New-York tribune., 1920-10-07
Missouri Democrat Tells
Colleague Authenticity
of Pledge to Rumania
Cannot Be Questioned
Let Voters Decide.
President Replies
Hays Committee Issues a
Statement and Cites
Stenographic Report
From, The 7ris,.ns Washtnntnn R..r.n.

From The Tri5ure Washington Rurenx
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.-Ths
controversy between President WI.
son and Senator Selden ?. Spencer.
of Missouri, as to whether the Pres
ident had promised American mill.
tary aid to members of the League
OF Nations who might be attacked
took on wider scope to-day when
Senator James A Reed, of Missouri.
political opponent of Mr.. Spencer.
sided with his colleague.
Senator Reed sent telegram ia
Senator Spencer upholding him in
his statement that in an address be.
fore the peace conference on Nav
81, 1919, the President had pledged
American military aid to Rumania
and Serbia as a guaranty Of peacs
IN Europe.
Wilson Leaves 1t TO Voters
President Wilson also sent = teie.
gram to Mr.. Spencer during the dav,
replying to reiteration made YES.
terday by Senator Spencer that ths
stenographic notes of the eighth
plenary session of the peace con-
ference showed that MIR. Wilson
made the promise of aid.
The Presidents message to Mr.. Snen-
Ger read:
! am perfectly content to leave it to
the voters of Missouri to determine
which Of us is telling the truth
Paul D. Cravath, Of New York. who
was attached to the financial staff at
the peace conference in a statement is
sued m New York upheld Senator
Spencer in the controversy.
Mr.. Spencer had asserted that tie
stenoeraphic notes of the peace con-
terence showed the President had made
the following statement to Premier
Bratiano:
GU must not forget that il i force
that is the final guaranty Of the nnb-
lie peace. If the world il AGAIN tro,,-
bled the United States Will send to tbis
SIDE OF the ocean their army and their
feet"
First Denied by Tumultv
Secretary Tumulty first denied the
President had pledged military aid TO
Rumania and Serbia. and then Presi-
dent " Wllson telegraphed DENIAL to Mr..
Spencer
When informed of President Will
sens telegram to him to-day. Senator
Spencer prepared the following mes
sage Tor transmission to the President:
There must be no isuuderstanding
about a matter Of such great national
importance as TO whether y0a stated
to Premier Blatiano Of Rumania that
the American army and navy would De
sent across the sea in case the world
was again troubled. Il has Tor months
been publicly stated that sucr an
agreement on your part Is incorporated
IN the stenographic report Of the
eighth plenary session of The peace
conference. again beg Of you go let
me know whether you made such an
agreement"
Senator Reeds telegram to Mr.
Spencer was sent in response to one
from Mr.. Spencer asking Information
on the subject The telegram declared
the Presidents statement al the peace
conference was copyrighted by news
paper syndicate and given wide circu-
latlon.
Authenticity Never Questioned
"On several occasions I called the
attention Of the Senate to this speech"
the telegram continued My speeches
by scores cf thousands were circulated
through the country. Numerous pub
iicists and speakers have repeatedly
referred 10 and commented upon this
declaration Of the President. It's au-
tnenticity was never disputed on the
floor Of the Senate or elsewhere To
my knowledge until Mr. Tumuity re-
Gently denounced it as false. The
speech bears upon It's face evideace
OF its authenticity, As it is couched in
the we'll known phraseology Of the
President. In view o. these facts a
discerning public viii not be inclined
to accept Mr.. Tumulty's denial.
There is one way this dispute can
be settled. Let the President produce
the stenographic records of the peace
conference showing just what was said.
these official reports have been studi-
ously suppressed and kept secret. al
though the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee asked expressly for them.
1t was stated by Clemenceau's private
secretary that the reasons WHY the
sessions were held in secret was be-
cause the President OF the United
menceau's own Judgment
Lansing's Testimony Cited
That the latter statement is abso-
lutely correct is shown by the testi-
mony Of Secretary Lansing given be-
fore the Foreign Relations Committee
OF the Senate August &, 1919. See Part
Printed Hearings, page 145"
After the dispatch of the telegram 70
Senator Spencer Senator Reed gave out
a statement, in which he said:
What now do we understand That
President Wilson now mesns we are
not to be under obligations to send onr
armies to protect Rumania and other
members of the LEAGUE against attack
ing?
IF so, what becomes of Article X.
which, ne declares, is the heart Of the
covenant"
The Republican National Committee
tonight gave out statement backinJ
Senator Spencer in the controversy. Tho
statement read, in part:
On February ,, 1920, Senator Reed
OF missouri (see page 250T of the nm