The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-18
ROOSEVELT DID
BOAST CONTROL,
FORTY DECLARE
Prominent Men of Butte.
Mont, Verify Speech
of Candidate.
SURPRISED AT DENIAL
Report Of Associated Press
and Four Newspapers
Sustained by All.
SPOKE IN FOUR CITIES
'WilsOn Put One Over on
Lloyd George Appears in
Disputed Accounts.
SPOKE IN FOUR CITIES


Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
BUTTE. Mon, Oct. 17--Either forty
prominent citizens OF this city, Re-
publicans and Democrats alike. are
deliberately stating an untruth over
their own signatures, or Franklin D.
Vice-President. is mistaken in saying
that an erroneous report" OF his ad-
dress In Butte on August Is had been
sent out by the Associated Press.
BY a strange chance the reporters
at Spokane, Billings. Deer Lodge and
Helena, at all Of which places Mr.
Roosevelt spoke. also "misquoted" him
apparently, as the newspapers In re-
ports of various speeches in all these
places carried some or all the state
ments he claimed he did not make in
Butte. Mr.. Roosevelt's denial OF the
Butte reports of his address was not
made until almost three weeks later,
when he was almost 1900 miles away
in Maine.
In its account OF his Butte despatch, and
which was written by Charles T. Shear
er. managing editor of the Butte Daily
Post and local correspondent, the Asso-
ciated Press said:
Butte. Mont, Aug f8.-FrankIin D.
Roosevelt. Democratic candidate for
Vice-Presldent. told Butte audience to-
1a, fbot
shell game on the American people In
respect to the League OF Nations.
Amerfca's Twelve Votes.
Enemies of the league, he said, were
still busy circulating the story that Eng
land has six votes In the league tc
Americas one.
1T ia just the other way said Mr..
Roosevelt. L honestly think that VIII
son put one over on Lloyd George.
AS matter Of fact. the United
States has about twelve votes In the As
sembly. Until last week I had two OF
them myself and now Secretary Dan
iels has them.
You know. l have had something
to do with the running OF couple OF
little republics. Facts are that wrote
Hayti's constitution myself, and. II /
do say It. think It a pretty good con-
stitution.'
Roosevelt said that Hayti and San
Domingo. Panama, Cuba and Central
American countries who had at least
twelve votes in the leagues Assembly.
all regarded Uncle Sam MS guardian
and big brother. and that this country
would practically have their votes IN the
league.
HE added that the Assembly of the
league was merely a debating society
and that the real power OF the league
was In the Council. In which the British
Empire had one vote and the United
States one"
Mr. Roosevelts repudiation of this
account was made while on a speaking
tour in Maine on September 2. He
said:
ION my return to the East I fnd that
wide publicity has unfortunately been
given an erroneous report of a speech
made by me In Butte, Mont, nearly
three weeks ago, In regard to the votes
OF various American republics in the
Assembly OF the League Of Nations
feel certain that the mlsquotation was
entirely unintentlonaL
Denies Boast of Control.
1T has been charged that declared
that the United States would. II men,
Der of the league, control or have the
votes OF at least twelve West Indian,
Central or South American republics.
II should think II would DO obvious
that one who has been So largely In
touch with foreign relations through the
Navy Depart ment during the last seven
years could not have made deliberate
false statement OF this kind"
The Associated Press despatch OF
Mr.. Rooseveit's Butte speech caused
much comment throughout the country.
Senator Harding was among those who
we're amazed at the words attributed
to Mr.. Roosevelt. At Marion. on Sep
tenbcr II. Senator Harding said in COM
nenting on them
ITO the best OF my knowledge. this ls
the first official admission cf the rape
,r Haytl and san Domingo py the pres
ant Administration. To my mind. more
,ver, 1t is the most shocking assertion
hat ever emansted from a responsible
member Of the Government Of tho United
stntes"
-Four days later Senator Harding. In
-eply to an indignant telegram from Mr..
which stated that he had do
1ied the stattsnent attributed TO him in
Butte. replied:
Your telegram stating that I quoted
N a speech on September IL state
nont which you had already publicly
tented is received. am frank TO say
hat had not seen. and have not yet
,een, such denial. hut I accept your
statement In good faith. and express
.egret that should have quoted you"
In the opinion OF Mr.. Roosevelt, this !
apparently settled the matter tri- (
imphantly. But meanwhile Hurvcp's
Weekly and other journals whose editors
lad heard that cry OF "misquoted" from
politicians many times before were Just
BEGINNING 10 get interested IN the mat
er. All agreed that the Associated
Press should investigate. The Asso- !
.iated Press already had investigated
however. and Its corre-
pondent was not notified that his ser