New-York tribune., 1920-10-09
Will Make No Further
Statement ON Charge
That He Promised Aid
of u. S. to Rumania
'lribune's Report
Believed Correct
Publication of Address
Held Only Answer to
Spencer s Allegations

From The Triburc's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct. S.-The White
Houlc will make no farther statement
on the assertion ..ade by Senator Sell
den T. Spencer, of Missouri that at
the Versailles Peace Conference Presi-
dent Wilson promised the United
States would give military and naval
aid to Serbia and Rumania if it be-
came necessary for the League of Ma
tions to preserve the peace Of Europe
Secretary Tumulty to-day, smartine
under the repeated requests for pub
lication of the Presidents version of
what he said in addressing the Serbian
and Rumanian delegates, fatty de-
cllned to make any comment on the
excerpt from the official French min
utes of the session, published exclu-
slvely to-day in The Tribune This ex-
cerpt showed that Senator Spencer had
quoted with substantial correctness the
words uttered by President Wilson at
the peace conference plenary session
Of May 81, 1919, when the pro,nise of
military aid was given.
Tumulty Evades Issue
Mr.. Tumulty dismissed an inquiry
for comment on The Tribune story by
remarking:
III not discuss any statement made
in this campaign by The Tribune"
When Mr.. Tumulty's attention was
called to the editorial in The New
York Times calling upon President
Wilson definitely to clear up the con-
troversy by publishing the official
transcript of his address, in which the
promise of aid was given, he likewise
evaded the issue, hastily swerving the
trend of Inquiries from the assembled
newspaper correspondents to less irri-
tating subjects.
The White House decision to stand
on the Presidents two messages of
reputation of Senator Spencer's state
ment is shared by the State Depart
ment, where officials sought to uucs-
tion the authenticity of the French
translation published by The Tribune.
1t was said at the State Department
that no official report of addresses
made by the President was available
here. One official, who served for Il
time with the American Peace Mission
at Paris, said that there were no
stenographic reports kept Of the peace
sessions, although he admitted that an
official summary of each sitting had
been made.
Without Official Summary
This official summary, 1t was ex-
planned, had not been furnished to the
United States government thus far, al
though 1T was the intention of the
peace conference to make available
for every nation whose delegates were
at the conference an official COPY of
the summarized proceedings. Asked l.
the United States could procure it's
copy by application to the American
Ambassador at Paris, this official said
it might be that the copy would be
withheld until the United States had
ratified the peace treaty.
Although it has been the practice
during the Presidents illness to keep
from him any published statement that
might be a source of irritation to him,
it is believed that The Tribune story
was not withheld from the Executive.
The fact that the President himself
has personally written the two mes
Spencer is believed to have prompted
the executive Office to turn over to
him all press comments on the Incl
dent
Wilson Stand Believed Final
The Presidents determination to
stand on his message challenging the
veracity of Senator Spencer. howeyer,
is not expected to be changed by the
flood of requests that have reached the
White House that he publish his re-
marks to the Serbian and Rumanian
delegates at the peace conference 1t
is the Presidents philosophy in con-
troveries of this kind to brand his op-
ponent with a harsh epithet and then
later decline to make further state
ment, observers declared
Though The Tribune article was gen.
orally accepted in diplomatic circles as
wholly authentic, of course, no diplo-
mats would consent to be quoted on the
subject. Many of the Washington diplo-
matte corps, however, were in Paris at
the time of the peace conference, and
had first hand knowledge of the utter
ances of the American Executive in the
secret sessions of the peace conferees
10 these diplomats the statement at
tributed to the President by Senator
Spencer had only the effect of refresh
ing their memories, and in no way
created the doubts that seem TO have
come to members of the Administra-
ton.
Hold Charge Substantiated
The excerpt published in this morn
lng's Tribune was declared by Republi-
can leaders to be a complete substanti-
alton of the charge made by Senator
Spencer. The official French text as set
forth by The Tribune, they declared
could not be answered in any other way
than by the President placing before
the public the address delivered at the
peace conference, a he had it tran
scribed, or as he now recalled his ut
terance. Such an expression, these
leaders pointed out, would have at least
the effect of clarifying the atmosphere
of doubt that the White House has
raised by the emphatic messages of de-
Continued on next pass)