The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-08
TUMULTY ON GRILL
AT"LEAK" INQUIRY
Secretary to the President
Closely Questioned After Max.
inu Formal Statement.
AGAIN CALLS FOR APOLOGY
Quotes Executive to Prove He
Could Have Had No Con-
nection With Affair.

"VSGtStN
Secretary to the President Joseph
P. Tumulty was put on the grill by
members of the House Rules Com
mittee after having made a formal
statement regarding his knowledge
OF the alleged leak 10 Wall Street on
the Presidents peace note.
Mr.. Tumulty made little effort to
conceal his anger over being drawn
into the matter, and reiterated his de-
mand for an apology from Congress
= man Wood, who first mentioned his
name In this connection.
TumultyHs Statement.
Mr.. Tumulty's statement follows:
81 appear before tbs committee to
resent the unjust intimation that I
gave information to B. N. Baruch in
regard to the so-called peace note
sent to the European helligerents last
month by the Secretary of State. This
inttmation was contained in q state
ment made TO this committee by Rep
resentattve Wood of Indiana, a man
whom do not know. To the best Of
my knowledge have never met Mr..
Wood. Certainly be made no effort
to find out the truth from me before
dragging my name into this affair.
Denies Charge.
81 wish to deny generally and spe-
officially that I gave advance infOrma-
tion to Mr.. Baruch or to anybody else
In regard to the peace note. ID nor
know OF the existence of this note or
that this Government contemplated
the dispatch OF such a note until after
printed copies OF the note had been
by the State Department. I was not
consulted in the preparation Of the
note by the President or by anybody
else. The conferences and communi.
cations relating to the drafting Of
the note and its dispatch were conf
Dental between the President and the
Secretary OF State. p
Knew Nefhiag OF NJ.
u knew nothing of thera whatever.
nor did any other person employed
in the executive office.
Il have had no correspondence, writ.
ten or telsgfaphic, with s1fr. Baruch
or anybody representing him, regard.
ing this matter. I have had no tele.
phone talks with Mr. Baruch- or any.
body representing him regarding this
matter. I have never talked with
him or anybody representing him, or
with any one else, publicly or pri-
vstelE, Nth regard to this Hattes
osly .lssi4su tisas.i III
~Appsrsnsis. shs ON EihSinnatsois
made against ms IRE tiat ! lunched
with anybody else, sp0tIie1y or pri-
more Hotel at or about the TIME Of
the preparation OF the Presidents
suggestion that the European bellig-
erents state their peace terms. 1
have never breakfasted, lunched,
dined, or taken any meals with Mr..
Baruch. ! have met him only at sew
erGl banQuets and large dinners,
when many other persons were pres
emit ] have never discussed any
peace or other note, either when It
was IN prospect or afterward, with
Nj. Baruch or any other person en-
gagged in the purchase or sale of
securities of any kind IN the stock
market.
Never Specialized.
"while this is q complete denial of
the only insinuations which. have
been made, wish to go further and
say that I have never engaged in
stock market sales or purchases my
sslf, nor through brokers, friends, or
agents.
al discussed the Presidents note
with no one; first, because my oath
Of service requires that make no
private use OF official information:
and, secondly, and specifically, be-
cause, as I have stated, ! had not
seen the Presidents note, and did not
know that 1t was in preparation or
even contemplated.
Asked For Secrecy.
AS have already said in a public
statement, have frequently request
ed the President to keep me free from
any knowledge OF impending interna-
tionai moves 80 that might not be
embarrassed by requests for informa-
ton from the newspaper correspon-
dents who appeal to me In my office
constantly for such information.
The insinuations which have been
made, whether conceived In political
malice or merely through mIsinfor-
nation. are wholly false and without
the fiimsiest basis. have not at any
time since acting as Mr.. Wilson's SEE
of New Jersey and later when he be-
came President-been interested IN
any stock transactions OF any kind,
or given any information to any other
person upon which purchases or sales
might be made. l wish to make this
statement as sweeping and complete
as know how.
Waiting For Apology.
Il am still waiting for Mr.. Woods
public apology.
81 am authorized by the President
to quote him as followE:
"sI wish in justice to Mr.. Tumulty
to say L at he has stated the exact
fact. He had no knowledge Of the
note whatever until II was given out
for publication
Answers Questions.
After he had finished reading his
typewriter statement, Secretary
TumuIty announced his readiness to
answer any and all questions the
committee might ask him.
Congressman Philip Campbell Of
Kansas asked Mr.. Tumulty a num-
Der OF questions with a view to as