New-York tribune., 1920-12-24
L. S. Will Ask
British Explain
Letter ON Cable
Breach of Diplomatic Cour.
tesy Seen in Action Of EN-
bassy in Dealing With
Kellogg on Censorship
Davis Requests the Note
Britain Believed to Have
Reasonable Explanation
for Method of Procedure

WASHINGTON, Dec. 90 (By The AS
sociated Press).-Oficial cognizance
was taken to-day by the State Depart
ment of the action of the British En-
bassy in writing directly to Chairman
Kellogg of the Senate committee in
vestigating cable communications, de-
r.ying testimony of witnesses that the
British authorities imposed censor
ship on cable messages coming to the
United States from Great Britain.
At the departments request, Senator
Kellogg sent to acting Secretary Davis
a copy of the Embassy's letter, together
with transcript of the testimony of
officials of American cable companies
that censorship was imposed. Mr..
Davis, who returned to his Office late
to-day after an absence of several days
on account of illness, conferred with
Assistant Secretary Merle Smith, in
charge of Western European affairs,
and Solicitor Fred X. Nelson. At. that
time, however, the letter from Senator
Kellogg had not reached the de-
partment.
Officials declined to discuss the Incl
dent, but it was indicated that the En-
bassy would be asked for an explana-
ton Of what was regarded as breach
Of diplomatic courtesy. A similar
course was followed recently when T.
Julio Bianchi, the Guatemalan Min
icto
Moses, of New Hampshire, discussion
of the Senator's resolution asking the
State Department for information con-
corning the detention Of exPresident
Cabrera by the present authorities in
Guatemala.
May Have Reasonable Excuse
1t was made clear, however, that the
two incidents were not regarded as
within the same category as one dealt
with contemplated action by the legis-
lative branch of the government
whereas the other had only to do with
an effort to correct what was regarded
by the Embassy as erroneous informa-
tlon yhlch had been given to Senate
committee in the course of a hearing.
officials also indicated their belief
that there was some reasonable ex-
planation Of the Embassy's action in
dealing directly with Senator Kellogg
instead of through the State Depart
ment as in the usually accepted pro
cedure.
Neither the embassy'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 communication
would be sent. Inclosed with the en-
bassy's letter was a newspaper dispatch
printed in this country quoting a high
official of Scotland Yard as denying
that there was a censorship on cable
grams originating in the British Isles
for the United States.
Wanted Answer on Charge
Despite this denial, Senator Kellogg
in his letter to Secretary Davis asked
the State Department to inquire of the
embassy whether a censorship existed
as testified to by Newcomb Carlton,
president Of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company, and John Goldham-
mer, secretary Of the Commercial
Gable Company.
While this incident was under con-
sideration by department. officials. an
nouncement was made that the Incl
dent of the call Of DR.. Bianchi on
Senator Moses had been closed, sin
view of the Minister'S explanation and
apology"
In communication to the depart
ment Minister Bianchi SAD it had been
his intention when he called upon Sen
ator Moses merely to explain the policy
OF his government in the Imprisonment
of DR.. Cabrera and to exonerate him
self. He said he had not commented
upon the pol cy of the United States
nor that of the American Legation in
Guatemala, adding that he regretted
the incident and promised that it would
not be repeated.