Biltmore Hotel
| at or about the time of the preparation
of the Presidents suggestion that the
European belligerents state their peace
| terms. ! have never breakfasted. lunch
! ed. dned or taken any meals with Mr..
Baruch. l have met him only at several
! banquets and large dinners when many
| other persons were present. l have new
| er discussed any peace or other note,
either when 1t was in prospect or after
wards, with Mr.. Baruch or any other
person engaged in the purchase or sale
of securities of any kind in the stock
market.
| while this is a complete denial Of the
| only insnuations which have been made,
| l wish to go further and say that I have
never engaged in stock market sales or
purchases myself nor through brokers,
| friends or agents.
| Il discussed the Presidents note with
no one. first. because my oath of service
requires that I make no private use of
| official information. and, secondly and
| specifically, because, as I have stated,
I had not seen the Presidents note and
did not know that it was in preparation
or even contemplated.
LAS I have already said in a public
! statement, I have frequently requested
the President to keep me free from any
| knowledge of impending international
moves so that I might not be embar-
raised by requests for Information from
the newspaper correspondents who appeal
to me in my office constantly for such In
formation. The insinuations which have
been made, whether conceived In politi-
cal malice or merely through misinforma-
ton, are wholly false and without even
the fiimsiest basis. I have not at any
time since acting as Mr. Wilson's secre-
tary. first when he was governor of New
Jersey and later when he became Pres
ident, been interested in any stock trans
actions of any kind or given any infor-
nSho ,l1t~
purchases or sales might be made. 7
wish to make this statement as sweep
ing and complete as l know how. I am
still waiting for Mr.. Woods public apol-
ogy.
Presidents Support
II am authorized by the President to
quote him as follows:
81 wish in justice to Mr.. Tumulty to
say that he has stated the exact fact.
He had no knowledge of the note what
ever until it was given out for publ
cation