The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-09
ABSOLUTE DENIAL . OF 4LEAK' CHARGE
 MADE BY HUMILITY
Presidents Private Secre- tary Gives Rules Commit tee Formal Statement
 Before Testimony

Washington, January S. Backed with an indorsement by President Wilson, Sec retary Tumulty today made the following statement to the House rules commit tee:
 T am appearing before this commit tee to resent the unjust intimation that gave information to Mir. B. M. Baruch in regard to the so-called peace note sent to the European belligerents last month by the Secretary of State This intination was contained in a statement made to this committee by Representative Wood of Indiana q man whom do not know To the best of my knowl- ledge have never met MT. Wood Ger tainly he made no effort to find out the truth from me before dragging my name into this affair
 DIDN'T KNOW OF NOTE II wish to deny generally and spe- officially that I gave advance informa- tion to MT. Baruch or to anybody else in regard to the peace note. I did not know of the existence of this note, or that this government contemplated the dispatch of such note. until after print ed copies of the note had been given to representatives of the press by the state department. was not consulted in the preparation of the note by the Pres ident or by anybody else. The confer ences and communications relating to d r, tsv,er <.ff .k- were confidential between the President and the Secretary of State. knew noth- ing of them whatever. nor did any other person employed in the executive office BARUCH INTERVIEW DENIED Il have had no correspondence, writ ten or telegraphic, with Mir Baruch or anybody representing him regarding this matter. I have had no telephone talks with MT. Baruch or anybody represent ing him regarding this matter. I have never talked with him or anybody repre- senting him, or with any one else public ly or privately, with regard to this mat ter.
 Apparently the only insinuations made against me are that I lunched with, or met, MT. Baruch at the Bitmore hotel at or about the time of the preparation of the Presidents suggestion that the European belligerents state their peace terms. have never breakfasted, lunched dined or taken any meals with Mr. Baruch. I have met him only at several banquets and large dinners when many other persons were present. have never discussed any peace or other note, either when it was in prospect or afterwards with Mir. Baruch. or any other person en- gagged in the purchase or sale of securi- ties of any kind in the stock market.
 WAS NOT IN MARKET
 While this is a complete denial of the only insinuations which have been made, I wish to go further and say that have never engaged in stock market sales or purchases myself, nor through brokers. friends or agents
 T 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 specificially. because, as I have stated, had not seen the Presidents note. and did not know that it was in prepara- tion, or even contemplated.
 
 "As 1 have already said in public statement, have frequently requested the President to keep me free from any knowledge of impending international moves so that I might not be em- barassed by requests for information from the newspaper correspondents who appeal to me in my office constantly for such information.
 
 WANTS APOLOGY
 '.The insinuations which have been matter, whether conceived in political malice. or merely through misinforma- tion, are wholly false and without even the flimsiest basis. I have not at any time since acting as Mir. Wilson's sec retary. first. when he was governor of New Jersey. and later when he became 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.
 II wish to make this statement as ss<cs.sisss6 @a rsSS sevse)