South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-19
Candidates Alibi Is That II
Was Simply an Informal
Discussion.
CAUGHT WITH GOODS
Gets Huffy" When Referred
To as Private Citizen
Tells Who He l..

MARION. o.. Oct Is-ReplyinE
to an inquiry from Pres.r Wilson.
Sen. Harding wrote The white house
Monday night that although France
had sent her "spokesmcn 20 him
informally asking America % lead
the way for am association of nations
the incident had NOT involved tnc
French government iu any violation
OF international prour.elies
The senator declared that do MS
reference 90 The subject iu speech
az Greenclstle Ind. recently. he
only had sought % convey the
thought that there had come to him
those who spoke sentiment which
they represented 10 be very manifest
amonE the French people. He ad
dcl that his words could not be
construed 20 say that the French
government mad sent anybody t0 see
mc.'
Referring to Nr wilson sugyos-
ton Of impr0priety I'm foreign ma
tIon approaching "a private citizen''
on such subject Sen Harding
pointed out that he is a member ~
the foreign relations committee as
we'll as a nominee for the presidency
and suggested that IAN informal cN-
PRECISION 10 me- is rather more Jhan
that 90 private citizen.
The text OF Sen. Harding letter
sent in reply 20 one from the presi-
dent asking whether the senator hal
been correctly quoted in his Green
castle speech, rs as follows.
Dear Mr.. President.
Il have before me press copy n
your letter % mo ~ this date. though
i am not in receipt OF The Original
copy I ann glad 90 manc "a prompt
reply.
''It is very gratifying that you
hesitate 20 draw iuferenCCs without
my assurance that I am correctly
quoted The quotation as reported
IN your letter is not exact The notes
~ the stenOgrapher reporting my
remarks quote me as saying France
has sent her spokcsnen 90 me in
formally asking America in its ne1s
realization Of The situation % lead
the way for =u association II ma
tiOus.
Il am sure that nay words could
not be construed 90 say that the
French government has sent anybody
20 me. The thought that I was try-
lnz 10 convey that there had come
10 me those who spoke a sentiment
which they represented no bee very
manifest among the French people.
but nothing would suggest the
the prgprieties or international re-
latiOns. Official France would never
seek 20 go over your high Office rs
our chief executive % appeal tc t1e
American people OF amy portion
thereof
u can see no impropriety In pri-
Eafe citizens rf France. OF in Aucri-
cans deeply friendly 90 France. cE-
pressing t0 mo their understanding
of sentiment .n tnat friendly r.-ll5-
.ic.
"It is not important enough 20
discuss. perhaps but very respect
fully urge thaI AN Informal expires
sion 10 me- as rather more than fhs
to private citizen. 7 hold a place
Fs mem1 Der of the foreign relations
committee NJ the United states ser
are. which is charged with certain
constitutional authority in deaurs
with foreign relations. and ] au
necessarily conscious that z am tna
nominee OF the republican party fcr
president ~ cur republic
Iu the combination ~ these two
positions. i- ought not be unseeu1Iy
that some very devoted friends Of
rcW and better relationship among
nations. no matter whence they come
should WISH 20 advise me relating 10
aspirations 20 cooperate with our
own republic In attaining that high
purpose. let me assure YOU again
of the Observance 81 an the propii-
eties and again assert that the
French government has maintained
that great respect for your position
90 which n-vz-lf asC-ibe
with great respect Z am.
WARREN - HARDING