The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-09

NEW YORK, Dec. 9.-Dr Hale dc
tated the following statement in con-
nection with the terstimony given be-
fore the senate committee at Wash
ington In the Investigation Of alien
propaganda:
1T Is false that ! had any contract
with Count Won Bernstorfi or with any
body connected with the German gov
eminent till juno %, 1918, or with any
body on earth, German, Turk. or Hot
tentot, except The New York Ameri-
can.
1T is false that ever sat in council
with Count Won Bernstor6. l never
saw the German Ambassador except
for. perhaps, two minutes one day in
the spring of 1915, when, on my way
to the steamship, I called at the Ritz
Carlton and got perfunctory letter
from him, half printed and half writ
ten. such as he gave to all corlesppd-
ents about to go abroad.
Denies Attending Conference.
II never attended a conference at
the Ritz-Carlton. ! never, otherwise,
exchanged a word with Mr.. Bernstorf
by post, telephone or messenger.
1T Is perfectly we'll known that In
German Information Service, q press
above board at Madison Square, sup
plying about a thousand American
newspapers with arguments on the
German side. resigned In November.
1915, at the end Of my years contract.
I'm the early summer Of 1916 was
solicited by the editors Of The New
tn "a n.
rope as the Americans chief CONT
mental correspondent, judged because
Of my acquaintance In Germany and
Austria. After much hesitation and
one or two positive refusals, l con-
scented to go. While in Central Europe.
that Is, up to April, 1917, discharged
the ordinary duties Of foreign cor
respondent to the best Of my poor
ability. What Mr.. Hearst and Mr..
Hearst's immediate representatives
had in mind when in May, 1916, they
persuaded me to go to Berlin for them,
do not know.
Works Hard as Reporter.
II only know that they were insist
ent and that / finally consented to
make the trip. l was provided with
private secretary, and the salary and
expense account were in accord with
Mr.. Hearst's liberal ideas. For year
l did the best that In me lay to earn
my salary. When l found that The
Americans. cables were not going
through, voluntarily offered ii sus-
pend the contract under which l was
working.
1T Is false that the German foreign
Office sent me to Bucharest In the fall
of 1916 in an effort to persuade Ru-
mania to keep out Of the war. 1t
would be delightful to be the hero of
a romance like that, but, unhappily, 1t
is rather too Wild yarn. ! did go to
Rumania at that critical time, and my
dispatches will show how hard
worked as a reporter.
Referring to the alleged dispatch
OF Bernstorn's, which says: 1 suggest
that the time is favorable to send a
flrst-class journalist to Berlin, and the
man chosen Is William Bayard Hale
Is dated June 2, 1916. ! was not In
America on that date, and l had al
ready sailed, in total ignorance Of the
favor which Count Won BernstorH gra-
tuitously proposed to bestow upon me.
Another alleged dispatch from Won
Bernstorff, Hale tells me-. and ST forth.
This dispatch is dated on June5, 1915.
| was In Scotland, and could not have
very we'll told Won BernstorR anything.
"As to the evening report OF Mr..