Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-25
BRITISH BREACH OF COURTESY
PROMPTS OFFICIAL COGNIZANCE
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Action of English Embassy In Taking Up
Matter of Cable Communication Directly
With Senator kellogg VIII Cause Demand for
Explanation by Washington, It Is Under
stood; Bianchi Incident Closed.
tBY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,

Washington, Dec. 24.-Official
cognizance was taken yesterday by
state department of the action of
the British embassy in writing di-
rectly to Chairman kellogg of the
senate committee investigating ca
BILE communications, denying testi-
mony of witnesses that the Brit
ish authorities imposed a censor
ship on cable messages coming to
the United States from Great Bril-
tain.
At the departments request Sem
ator Kellogg sent to Acting Secre-
tary Davis a copy of the embassy's
letter together with a transcript of
the testimony of officials of Ameri-
can cable companies that a CEN
sorship was imposed. Mr.. Davis
conferred today with Assistant
Merle Smith, in charge Of Euro
pean affairs and Solicitor Fred X.
Nelson. AT that time. however,
the letter from Senator kellogg had
not reached the department.
Breach of Courtesy Alleged.
Officials declined to discuss the
incident, but it was indicated that
the embassy would be asked for an
explanation of what was regarded
ed as a breach of diplomatic cour-
tesy. A similar course was fol-
lowed recently when DR.. Julio BIZ
anchi, the Guatemalan minister,
took up directly with Senator Mos
es, of New Hampshire, discussion
of the senator's resolution asking
the state department for informa-
ton concerning the detention of
former President Cabrera by the
present authorities in Guatemala.
1t was clear, however, that the two
incidents were not regarded as
within the same category as one
which dealt with contemplated ac-
ton by the legislative branch of
the government, whereas the other
had only to do with an effort to
correct what was regarded by the
embassy as erroneous information
which had been given to a senate
committee in the course of a hear
ing -
Expert Explanation"
Officials also indicated their be-
lief that there was some reason
able explanation of the embassy's|
action in dealing directly with Sen
ator Kellogg instead of through
the state department.
Neither the embGssy's letter nor.
that written by Senator Kellogg to
Mr.. Davis was made public. The
former was understood to have
been signed by r. Leslie Craige.
first secretary of the embassy, and
it was dispatched after a public
statement had been made at the
embassy that such a communica-
ton would be sent. Enclosed with
the embassy's letter was a news
paper dispatch printed in this
country quoting high official Of
Scotland Yard as denying that there
was a censorship on cablegrams
originating in the British Isles for
the United States. Despite this de-
NAL, Senator Kellogg in his letter
to Secretary Davis asked the state
department to inquire of the en-
bassy whether a censorship existed
as testified to by Newcomb Carl
ton, president of the Western
Union Telegraph company, and
John Goldhammer secretary of the
Commercial Gable company.
While this incident was under
consideration by department Off